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[The reader will please
consult a footnote at the opening of Chapter XXXII. as to the origin of
the name "Kincardine." Kincardine at first was known as Penetangore, which
name was bestowed at the time of its survey into a town plot, being
derived from the river of that name that there finds its way into the
lake. The settlement which was early formed there came to be known by the
name of the township, and Kincardine being a word that fitted more easily
an English tongue than did the long Indian word of Penetangore, it
gradually grew into common use and was chosen to designate the post-office
when it was established in 1851. Both names were in current use until the
settlement was incorporated as a village in 1S58. An interchangeable use
of the two names was common and will also be found in this History.
Penetangore was retained as the name of the port by the Customs Department
until, by Order-in-Council, 8th October, 1875, " Kincardine, late
Penetangore," was constituted a Port of Entry and a Warehousing Port.]
In proceeding to the
narrative of Kincardine's history, it is with the great advantage of a
description of the place as it appeared fresh from nature's hand, which
gives the reader an opportunity of comparing the town as it is at the
present time with its pristine aspect, and, if pensively inclined, to
contemplate what has been wrought during a half century to make or mar.
The description of Kincardine above referred to is A. P. Brough's report
to the Commissioner of Crown Lands of the survey of the town plot, which
was made in 1849, and which, with some slight omissions, is here given at
length:
"The town of Penetangore
embraces a tract of land 110 chains in length, with an average width of 93
chains, and contains about 1,023 acres divided into building and park
lots. It is situated on Lake Huron at the western terminus of the Durham
Road, on a river of the same name, which here empties itself into Lake
Huron. The name Penetangore is a corruption of the Indian name Na-Benem-tan-gaugh,
signifying 'the river with the sand on one side.' [In the Geological
Report of work done in this part of the province in 1848, the Penetangore
River is referred to as the "Big Pine River," and further says: ''The
epithet 'Big,' however, is probably intended to qualify the wood rather
than the water; the surface is thickly grown over with pine of large
size." The mouth of the river at that time was situated about 100 yards
south of where the railway station is now. On one side was the clay bluff
and on the other a sand dune, hence the Indian name.] The lake at
Penetangore is bordered by a sandy beach about three chains in width and
which is skirted by a bank from 4 to 10 feet in height, on the top of
which a narrow strip of table land three to four chains in width occurs,
and along which Saugeen and Goderich Streets run; there then occurs a
higher bank of from 60 to 80 feet elevation over the lake, and which
appears to have formed the original and permanent boundary to the waters
of Lake Huron. Having ascended this bank, the country presents a level
surface, constituting a table land of a dry, sandy loam soil and admirably
adapted for building on. It is almost entirely free from swamp, and the
whole included space may be considered as entirely available for the
purposes for which it was intended; both from its elevated situation, the
dryness of its soil and the purity of the water, it may be regarded as an
exceedingly healthy situation for a town and free from ague and other
diseases that new towns in this climate are often subject to.
"The river Penetangore is exceedingly
serpentine in its course and runs through a broad valley composed of rich
flats, dry for the most part, and which lie at a depth of 50 to 60 feet
below the natural surface of the adjoining table land. There are numerous
springs of pure water issuing from the high banks over the valley, and the
whole tract is intersected at several points by small streams. The river
is composed of two main branches which unite at Victoria Street; they are
of nearly similar capacities, about 70 feet in width with an average depth
above the point of junction of 3 feet. During very dry summer weather the
water in these channels becomes very low, but at all other seasons of the
year they contain an abundant supply of water. From the present sawmill at
'Huron Terrace' down to the reserve for basin there is an average depth of
8 feet and a width of 64 feet; from there to the mouth it is shallow and
may be considered useless for any purposes of navigation. The mouth itself
is very narrow and generally contains only one foot of water, and when
strong westerly winds blow, the shifting of the sands causes it to fill up
and the water seeks some other outlet into the lake. To meet this defect I
have proposed to make a new cut at the large bend in the river at the end
of Saugeen Street, where there is 8 to 10 feet of water. The river at this
point approaches within 4½ chains of the lake, the expense of the cut
would be trifling, and by carrying out two paralled piers into the lake to
about 18 feet of water, I conceive that all impediments from the shifting
of the sands would be avoided and a safe, easy access to the town
accomplished. "On the
inside I have made a reserve for a small basin of 5½ acres in extent,
should the importance of the place justify the outlay for the construction
of it. The ground is composed of low flats, and is situated at the foot of
Russell Street on Huron Terrace, and as the river in its natural state is
very narrow, such a basin is absolutely necessary to accommodate any
considerable amount of trade; and as the country in the rear of
Penetangore is a noble tract for agricultural purposes, it may be expected
that at no distant day Penetangore will become an important shipping port
for agricultural produce.
"The timber within the town reserve consists
of beech, maple, elm and hemlock chiefly, and a few oak are met with on
the north side of the town, but there is no pine of any consequence with
the exception of a narrow belt of small red pine on the margin of the
beach, that must prove of much advantage to the first settlers, but is of
no importance as an article of trade.
"There are three mill-sites laid off within
the town reserve, the lowest on the river being the present sawmill lately
erected by Mr. Withers. It is a substantial, well-framed building, and was
in full operation during the last summer and fall; and Mr. Withers
informed me that it was his intention to build a grist mill during the
current season, so as to have it in operation by the summer of 1851. Mr.
Withers proposes to have 7½ feet of head water to supply his mills, and by
allowing him to raise his dam so as to obtain that head there 'will be no
impediment caused by back water to the efficient working of the other
mills, situated the one on lot No. 4 on Park Street, and the other on park
lot "No. 2 on Wellington Avenue; the former mill site had an elevation of
13¼ feet above the bed of the flume at the sawmill owned by Mr. Withers,
and the mill site on lot No. 2 Wellington Avenue, has an elevation of 11½
feet above the same point.
"I have reserved park lot No. 9 on the east
side of Park Street, five acres in extent, as a public burial ground for
the use of the town. I had no directions in my instructions to do so, but
the matter was so pleasing to the settlers and is in itself of so much
importance, that I should hope the Department will give the sanction to
it. "I have made no
reserve for churches or school-houses, as I consider that any of the
building lots would suffice for that purpose, and parties wishing to erect
churches, by applying to the Department will have no difficulty, I
conceive, in procuring suitable sites, either gratis or at a moderate
purchase "The river
Penetangore is so winding in its course that most of the streets have to
cross it, and in selecting the positions of the several streets I was
guided by the principle of making them cross the river at the most
favorable points for erecting bridges, hence the width of the blocks
extending from street to street are not of uniform dimensions, by reason
of which the size of the building lots on some of the streets are half an
acre, while in others, as Victoria and Princess Streets, they are only
quarter acres, but half-acre building-lots are the prevailing size, and in
the case of broken lots some are much larger.
"There are two market-places laid off at
opposite extremities of the town, containing three and a half acres each;
they are located upon dry, level ground, and are surrounded with handsome
building lots of half-acre size. The Durham market is supposed to
accommodate all the settlers of the township who occupy the north side of
the Durham Road, while Elgin market is intended for the south concession,
Kincardine Avenue, on which it is situated, being a continuation of the
south concession line. I may observe in general of the park lots, that
they vary in size from 5 to 21 acres, are composed of a good sandy loam
soil, and are well adapted for cultivation, and would be suited to growing
of fruit and vegetables. On the north side of Durham Street I laid off a
range of one and two-acre building lots, my reason for doing so being to
embrace the whole of lake lot No. 11, through the centre of which Durham
Street runs. By this means there are none of the lake lots interfered
with; those occupied by the town are entire lots and no portions of the
adjoining lots are encroached on.
"For further information I would beg to refer
to you the field notes and plan, where all details are fully set forth.
"All of which is respectfully submitted.
"I have.the honor to be, sir,
"Your very obedient servant,
"Allen Park Brough, P.L.S.
"Toronto, May, 1850."
In Chapter III. is to be found the narrative
of the settlement made at Kincardine in 1848. It is there recorded because
this was the pioneer settlement of the county. The reader is asked to
overlook any repetition of facts there mentioned, it being unavoidable in
order to present a connected recital of events in the history of the town.
The undisputed distinction of being the first
settlers at Kincardine belongs to Allan Cameron and William Withers.
Shortly after the opening of navigation in the spring of 1848 [The exact
date is said to have been March 5th, 1848.] these two men and their
effects were landed at the mouth of the Penetangore River from the
schooner owned and sailed by Captain A. Murray MacGregor. Close to the
spot where they landed they built a log house, in which Mr. Cameron kept
hotel, and at a later date John Keyworth kept store.
Some few settlers whose names are mentioned in
Chapter III. joined them that summer. For the first year or so the
settlement was confined to the flats in the neighborhood of the harbor and
beach. It was there that the first two stores were opened. Withers'
sawmill was where Mr. Macpherson's orchard is. Patrick Downie's hotel
occupied the site where stands the brick building of the Rightmeyer Salt
Works, and Francis Walker's hotel stood where the storehouse of the same
works is at present.
The reader will bear in mind that the appearance of the town has changed
most markedly in the vicinity of the harbor. The present basin has been
excavated from a flat tract of land, originally well wooded. The course of
the river has also been changed. Instead of flowing, straight out into the
lake, as at present, it took a sharp bend to the south at a point near the
inward end of the south pier, and pursuing a southerly course parallel to
the beach for about three hundred yards, and entered the lake opposite the
present railway engine house, the river along this distance being
separated from the lake by a sand dune some twenty feet high, which
sustained a stunted growth of evergreens. This sand dune, which barred a
shorter outlet from the river, was cut through at the instance of Francis
Walker. The exact year when this was done the author has been unable to
fix. In 1856, the year he arrived at Kincardine, he had no difficulty in
stepping across the small stream which flowed through the cutting which
had been made. This he could not do when he reached the original mouth of
the river, the flow of water there being too deep. That fall and winter
contractors were at work driving piles for the two piers; between these
the spring freshet of 1857 poured its waters, enlarging the channel, which
since then has been the outlet of the river into the lake.
To engage in lumbering seems to have been Mr.
Withers' [Wm. Withers was a native of Portsmouth, England, and had resided
in the county of Oxford prior to coming to Bruce. During the later years
of his residence at Kincardine he filled the position of Inland Revenue
Officer. In 1881 he moved to the State of Oregon, residing at Astoria
where he died in 1883, aged 81.] object in coming into the bush, so he
proceeded to erect a dam and sawmill, which was in operation the following
year. The spot where it Was built is fully referred to in the chapter on
"The Pioneers," and further particulars are given elsewhere in this
chapter. In 1849 two
stores were opened at Kincardine. The names of these two enterprising
merchants were John Riach (pronounced Ray by the settlers) and William
Rastall. Which took precedence as to the time of commencing business is
hardly worth discussing, though each has partisans to sustain their claim
to this honor. John Riach had in earlier life been a commercial traveller
for a Glasgow firm on the Continent. Coming to Canada, he tried his hand
at farming, somewhere near Goderich. Not succeeding thereat, he purchased
a small stock of goods and came to Penetangore, with the intention of
developing a trade there, and "grow up with the place." Building a small
board shanty, near where the railway station is now, he there kept store
for some time. His wife was the, eldest daughter of Thomas Harris, a
prominent man in the early settlement of Kincardine Township, who built
for the accommodation of his son-in-law's business the frame building on
the west side of the market square, still standing, and known for years as
the British American Hotel. [After Riach went out of business this stand
was occupied by James Legear; on his leaving it (about 1854, '55) the
building for forty years was used as an hotel, the first tenant being
Thomas Kennard, who was succeeded by George Smith.] William Rastall, prior
to his settlement at Kincardine, had carried on a trade with the Indians
at Saugeen, as related in Chapter III. During the first twenty years of
the history of Bruce no one filled a more prominent position, or was more
generally esteemed, than William Rastall, and it is with pleasure that
particulars of his life, obtained largely from his son Herbert and his
brother Richard, are given in the accompanying footnote. [William Rastall
was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, December 16th, 1827. When he was but six
years of age his father, Dr. Samuel Rastall, emigrated to Canada and
settled at Goderich. At the age of fourteen he went to Saugeen, under an
engagement with Hugh Johnston, at that time engaged in trading with the
Indians. Later on, when he was only about seventeen years of age, William
Rastall engaged in the same business on his own account at Saugeen ;
subsequently, in 1849 he commenced a general mercantile business at
Penetangore, his first shop being a "lean-to " at the side of Allan
Cameron's tavern. Later on he removed to a log house he had built on the
south side of the Market Square, where the planing mill now stands. This
gave place to a block of frame buildings which he was occupying when he
sold out his stock and mercantile interests to Joseph Cooke in 1856. After
that, for a number of years, he conducted a conveyancing and insurance
business. In 1880 he removed to Orangeville, where, in company with his
son-in-law, J. H. Brownell, he published the Orangeville Advertiser, which
they conducted for several years, when Mr. Rastall removed to Detroit,
where he died, October 18th, 1890. Mr. Rastall married, in 1850, Miss Mary
I. Cameron, eldest daughter of Allan Cameron. She survives her husband and
resides with her son Herbert in Detroit. Mr. Rastall was the first reeve
of the "United Townships within the County of Bruce.'' In 1854 he was
reeve of the united townships of Kincardine, Bruce and Kinloss. When, in
1858, Kincardine village became a municipality, he was the first reeve of
it, but resigned during the year. He was reeve of the village for the
years 1859, '60, '61, '66, '67, '68 and '69. In politics he was a Reformer
and in 1867, at the first general election held after Confederation he ran
for the Dominion House of Commons, but was defeated by' his opponent,
Francis Hurdon.] The
inflow of settlers into Bruce in the early fifties was steady and
continuous. Very many of these looked to Kincardine as the base . from
which supplies were to be obtained. The natural result of supply and
demand seeking to adjust themselves resulted in storekeepers being more
plentiful at Kincardine in those days than they are to-day, over half a
century later. The first to follow Messrs. Riach and Rastall in
storekeeping was David MacKendrick, who in 1851 opened a small store
situated near where the river entered the lake at that time. Shortly
afterward he built a large log house on the west side of Queen Street,
north of the Market Square. This was followed by the erection of a frame
building, which is still standing, in which he conducted his business
until he finally sold out and retired from business. David MacKendrick was
appointed postmaster at the time the office at Kincardine was opened in
1851. Public life he sought not, and it must, in a measure, have been
somewhat against his will that he filled the position of reeve for the
township of Kincardine in the years 1856-57. Old settlers have a kindly
remembrance of David McKen-drick. They knew that he scorned anything that
had the least appearance of being dishonorable, and so forgave an
unfortunate excitability of temper which gave rise to incidents that used
to be recounted with a kindly smile at the time, to record which might
create, in the mind of those who knew him not, a wrong impression of a
character which was sound at the core.
Penetangore, as originally surveyed, had as
its northerly limit the range of lots lying on the north side of Durham
Street. All of that part of the town now known as Williamsburg has been
added by a subdivision of lots 12 to 15 of the Lake Range in the township
of Kincardine. The name Williamsburg was given by William Sutton, who had
these farm lots surveyed into town lots. [This survey was made by John
Denison, P.L.S., in June, 1855 and June, 1856. The Crown patent for lots
12 and 13, Lake Range, was issued ' to William Sutton ; for lot 14 to his
nephew, Richard Sutton, and for lot 15 to John Monilaus. One George Moffat
squatted on the lots afterwards held by William Sutton, and in 1849 he
offered to sell his claim for $8 to Robert Rowan, who declined the offer.
William Sutton probably purchased from George Moffat his squatter's
claim.] Francis
Walker (familiarly spoken of as "Paddy Walker") is a name not to be
overlooked in any relation of Kincardine's early days. He drove from
Goderich on the ice, in the spring of 1850, passing the insignificant
settlement at Kincardine town plot without noticing it, and had proceeded
as far as Stoney Island when hearing the sound of Capt. Rowan's axe, as he
worked at under-brushing, he looked him up, and was directed back to the
settlement that he had failed to notice in passing. There Mr. Walker
resided continuously until the day of his death a quarter of a century
later. The need of a grist mill was a want keenly felt by the settlers who
raised the first harvests of grain in the county of Bruce. William Sutton
[Wm. Sutton was born in Yorkshire, 29th February, 1828, and at an early
age he learnt the business of a saddler. He came to Kincardine in 1850.
His enterprising, energetic character gave him a prominent position in the
settlement, a prominence retained during the forty-three years of his
residence in the county. He was reeve of Kincardine from 1862 to 1865, and
took a notable part in the settlement of the county town question. On the
separation of Huron and Bruce he received the appointment of sheriff of
the latter county, which office he held until 1892. In 1873 he became
interested in lumbering in British Columbia and made money, but lost
heavily through agents in Australia, to whom he had shipped the produce of
his mills. In 1893 he formed a new company, called " The Sutton Lumber and
Trading Co.," of Euculet, B.C., which he was conducting at the time of his
death, which occurred March 10th, 1896, at Victoria, B.C. In 1852 he
married Sarah, daughter of John Keyworth. His widow (who died in 1905) and
six children survived him.] decided to supply this need, and proceeded to
construct a dam across the north branch of the Penetangore, [This dam was
utilized to support the superstructure of a bridge, largely used by those
who came into town by way of the Durham Road.] and to erect a mill at what
still is known as "Sutton's Hollow." The mill was of logs and of modest
dimensions. The required pair of mill stones were in due time landed on
the beach, but before they were removed a storm sprang up. The loose sand
on which the stones lay was quickly washed from beneath them by the heavy
surf, or else transformed thereby into the nature of quicksand, and the
stones were "drowned," to use the expressive phrase of an old settler, as
he described their disappearance. This serious disaster was productive of
delay, but did not diminish the efforts of Mr. Sutton, who purchased
another pair of stones, and in 1852 had the first grist mill in the county
in operation. Settlers who before had taken their grists to Durham or Port
Albert were now able to dispense with such long journeys. Being, however,
the only mill in the county, many a pioneer found he had a long and weary
distance to cover before he could get his grist to "Sutton's Mill." It is
related of such that while waiting for their grists to be finished they
would light a hot fire on one of the large boulders near by, and when this
was sufficiently heated, on it they would bake a cake, made from their
newly ground flour and water crudely mixed. Unleavened and unseasoned such
a cake certainly was, but to a hungry backwoodsman, tasting the initial
harvest of his bush farm, it was delicious. Mr. Sutton, after running this
mill for several years, built, in 1854, a much larger frame one, and in a
few years later one of still greater capacity, which he continued to
operate as long as he was in the milling business.
The dam built by William Withers, on what is
shown in the map of the town as Mill Block No. 1, was washed away by a
freshet. As he never had obtained any title from the Crown to the
property, he took the frame of his mill to pieces and set it up again on
his farm on the south line, where he had water-power. John Keyworth came
out from England in 1851, and on August 22nd of that year applied to the
Crown for this Mill Block. He also at the same time contracted for the
erection of a good-sized frame mill building. On his return from England
the next year, where he had gone to fetch his family, he found that the
contractor had so botched his job of framing that the building could not
be put together or erected. Peeling disappointed, Mr. Keyworth gave up the
idea of milling, and confined himself to keeping store, continuing thereat
until his death, in March, 1861.
In the winter of 1853-54 Malcolm MacPherson
[Malcolm MacPherson was born in Perthshire, Scotland, June 1st, 1806, and
came to Canada in 1815, when his parents immigrated to this country. The
family settled where Perth is now, and Mr. MacPherson's father felled the
first tree cut on its site. Mr. MacPherson learned the trade of carpenter
and joiner, and in his early days built many of the houses in Perth. He
also, for eight years, was surveyor for the united counties of Lanark and
Renfrew. In February, 1854, he moved his family to Kincardine. He brought
his family in a covered sleigh in which there was placed a small stove. At
Arthur the stable in which all his effects were placed for the night was
burned and he lost everything but the clothes in which he and the members
of the family stood in. Arriving at Kincardine he, by strenuous efforts,
succeeded in overcoming his loss. In the running of the mill he was
assisted by his son John. Mr. MacPherson was married in 1832 to Elizabeth
MacPherson, of Ernesttown, a daughter of a U. E. Loyalist. They had a
family of eleven children. For about sixty years Mr. MacPherson was an
elder of the Presbyterian Church. He was mainly instrumental in the
forming of a congregation in Kincardine in connection with the Church of
Scotland. In politics he was a prominent Reformer. His death occurred
November 23rd, 1893.] came to Kincardine, and made arrangements to build
both a grist and a sawmill and the necessary dam to obtain water-power.
Mr. MacPherson was for many years the proprietor of this mill, which is
still operated, but it has passed through several hands since Mr.
MacPherson disposed of it. It is now run by steam power, the water in the
river for years past being insufficient to supply constant power
throughout the year.
William Macklem (for many years a resident of Kincardine) settled there in
the winter of 1849-50, and about 1853-54 built an oatmeal mill on the
north branch of the river, north of Russell Street. This, with the mills
operated by William Sutton and Malcolm MacPherson, fully supplied the
needs of the farmers.
The work of cutting the standing timber on the
streets in the town, as well as logging and burning it, was no small
undertaking to the handful of settlers. For some time progress was slow.
James Henry, who arrived at Kincardine August 18th, 1851, related how he
assisted to fell some large trees then standing on Queen Street opposite
his property at the head of Harbor Street. Mr. Henry was the first
path-master appointed for the village. Many a log heap had to be disposed
of before there was a roadway in the centre of the leading streets, and it
was as late as the summer of 1856 before the Market Square was logged and
burnt. The author remembers how, in the same year, in the Williamsburg
part of Queen Street, and also on Broadway, the presence of stumps made
the wagon track a devious one. Harbor Street was not in the original
survey of the town, but the necessity for a convenient approach to the
harbor being early felt, the want was supplied by the opening of this
street, the gift of James Henry, Martin Craig, William Rastall and Francis
Walker. [Harbor Street was assumed by the village, May 8th, 1861, and $500
spent in planking the roadway over the loose sand at the western end.] The
hill on Harbor Street situated east of Huron Terrace was full of springs.
Before a passable road at this point could be secured it was necessary to
cover these over with a quantity of brush, on which was placed logs to
make a causeway.
The appearance of the little village in 1856,
as remembered by the author as he looked upon Kincardine for the first
time, was somewhat as follows: From Princess Street to the lake was all
cleared, but there was standing timber in several parts of the town where
now there are numbers of dwellings; e.g., there was then a good sugar bush
along South Street towards the High School, and a fine clump of giant
hemlocks stood where the Water Tower now stands. The buildings were very
much scattered, and stumps of trees were everywhere. Queen Street north of
Williamsburg had not at that time been opened out. There existed only a
footpath through the trees and clearings leading to Stoney Island. The
wagon road along the beach was that used for travel not only to Stoney
Island, but by those going further north. Archibald Campbell had a
storehouse on the beach at the foot of Lambton Street. When the Ploughboy
arrived on her regular trips, a large scow owned by Mr. Campbell was rowed
out to her, that is, if the weather was fine. In the scow freight and
passengers were placed and brought ashore. If there was any "sea" on the
lake, the Ploughboy passed on to Stoney Island, and at the wharf there
landed Kincardine passengers and freight. The bridges over the river in
the year mentioned were such as the primitive engineering skill of the
settlers could erect. That on Huron Terrace Street had an open log
abutment on each side of the river. On these were laid heavy stringers
across the stream. On Queen Street the superstructure of the bridge was
supported by Macpherson's dam, and the same method was in use at Sutton's
dam. Russell Street was the thoroughfare at first for the traffic from the
Durham line. After Sutton's dam was erected, with the bridge as a
superstructure thereon, Broadway was the most travelled. The uncertainty
for several years where the centre of business was to be, resulted in the
shops and taverns being spread over the town plot. There were two or three
shops on the south side, one at the old mouth of the river, one on Huron
Terrace Street, and another on Queen Street. On the north side shops were
to be seen on Huron Terrace Street, Lambton, Durham and Queen Streets, on
the Market Square, and in Sutton's Hollow. Of taverns there was Nelson
Boss' on Broadway. The Union Hotel, kept by Tom Splann, and afterwards by
John Barnes, stood on the site of the present Methodist Church. On the
other side of the Market Square Thomas Kennard kept the British American.
On the Beach, John Rowan and Francis Walker kept hotels, and on the south
side William Anderson. At that time the town bell was such a one as is now
in use on farms in the county. This bell was hung in front of Barnes'
Hotel. The standard time was obtained by a mark on a stump placed there
for the purpose by a surveyor. As this was "sun time," it of course
varied, about twenty minutes too fast or too slow, during the course of
the year. During the
first quarter of a century of its existence Kincardine was the chief
centre of trade for a large section of territory, extending back as far as
the Elora Road, and even further east if the sleighing was good. As a
natural result merchants of all descriptions of goods established
themselves there in numbers too great, it would almost seem, for the
place. The following are the names of those who, although not the very
first (these having been previously referred to), still may rightfully be
classed among the early merchants of the town. The names are given in the
order of priority of settlement: James Legear, David Gairdner, P. & N.
McInnes, Joseph Cooke, Peter Robertson, [Peter Robertson was the son of a
clergyman of the United Presbyterian Church, Scotland, and was born,
August 2nd, 1811, at Kilmaurs, Ayrshire. His schooldays were spent at the
Kilmarnock High School. On leaving home he was apprenticed to his uncle, a
cloth draper, at Glasgow. He came to Canada in 1833 and was in the employ
of James and Alex. Morris, of Brockville, until he commenced business for
himself at Belleville, in 1836. The stirring times of the Rebellion of
1837 and '38 soon followed. Being suspected of being a rebel, Mr.
Robertson was arrested and imprisoned in the fort at Kingston. When
brought to trial the jury brought in "No Bill" against him. After this he
was unintentionally mixed up in the burning of the steamer "Sir Robert
Peel" by the rebels, being a passenger on the boat at the time. In 1856 he
came to Kincardine and carried on a mercantile business until 1877, when
he retired. His death occurred May 11th, 1885. Mr. Robertson was a man of
marked intellectuality as well as of integrity, and passed away esteemed
and respected by all who knew him. He married Sarah, daughter of John
Ross, of Brockville, and had a family of four daughters and two sons, the
only surviving ones being Mrs. Alex. Shaw and Norman Robertson, county
treasurer, both of Walkerton.] F. & W. H. Hurdon, and John McLeod. These
were all engaged in business at Kincardine in the fifties. Cameron &
Brown-lee also were leading merchants. This firm commenced business in
1860. P. & N. McInnes, in addition to carrying on a large general store,
established about 1857, works for the manufacture of pearl ash, enabling
impoverished settlers to obtain by the sale of wood ashes, collected
wherever a log heap had been burnt, a fresh source of income.
Possibly the first factory started in town
other than saw or grist mills was one for the manufacture of furniture;
this was in 1856. . The building was situated on Broadway, just west of
Queen Street, This business originated with George A. Dezeng. Several
years earlier than this, business enterprise was shown by George Browne,
who built a brewery on Park Street, near Macklem's Mill. In 1858 or 1859
another brewery was built on Queen Street North. The proprietors were
Messrs. Huether & Schoenau. Their product was lager beer, a beverage at
that time almost solely confined to Germans. That nationality were not
numerous in the vicinity. It, therefore, lacked sufficient patronage to be
successful, so after a trial of some half dozen years the plant was moved
to Neustadt. A distillery operated by Messrs. Henry & Walker was another
of the early enterprises in the place. The building stood where the
lighthouse is now. This, too, was closed after an existence of a few
years. No doubt the large quantity of whiskey that was smuggled from the
United States in those days had something to do with its abbreviated
existence. In Chapter
IX. is recorded the particulars respecting the establishment of the first
school in the county. This, Kincardine's first school, was opened in the
summer of 1851. The building, a rented frame one, was situated on the
river fiats near where it flowed into the lake. Mrs. Jane Nairn, as
teacher there, presided over 66 scholars, composed of 31 boys and 35
girls. During the first half dozen years the premises occupied for school
purposes were many, until at last a permanent building was secured in 1855
or 1856. The first move the school made was to a small frame building on
the east side of Queen Street opposite Harbor Street. After a short stay
there, it occupied a log building on the opposite side of the street. The
school next found a home in a log building standing where is now the
residence of Mr. John Gentles. Its stay there was short, and its next
location was on Russell Street, just west of the English Church. Finally,
the school moved into permanent quarters, a frame building erected
purposely for a school, situated on Victoria Street, in rear of the
present Central School building, which fine and commodious brick building
was erected in 1872. The early teachers in the school during the period
above indicated were Mrs. Jane Nairn, John Campbell, Malcolm McLennan and
Thomas Scott. The public school at Kincardine has had one headmaster,
whose long continuance in the office deserves to be recorded. P. C. Powell
became principal in September, 1877, and for almost a quarter of a century
he labored faithfully to maintain a high standard of education in all its
departments. The Model School, established at the time he took the
principalship, has also been a source of credit to this old servant of the
public. The first
step taken to establish a County Grammar School at Kincardine was to
obtain the consent and authority of the Council of the united counties of
Huron and Bruce. This was obtained at the December session, 1859. At the
session held in January of the following year the Council appointed the
members of the Board of Trustees. As it was to be a County Grammar School,
the trustees were not all residents of Kincardine. The following are the
names of those appointed: M. McKendrick, Alex. Shaw, Rev. Walter Inglis
and Rev. Isaac Middleton, of Kincardine; Wm. Gunn, of Inverhuron, and Rev.
K. McLennan, of Paisley. The Board fixed the fee for tuition at $2 per
quarter. In the month of July a union was brought about of the Grammar and
Common School Boards, which union has continued down to the present. De W.
H. Martyn, M.D., was appointed secretary of the United Board in 1862, an
office he held almost continuously until his death, July 19th, 1903. The
first to fill the position of headmaster was Albert Andrews. His duties
commenced with the fall term, 1860. The following are the names of those
who have, filled the same position down to the present day: J. H. Thorn,
July, 1867; Duncan Morrison, 1868; Benjamin Freer, 1869, June, 1871; J.
Thomson, part 1871, 1872; J. E. Burgess, 1873 to 1876; Ben Freer, 1877 to
1887; Neil Robertson, 1888-89. S. W. Perry, the present headmaster, has
held that position since January, 1890, to the complete satisfaction of
all interested in Kincardine High School. Further facts referring to this
school are to be found in Chapter IX. The list is a long one of those who
have received a part of their higher education at the Kincardine Grammar
and High School, and in that list are to be found names of many who have
pushed their way on to the very front rank of their various professions
and callings in life.
The first public religious service held at
Kincardine is said to have been conducted by the Rev. Mr. Cox, a minister
of the Episcopal Methodist Church, in 1849. The place of meeting was in a
log house on Queen Street, nearly opposite the Queen's Hotel. In 1851 the
first congregation [This was also the first congregation to be organized
within the county outside of the Indian Missions.] in connection with any
denomination was organized, this initial step in the religious interest of
the place being taken by the Wesleyan Methodist Church. The congregation
then organized commenced with a membership of forty. Its first pastor was
the Rev. Thomas Crews (1851-52). His successors in the pastorate during
the early days were the Rev. A. A. Smith (1853), Rev. Wm. Creighton
(1854), Rev. S. E. Mandsley (1855), Rev. Andrew Edwards (1856-58), Rev. J.
F. Latimer (1859-60), and Rev. D. Connolly (1861-63). As far as the author
has been able to trace, services were held at first in the public
school-house until, in 1856, a neat brick church was built, [Now occupied
as a dwelling by R. Rinker.] the opening services of which were held on
Sunday, March 1st, 1857. The author was present at that and many ensuing
services. As the congregation assembled for the afternoon meeting the
weather was warm, springlike and balmy, but on leaving the church when the
service was concluded they encountered a blinding blizzard. The snow which
fell then and subsequently did not leave until the end of April. For some
time after the building was in use the seating accommodation consisted of
rough two-inch planks, supported by blocks of cordwood of the necessary
height. There was but one aisle, that up the centre of the church. On one
side of this the women folks sat on the other the men. The gable of this
building was blown in by a high wind on March 3rd, 1862. It was never
rebuilt, the roof being adapted to the new form of the walls when the
repairs were made. In April, 1876, the contract for the present handsome
edifice was let, the tender being $13,199. The actual cost of the building
when completed was considerably in excess of the contract price. In
addition to this, the cost of land and fittings are to be added when
considering the outlay of this congregation at this time.
The Episcopal Methodists were formed into a
congregation in 1852, but did not have a settled pastor until 1854, the
Rev. J. M. Collins being their first minister. At an early date services
were held in a frame building, built for a lodge-room by the Good Templars.
This was in a lane just north of Broadway, within a stone-throw of the
site on which in 1877 was erected their large brick church. When in 1883
the union of this body with the Methodist Church of Canada took place,
this building was deserted, the two amalgamated congregations worshipping
together. Ultimately this building was sold for the building material it
contained. In 1850
the first Presbyterian service was held in Kincardine. The place where it
was conducted was the bar-room of Pat Downie's hotel, the Rev. A. Mackid,
of Goderich, officiating. This section of country, peopled as it was by a
population of whom the majority were Presbyterians, was for several years
under the supervision of the Home Mission Committee of the several
Presbyterian bodies. In January, 1852, the Free Church Presbytery, of
London, deputed Rev. John Boss to visit Kincardine, to prepare the way for
A. Currie, a catechist, who labored for some months in this field. Besides
the Rev. John Boss, the Rev. John Fraser also labored here as a missionary
in 1852-53. In 1854 steps were taken to build a Presbyterian Church, which
was of frame, and the size thirty feet by fifty feet. Hugh Matheson was
the contractor. To enable the undertaking to be successfully financed,
George Murray, of "the lake shore," went to Zorra to solicit subscriptions
for its erection. Prior to the construction of this building, services
were held in the log school building which stood on the site of John
Gentles' residence. The church was built in 1855, but remained unplastered
until late in the fall of 1856. While the plaster was still moist a hard
frost occurred, which had the effect of taking the temper out of the
mortar. On the next occasion for holding church service, the heat from the
stove speedily thawed the plaster, and during service (which was the first
the author attended in Kincardine) portions of the ceiling kept dropping
upon the heads of the congregation, or fell with a thud on the open spaces
of the floor. The minister never halted the services, but the congregation
had its eyes turned heavenward on that occasion in a way which might
betoken a spiritual turn of mind, if one did not know that they were
watching where the next drop of plaster was to occur and seeing if they
were in a safe position. About the time the church was built the
congregation was organized, bearing the name of Knox Church. At the time
of the induction of its first minister, Knox Church had sixty members on
its roll. This induction, that of the Rev, John Stewart, took place August
3rd, 1859. Owing to his resigning, the charge became vacant in June, 1863,
and for the next three years Knox Church had no settled minister.
Nevertheless the congregation grew, and the church edifice had to be
enlarged in 1866. In August of that year its second pastor, the Rev. John
Fraser, was inducted. His pastorate lasted . until January, 1878. On July
11th of the last-mentioned year the present pastor, the Rev. J. L. Murray,
D.D., was inducted. His pastorate has been a most successful and happy
one, the semi-jubilee of which was celebrated in 1903, a pleasing feature
of which was the presentation to him and Mrs. Murray of a cabinet of solid
silver tableware. In 1875 steps were taken toward the building of the
present commodious church edifice. Its present state of completeness was
not reached at once. On July 10th, 1876, the first services were held
therein, the congregation worshipping in the basement, and from then on
until September 7th, 1879, when the building proper, having been
completed, it was duly dedicated. In 1889 the tower was finished, and in
1894 the large pipe organ was installed.
Kincardine at one time had three Presbyterian
churches, the "Free," known as Knox Church, as above narrated; the "United
Presbyterian," and the "Church of Scotland." "West Church" was the name of
the congregation in which the "U. P.'s" worshipped. This congregation was
organized May 26th, 1857, with forty-five members. In 1859 a church
building [This building is now occupied as a dwelling by Wm. Welsh.] was
erected at the corner of Durham and Huron Terrace Streets. The Rev. Walter
Inglis, at that time of Riversdale, was called to this charge, and
inducted April 27th, 1859. Mr. Inglis was the pastor of this congregation
for ten years. For two years after he left, hopes were entertained of
continuing this as a separate charge. These hopes never materialized, and
on April 25th, 1871, West Church congregation united with that of Knox
Church. St. Andrew's
Church, in connection with the Church of Scotland, was the first
congregation in Kincardine that had a church building erected before
organization, the building having been erected somewhere about 1862. The
explanation of this is, Mr. Malcolm MacPherson, its leading elder, was a
most enthusiastic member of the "Auld Kirk," and his time, means and
enthusiasm resulted in the building of the church. The first pastor of
this congregation was the Rev. Donald F. Maclean, in 1862. His successor
was the Rev. Alex. Dawson, who came in 1863. In 1867 the Rev. John
Ferguson became the pastor in charge. In 1872 he was succeeded by the Rev.
William Anderson. The last minister of this church was the Rev. J. B.
Hamilton, who was ordained and inducted to the pastorate April 27th, 1880.
After his resignation in January, 1884, the prospect of maintaining this
as a separate congregation seemed small, and one by one its members united
with Knox Church, so that after an existence of over twenty years the
congregation of St. Andrew's ceased to be. The building was sold in 1885
to the Dominion Government, to be used as an armory for the company of
volunteers at Kincardine.
Church of England services in the early days
were held in private houses. The author remembers attending one held at
the home of John Keyworth. On that occasion that gentleman read the
morning church service, and then a sermon selected out of the works of
some divine. Later, the Rev. Isaac Middleton, who was the first settled
minister, held church services for some time in the Orange Hall, until the
present church building was erected and opened for services, which was on
July 6th, 1862. The
Baptists had a strong man to take the initiative in forming a congregation
of that denomination at Kincardine, in the person of the Rev. Wm. Fraser,
who settled at Kincardine in 1850. His efforts resulted in the erecting of
a neat log church. The building, small in size, was cruciform in shape.
For a number of years this congregation were without a pastor. In 1876,
through the efforts of the Rev. Alex. Grant it was resuscitated, and a
large frame church was erected on Princess Street, which subsequently was
moved to its present position on Queen Street. Of the many excellent and
earnest men who have ministered to this charge the author specially
recalls the Rev. H. Ware, now entered into his rest, a man of rare
consecration and simplicity.
It is a far call from the
old-time church buildings in existence half a century ago at Kincardine,
to its commodious, modern and well-equipped churches of to-day. In looking
back, memory recalls some features that may be considered interesting to
record. In these churches of the early settlement the seats, as has
already been noted, were but rough planks, supported by equally rough
wooden blocks. The light for evening services—a truly "dim religious
light"—was supplied by tallow candles, two or three only on each side
wall, placed in tin sconces. These might be snuffed when required by the
finger and thumb of some man sitting near-by. In time candles were
replaced by old-time argand oil lamps with reflectors, lent by some of the
merchants. [The author remembers how Paul D. McInnes would bring to Knox
Church four lamps, as above described, from the store of P. & N. McInnes,
if the service was to be conducted by a Free Church minister, while he
would bring from his father's store the needed lamps if the preacher
belonged to the "U. P's," for before Knox Church had a settled pastor and
before either of the other Presbyterian bodies had built itself a church
home, the officers of Knox Church, when they had no service of their own,
generously allowed the other Presbyterian bodies to hold service in their
church.] Then came coal oil lamps, the churches by this time being
prosperous enough to provide their own lamps, which in time were fitted in
expensive fixtures, and finally electric lighting, which now supplies all
the light needed at evening services. In the days of the early settlement
the singing was led by a precentor. [Wm. Millar, of Millarton, was
considered the best precentor to be found in any of the churches in the
settlement.] It was not long before a choir was formed to aid him in
leading the singing. Then followed the organ, at first a modest reed
instrument, and finally the pipe organ.
In Knox Church there has always been service
in the two languages, English and Gaelic. At communion seasons—when held
during the summer—the Gaelic congregation met and held their service in
the open air. The author recollects one such service, held back of the
present site of A. Malcolm's furniture factory. The pulpit, over which was
built a shelter of rough boards, faced the east, Stretching out in front
of it was the table, possibly forty or fifty feet in length, covered with
a snowy white cloth, while rough planks placed alongside the table
supplied the seats. The congregation sat on the green grass. The
amphitheatre-like formation of the ground enabled each one in the audience
to clearly see and hear the preacher. The hot summer sun was pouring down
on all, and as a protection from its rays numerous umbrellas were spread
open. A sight not to be met with in Bruce to-day was the number of High-'
land women, whose head covering was a white mutch, and over whose
shoulders was spread a white kerchief neatly crossed and pinned over the
bosom. The Psalms of David were used solely in the service of praise, the
words being lined by the precentor, who chanted the next line to be sung
on the last note used. The tunes, nearly all in the minor key, sweet and
plaintive, would draw as spectators those who understood not the language
used in the singing, who came after their own shorter church services had
terminated. The author would, if he could, give some idea of the forceful
address spoken at the "fencing of the table." The standard so set for
those who would "worthily partake" being so high that in many cases none
would presume to be seated at the table on the first invitation. At the
second, wherein there would be more reference to God's grace and Christ's
merits, some godly elders would come forward and be seated, followed on
the third invitation by the body of the communicants, numerous enough to
possibly fill a second or third table. At these Gaelic services were many
strangers, some even from Zorra, who, as well as others, attended a series
of communion services which commenced at Ashfield, succeeded by others
held at Lucknow, Ripley, Kincardine and Tiverton. Each of these communion
services covered a period of five days—Thursday being held as a fast day;
Friday was known as the "Question Day" (in Gaelic, "la na Ceist");
Saturday as preparation day;. then on Sunday the sacrament was dispensed;
on Monday thanksgiving services were held. Of these five days the Question
Day services were the most unique. After the assembly on that day had been
opened by the usual services of prayer and praise, the minister conducting
the same would request any who had any difficult religious question on
which they required enlightenment to propound it to the meeting. On this
being responded to, it might be found that the question was regarding the
meaning of some obscure passage of Scripture. [Especially such as tended
to show what are the marks of sincerity in religious profession. ] "The
men" ("na daoine," in Gaelic), for so the leaders of religious life were
called, would one after another express their opinion. When the time to
close the meeting had come, the minister would "sift" ("n'criathair," in
Gaelic) or summarize what had been said, so that those assembled might
remember it. It is said that the peculiar features of Question Day are
rapidly disappearing, as "the men"—brought up in a school now almost
passed away—have dropped off one by one. Among the most prominent of the
"the men" were Kenneth Campbell, of Ash-field; Malcolm McLennan, of Huron;
James Gordon and Donald McPherson, of Kinloss; Hector McKay, of Culross,
and George Boss, of Kincardine.
The topic of church life in Kincardine is a
feature which has been dwelt upon pretty fully in this chapter, but the
author cannot close it without alluding to the Literary Society which for
a number of years existed in connection with Knox Church. This Society
proved attractive to students attending the High School. Under the wise
guidance of the Rev. Dr. Murray, A. H. Smith (now of Moosomin, Sask.) and
others, the young people were led to form and cherish ideals which,
striven after, developed character, and resulted in after life in
prominent positions being attained by them in their chosen professions. Of
these, the names only of those who entered the ministry are here given.
They are as follows: Rev. Messrs. A. G. McLeod, Robert Johnston, D.D., E.
J. Macpherson, Hector McKay, J. A. Stewart, John M. and Ferguson Miller,
Hugh Finlay, and John Matheson, of the Presbyterian Church, and the Rev.
Thomas P. Whealen and the Right Rev. I. O. Stringer, Bishop of Selkirk, of
the Church of England.
The author has been favored by Mrs. Wm.
Rastall, of Detroit, with the perusal of an original document relating to
the history of Kincardine, being the "Census of the Village of Penetangore,"
taken by Wm. Withers and E. G. Fowler, in October, 1857, to see if the
population was sufficient to warrant the making application for
incorporation as a village. The census contains 837 names. This being more
than sufficient, the village became a separate municipality on January
1st, 1858, under the name of the village of Kincardine, and dropped
forever its dual name of Penetangore. The first reeve was William Rastall.
In a footnote the names of the various reeves of the village and town are
given until 1896, the last year reeves sat at the County Council. [Names
of the various reeves of Kincardine town from 1858 to 1896, inclusive :
Wm. Rastall, part 1858, '59, '60, '61, '66, '67, '68, '69; C. E. Barker,
part of 1858 and 1882; Wm. Sutton, 1862, '63, '64, '65; Robert Baird,
1870, '71, '72, '73, '74, '75, '76, '77, '78, '79; T. C. Rooklidge, 1880;
Alex. Gordon, 1881; E. T. Walker, 1883, 1890; A. Malcolm, 1884, '85, '86;
De W. H. Martyn, 1887, '88, '89; J. H. Scott, 1891, '92, '93, '94, '95,
'96.] The first town clerk was Joseph Barker. Of those since then who have
filled the office of clerk of the municipality down to the present, it is
questionable if any have been as near the standard of a model officer as
the present town clerk, J. H. Scougall. As the population grew in numbers
the time at length came when Kincardine might claim a higher municipal
status. The date of this was the 1st of January, 1875, when Kincardine
first entered into the ranks of the towns of the province. In a footnote
the names of those who have been mayors of Kincardine are given, and also
their years of office. [Names of the various mayors of Kincardine: James
Brown, 1875; W. P. Brown, 1876, '77, '78; Jas. A. MacPherson, 1879, 1880
'81 '82 1891, '92, '96, '97, '98; Robert Baird, 1883, '84, '85, '86, '89,
1890; Edward Leslie, 1887, '88; Joseph Barker, 1893; John Tolmie, 1894,
'95; De W. H. Martyn, 1899; Geo. E. MacKendrick, 1900, '01; W. J Henry.
1902; John Ruttell, 1903; A. Malcolm, 1904; J. C. Cook 1905; W G Temple,
1906.] It was not
long after the incorporation of the village before a town hall was built.
It was a fair-sized, two-storey, frame building, which stood on the site
of the present town hall. The author has not been able to fix with
certainty the year in which it was built, but remembers events of 1862 in
connection with the building. The present town hall was completed in
December, 1872. In it are the usual accommodations asked for in a
municipal building, including a fire hall.
The need of a system of waterworks was felt
for years before the town possessed them. They were urged both on sanitary
grounds and also for fire protection. When they were established it was by
private enterprise, Messrs. Moffatt, Hodgins and Clark being the
principals in the Kincardine Waterworks Company, which commenced August
1st, 1890, to supply the town with pure water from the lake. The intake
pipe extends out into the lake for 150 yards. The stand-pipe, which is 110
feet in height, stands back of Knox Church. Into this water is pumped, and
gravitates through the system of water mains and connections. There are
about four miles of water mains in the town. For four years the town paid
annually to the Waterworks Company the sum of $2,100 for fire protection,
for water required in watering the streets, and for water service at the
school and town hall, when (as the town had the option of purchasing the
plant) it was at length decided to go in for municipal ownership. The town
obtained possession of the plant in September, 1894, the purchase price
being $40,000. Further additions were made to the plant, which brought its
cost up to $45,000.
Another form of municipal ownership that Kincardine has embarked in is
electric lighting. In the late eighties an electric light plant was
established in Kincardine. This passed into the hands of George Swan and
Samuel Henry, who sold it to the municipality in 1894 for $10,000. The
total cost to the town for the electric plant up to the end of 1904 was
$15,792. Of these two businesses operated by the municipality, it is
understood the waterworks are the most profitable.
The debentures issued by the town form a long
list. Some of them have been for well-advised objects, such as those
referred to in the preceding paragraphs, and for bridges and local
improvements. Other issues of debentures, such as that known as the "Steel
Horse Collar Bonus" and the "Stove Foundry Bonus," have failed to benefit
the town to the extent hoped for. Another large expenditure, which will
have to be met by an issue of debentures, is a system of sewerage, which
at the time of writing is being discussed, and must ultimately be
constructed before the town can be as healthful as it should be.
In Chapter V. there is related the first
effort made to obtain a harbor at Kincardine, which was at as early a date
as 1853. That effort proving abortive, the attention of the Government was
directed to the necessity which existed for a harbor of refuge at this
point. Recognizing the strength of the arguments adduced, and in response
thereto, an attempt was made in 1855 to build a breakwater, constructed of
cribs of timber filled with stone. Underestimating the power of the storms
which sweep over Lake Huron, the breakwater was too weakly constructed,
and lasted only a few months, when it was washed away. The remains of it
were found by Government Engineer Grey a short distance north-west of the
end of the present pier. After the destruction of the breakwater, the
Department of Public "Works in 1856 commenced the construction of two
parallel piers at the month of the river, between which it discharged
itself into the lake. These piers were one hundred feet apart. The north
pier was 540 feet in length, and the south pier 190 feet. These works
sufficed for some years. At the time of the passing of the County Gravel
Roads By-law, Kincardine obtained a substantial grant towards the
improvement of its harbor. Between the county and the village $23,000 was
spent on the harbor in the years 1866 and 1867. During those years the
dredging of the basin was commenced, and the north pier was extended to
757 feet, and the south pier to 495 feet. The Government also gave a grant
of $4,500 to assist in this work. In 1872 there was commenced the work of
dredging the harbor to its present extent of about four acres, and to a
depth of 12 feet. This extensive work was not completed until 1877.
Further work in the way of dredging and repairs has been done nearly every
year since. At present the north pier is 1,470 feet in length, and of a
uniform width of 30 feet. The south pier is 840 feet in length. The east
side of the harbor basin has a water frontage of 463 feet, the south side
one of 253 feet, and the west side one of 440 feet. Over $200,000 has been
spent on the Kincardine harbor, but owing to the entrance being narrow and
the river always bringing down sediment, which is deposited in the basin,
the harbor has never been worth the large amount spent upon it. The
Government had the light near the pierhead established in 1874, and in
1881 the main lighthouse shed its guiding rays over the lake for the first
time. William Kay was keeper of this lighthouse for many years. At present
it is in charge of Thomas McGaw, Jr. As an additional aid to navigation, a
steam foghorn is located at the waterworks pumping-house, which is 1,375
feet north of the entrance to the harbor.
Possessing a harbor, Kincardine before the
advent of the railway was the best grain market in the county, and every
winter its numerous warehouses were filled with the produce of the farms
of all the townships lying back from the lake. Long processions of
farmers' sleighs ladened with grain were a familiar sight on its street at
that time. Some days as much as ten thousand bushels of grain would be
purchased. The chief grain buyers were Robert Baird, Robert Walker,
Francis Hurdon, Ross Robertson and Arch. Campbell. In the spring, when a
schooner arrived to carry away to Buffalo, Toronto or Montreal a cargo of
the grain which filled the warehouses, the town witnessed a busy sight. To
save demurrage every effort possible was made to speedily laden the
vessels. Men were paid 25 cents an hour (and were expected to earn it)
shovelling grain into two-bushel bags. As soon as filled these were piled
on wagons, teamed away to scows [When the piers were extended into deep
enough water the vessels lay alongside the pier and were ladened there.]
to be transported to the vessel lying at anchor in deep water, quickly
hoisted upon the deck, the bag strings were cut, and the golden grain
poured into the vessel's hold. All work was rushed so as to get the
vessels quickly away. Sometimes a squall or a gale would come before the
vessel was laden, and she would have to slip her anchor and get well off
shore. Sometimes this could not be done, and the vessel was driven upon
the beach, to the great loss of her owners and also of the shippers of
grain. After the railway was opened the above-mentioned advantage which
Kincardine possessed as a grain market was neutralized, and grain was not
marketed there as of yore. Merchants and others, thinking that there was
not competition enough among the grain buyers, sought to establish it, so
they and others in 1899 organized "The Farmers' Elevator and Shipping
Company." Unfortunately, the company made no money, and in 1905 were
forced into liquidation. The object sought of improving the market was,
however, attained. The warehouse used by the company was purchased by W.
J. Henry, who is endeavoring to maintain Kincardine's reputation as a good
grain market.
Kincardine was very much interested in the various railway schemes that
agitated the county at large in 1869, and it was a bitter pill to swallow,
when the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway scheme carried, as related in
Chapter VII., leaving Kincardine without any railway and with the prospect
of being deprived of the trade which had been flowing into it for so many
years, and see it go to build up towns elsewhere. However, before the
railway was opened to Southampton the prospect brightened. Two bills
passed the Legislature in 1871, authorizing the construction of separate
lines of railway to Kincardine, namely, the Wellington, Grey and Bruce
Railway, by a branch line from Listowel, and the London, Huron and Bruce
Bail-way. The first of these received a bonus from the village of $8,000,
and was completed to Kincardine in the fall of 1873. [This branch was
operated by the contractors until taken over by the railway company,
December, 1874.] The London, Huron and Bruce Railway never came nearer to
Kincardine than Wingham, nevertheless the town gave it a bonus of $3,000.
This road was opened in January, 1876.
On the discovery, in 1868, that large deposits
of salt existed at less than a thousand feet beneath the surface at
Kincardine, steps were taken to bring this necessity of life into the
market. It was the Kincardine Salt Prospecting and Manufacturing Company
(of which James Brown was president, and James A. MacPherson
secretary-treasurer), which obtained the bonus offered by the County
Council for sinking an artesian well and obtaining salt. Another company
was formed, in which Walkerton capital was largely represented. This was
known as the Bruce Salt Company. The method at first used to evaporate the
brine pumped from the wells was not an economical one, the brine being
boiled in potash kettles set in rows and bricked in, each row being called
a "block." The consumption of wood was enormous. As cordwood was not to be
had at the low price of former days, the process was found to be too
costly. Flat pans 75 to 100 feet in length and 20 to 25 feet in breadth
were then tried, with better results. The two companies named not
finding-much profit in the manufacture of salt, after a few years' trial,
closed down their works. About this time, early in the seventies, two
American capitalists became interested in the salt industry, and each
commenced to erect an extensive plant at Kincardine. That built by-William
Gray is said to have cost $75,000; that built by L. Rightmeyer was not
quite so expensive. These firms shipped salt in bulk to Chicago. [In 1875
the product of salt at Kincardine amounted to 187,000 barrels, of which
there was exported the equivalent of 90,000 barrels.] The American tarff,
however, was against them, and the Canadian market too small to permit the
business to be profitably conducted, so about 1876 Mr. Gray closed down
his plant. Mr. Right-meyer continued the struggle for about fifteen years
longer, and unfortunately lost the best part of his fortune in his
efforts. After remaining idle for about ten years, the Gray Salt Block was
purchased by the Ontario People's Salt Manufacturing Company, in 1885.
This company has been run in connection with the Dominion Grange, and this
connection has insured it a constant patronage. Its manager is John Tolmie,
M.P. As some readers may be interested to know some facts connected with
this establishment, they are given in a footnote. [Size of main building,
250 x 90 feet; size of addition, 110 x 70 feet. The well is 989 feet deep.
The evaporating pans are "V" shaped, 12 x 100 feet and 7 feet deep, made
of boiler iron and lined with sawed stone and heated with live steam pipes
passing through the brine. The salt as precipitated by the brine is
removed by an endless chain rake and deposited in bins. There is also an
open flat evaporating pan, 100x28 feet, raked by hand.] The fishing
industry was established at Kincardine late in the. fifties. By 1866 it
had so developed that six boats sailed each morning from Kincardine harbor
to lift and set their nets many miles out in the lake. Among those early
engaged in this industry were Thomas McGaw, Alex. Gordon, Robert and Alex.
Donnelly. Kenneth and Duncan McKenzie, Samuel Splan, also John, Peter and
Thomas (Jr.) McGaw. They who follow the calling of a fisherman on Lake
Huron experience many dangers and much hardship, and, after all, there is
no very large returns for all their vicissitudes. [That a record may be
preserved, the weight of some large fish, as mentioned in the local press,
is here given. In July, 1875, Samuel Splan caught a salmon-trout weighing
74 lbs., and Charles Splan, in August 1883, a whitefish that weighed 19½
lbs.] Kincardine fishermen have been fortunate in meeting with so few
fatalities. During nearly half a century only two have lost their lives
while pursuing their calling. These were Elliott Hunter and a man named
Mcintosh, their overladened boat being swamped in a gale while returning
from the Fishing Islands in 1882. Thomas McGaw, above-mentioned, has
earned a well-deserved reputation as a builder of fishing boats. One built
by him, called The Belle, and sailed by his son Peter, carried off for
three years in succession the cup offered at the Goderich regatta for the
fishermen's yacht race. Having been won three times by the same boat, the
trophy remains in the proud possession of Peter McGaw. Another of Mr.
McGaw's boats, the Water Lily, has been very successful in carrying off
prizes at various regattas.
In a former part of this chapter is mentioned
the inception of some of the industries of the town. For a list of those
in existence in 1866 the author turns to an old "Directory of the County
of Bruce," published by J. W. Rooklidge (an old Kincardine boy, who has
passed away). We there learn that in that year Kincardine had three grist
mills, three sawmills, two tanneries, two woollen mills, two pearl ash
factories, two foundries—certainly a fine record for so early a date. Ira
J. Fisher is probably the man who has been the longest actively engaged in
manufacturing in Kincardine. He came to Kincardine in 1860, and built a
foundry on Victoria Street, taking off his first heat in October, 1861.
Since then he has had his share of the vicissitudes of life, but .in them
all has proved himself to be a good and worthy citizen. John Watson
(another man of worth) founded in 1858 the present extensive furniture
factory conducted by the Andrew Malcolm Company. It was but a small
concern at first, employing but few hands, and which used horse-power to
drive the machinery. One of his employees was Elijah Miller, who for
several years also carried on a furniture factory. Messrs. Combe & Watson
are another offshoot. Their large factory on the harbor flats catches the
eye of all who arrive in town by either rail or water. The Hunter Bridge
and Boiler Company, established in the early eighties, employs a number of
hands, and helps to make the town known at outside points. Pork packing
has long been one of the industries of the town. Started originally by Wm.
Rastall, it has been continued by T. C. Rooklidge and Robert Madden, and
flourishes to-day under the management of Henry Coleman, whose cured bacon
has more than a local reputation. One of the most unsuccessful ventures
that Kincardine ever entered into was that known as the Gundy Stove
Foundry, which was bonused by the town to the extent of $7,000. The town
has never been recouped for this generous bonus, as the foundry was run
for only a few years.
The press became a power in Kincardine when on
the 4th of August, 1857, the first number of The Western Canadian
Commonwealth was issued. The publisher was John McLay, afterwards
Registrar of Deeds for the county. At the time of his coming to Kincardine
he was a young man of about 25 years of age. The press, type and all the
equipments of a printing office he brought with him from Glasgow,
Scotland. Mr. McLay was a spicy writer, and in consequence made for
himself some bitter enemies. When he received the office of registrar the
paper passed into the hands of Joseph Lang, who changed its name to that
of the Bruce Review. He was burned out October 29th, 1870, when he
disposed of the paper. Up till then its politics were those of the Liberal
party. The purchaser was C. Cliffe. From the time he took hold of the
Review it has been an upholder of the Conservative party. T. C.
Bartholomew was the next owner of the paper. He about the end of the
seventies sold out to Mortimer Brothers, who changed the name of the paper
to The Kincardine Standard. In March, 1882, Andrew Denholm purchased the
paper. After publishing the paper for about four years, Mr. Denholm sold
out, and it passed once more into the hands of its former publisher,
Joseph Lang, who changed the name to the Kincardine Review. Since 1891
Hugh Clark, M.P.P., has been the editor and publisher of the paper,
assisted part of the time by his brother, Charles Clark. The Bruce
Reporter was first issued 7th of December, 1866, by Albert Andrews, a
resident of some years' standing as headmaster of the Grammar School. The
ownership of the paper passed in the early seventies to Messrs. Crabbe &
Brownell, then to J. H. Brownell, who sold the paper to W. M. Dack in
1879. Mr. Dack continued to publish the Reporter until the spring of 1901,
when he received the appointment of Registrar of Deeds for the county. J.
S. Gadd then became the publisher, and continued as such until the paper
passed into the hands of its present proprietor and editor, J. J. Hunter,
in 1905. The author,
in bringing this chapter to a close, regrets that he cannot write as fully
as he would like to regarding some of the men who for years have been
among the prominent citizens of Kincardine. There is Robert Baird, the
present postmaster, who for over half a century has been a leader in the
town, as reeve, mayor, warden of the county, Conservative candidate in two
political campaigns, and a leading grain merchant. His predecessor in the
position of postmaster, Mathew Mackendrick, unpretentious in manner, but
faithful almost to a fault in the performance of his duties. Then among
those not to be forgotten is Dr. S. S. Secord, who has practised his
profession in the county since 1857, who deserves to be remembered with
Dr. McClure, of the "Bonnie Brier Bush." Another, and possibly the oldest
settler in the town, is Joseph Barker, who, with his good wife, have ever
been found on the side that maketh for righteousness. Also James A.
MacPherson, who was elected mayor of the town on nine occasions. A list of
town worthies must include the name of Rev. J. L. Murray, D.D., for nearly
thirty years pastor of Knox Church. But the list must be curtailed, for
the town has not lacked in men good and true, who have aided in its
development, and in making the town what it is—one of the pleasantest
towns in which to live in Ontario. |
