Concluding remarks—Contrast between the past and present—Young Galtonians who have won something of success or distinction—The Hon. Wm. Dickson lives in Niagara till his 77th year—How the early Pioneers regarded him—Mr. Shade’s closing years—He survives with all his natural characteristics until 1862—His life-work—What may justly be said of its effects upon Galt’s prosperity—Mr. William Dickson—The wealth and prosperity to which Dumfries has attained—Galt at the present day—The true heroes of Canada.

A few remarks naturally suggest themselves in closing these Reminiscences, more especially in regard to the two names—Dickson and Shade—so closely interwoven with the early settlement of Dumfries and Galt, as well as their subsequent history.

The transformation which has taken place since 1810, how wondrous it has been! What a contrast between to-day and even thirty years ago? How immeasurably the intellectual advantages and social comforts of the people have advanced during that time? Look at their extensive farms, in many cases cultivated like gardens, their high-bred stock, their massive stone houses, the superior education of their families, the more intellectual character of their amusements—all these furnish a remarkable contrast to the settlement’s early days. Ah! it was a different thing being a farmer then to what it is at the present time! It is quite within the writer’s memory, when there was little or no labour-saving machinery, and the farmer had to perform all the hard work of the farm by the slow and wearying process of hand labour. He sowed his seed and raked his grass by hand, and mowed his meadow with the scythe, he cut his grain with the cradle, and he threshed it with the flail; to-day—how different? The farmer now rides out to his fields like some Roman conqueror in his chariot car, and sows, mows, rakes, cradles, and threshes, by means of agricultural machines, upon which he sits on a cushioned seat, quietly smoking his pipe!

When we thus contrast the present with the past, and consider the immense progress which has taken place, how our farming may be done a quarter of a century hence, goodness only knows. At the rate at which the world is advancing, and inventions multiplying on every hand, it is not impossible that the farmer of the future may sit in his house and direct the workmen in his fields by means of the telephone, and if the sun does not rise early enough to suit him, he may illuminate his fields with the electric light!

Nor has intellectual and social progress been less marked in Galt and other towns, than in the country. No better evidence of this could be adduced than the many promising young Galtonians who have gone out into the broad battle-field of life, and won something of success or distinction in different parts of the world. Many of those born or brought up in Galt or its neighbourhood, we shall pass over, as they still reside in the town or adjacent places, and their merits are well known ; but there are quite a number of Galtonians in distant parts, whose careers reflect credit upon their native place.

Mr. William Piggot, who left Galt at an early date, became publisher of the Chicago Daily Post, and held an influential position in that city; Mr. James Johnson went to the city of St. Louis, where he was a prominent merchant for many years; Mr. Crocket McElroy, of St. Clair City, Michigan, has been a Senator of that State for several terms, and is the head of a very extensive manufacturing company; Rev. John Scrimger is a Professor in the Presbyterian College, Montreal, and pastor of the St. Joseph Street Church; Mr. John Beattie Crozier has risen by his talents to be an M. B., L. R. C. P., practising in London, England, where two pamphlets written by him, entitled “God or Force,” and “Considerations on the Constitution of the World,” have attracted considerable attention in philosophic circles; Mr. James Lee, now president of the Lee Arms Manufacturing Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut, has manifested a genius for invention which has resulted in numerous breech-loading rifles and magazine guns ; Mr. George Boomer, son of the Rev. Dean Boomer, is now a Tea merchant, in Shanghai, China; Rev. W. EL Rennelson, a fine scholar and promising minister of Christ, died in Hamilton whilst pastor of Knox’s Church; Colonel John Strang, of Genesee County, New York, passed through the American Civil War with distinction; Mr. Thomas Wright, formerly teacher in the Collegiate Institute, now holds a highly responsible position in Detroit, in the United States Lake Survey; Mr. James Jackson went from Galt to British Columbia many years ago, and is now connected with a commission house in London, England, engaged in the British Columbian trade; Mr. William Tunis (nephew of Mr. Lemuel Shannon), always a remarkably singular boy, developed much business talent as a book and news dealer, and died in Detroit a few years ago, leaving a fortune behind him; Rev. John Dixon, son of Mr. James Dixon, is now a minister in Yonkers, New York State; the late Mr. John Gibson, son of the Rev. Hamilton Gibson, became a professor in Albert College, Belleville, and his writings on the flora and salt wells of Canada, are of high merit; Mr. Charles Shearson has succeeded his uncle as a cotton merchant in Savannah, Georgia; Mr. Walter Scott, formerly of Sandy Knowe, has been in Mexico for many years, where he is said to have been successful; Mr. Andrew Cant has, by his business talent, won for himself the position of a member of the firm of Smith, Cant and Co., of Cleveland, Ohio, extensively engaged in the coal trade; Mr. John McLaughlan, son of Mr. William McLaughlan, is travelling agent for the Rolling and Steel Works of the same city; Mr. Gugy Irving, son of Mr. AEmilius Irving, is a member of the firm of Willet and Irving, Tea brokers, New York City, and goes out to China in April, on the business of the firm; Mr. James L. Blain is now practising Law in Detroit, Michigan; Dr. W. A. Keefer, son of Mr. Peter Keefer, is with the British Indian Army in Afghanistan; Mr. Achmuty Richardson holds a responsible position in connection with the Western Union Telegraph Company, at San Francisco; Mr. John Scott, formerly of Fleming’s store, has been a merchant at Phoenix, Lake Superior, for many years; Mr. John Havill, at last accounts, was an officer in the United States Excise Service in South Carolina; Dr. Robert Miller is on duty as Surgeon with the Northwest Mounted Police; and Mr. John McKay, jr., is now the manager of a large wholesale and retail jewellery establishment in the city of Indianapolis.

This reference to the young men of Galt who have attained something of success or distinction abroad, might no doubt be extended, but it is sufficient to show that, whilst growing in wealth and prosperity, Galt has not been deficient in educated and enterprising young men.

The Hon. William Dickson, after his return from Galt to Niagara, in 1836, survived for ten years. He died on the 19th February, 1846, in his seventy-seventh year, having lived to see the wilderness of Upper Canada become one of the finest agricultural countries in the world. Mr. Dickson contributed his full share to this result. As the circumstances narrated in these pages in connection with his purchase and settlement of Dumfries prove, he was a man of much foresight, energy, and force of character. These qualities were conspicuous, whether as a legislative councillor, a magistrate, or private citizen. He was generally well liked throughout Dumfries, and it is remembered to his credit, that he assisted many of the poorer settlers to make a start, who might never otherwise have been able to do so.

Mr. Shade survived until the 10th of March, 1862, being then in his sixty-ninth year. After acting as Reeve of Galt in 1852, his long and active connection with public affairs maybe said to have ceased. He seriously contemplated standing as a candidate for the Gore Division of the Legislative Council in 1858, when the Hon. George Alexander was returned, but after Mr. James Cowan was fairly in the field, he withdrew. From this time onward he confined his attention almost entirely to the management of his large property and fortune, and, until within a few days Of his death, continued to have the same erect form and elastic step, the same eagle glance and incisive speech, continued, in short—except for the tell-tale presence of grey hairs—the same shrewd, far-sighted, energetic, industrious man he was when, in 1816, he took his first view of the wilderness valley which Galt now adorns.

Mr. Shade’s obsequies were largely attended from all sections of the surrounding country. As a mark of respect, all the places of business in Galt were closed. The body was placed in a new hearse, drawn by four horses covered with mourning robes, and an immense concourse of people followed the remains to the Church of England, and thence to the cemetery.

The life-work of a man like Absalom Shade will naturally be viewed in different lights by his contemporaries. It is only but justice to say, however, that in its earlier days Galt owed much of its prosperity to his indomitable energy and perseverance. For many years he took an active interest in all projects for the advancement of the town, with whose rise and progress his own fortunes were indissolubly interwoven. He was, like other men, not without his faults and foibles, and like others also, he did not escape criticism. But his career furnishes a striking illustration of what an intelligent, enterprising, industrious man can achieve in Canada, both in building up a fortune, and in securing the confidence and respect of his fellow-men.

Mr. William Dickson was nearly as long associated with Dumfries and Galt, as either his father or Mr. Shade. In earlier times he took some interest in politics on the Conservative side. But he never had any taste, as already intimated, for general business or public affairs. He never married, and resided for nearly half a century on what is known as Dickson’s hill, overlooking the town, except when visiting Toronto and other parts of Canada, or travelling abroad. He often spoke with much pride of Galt, and in 1871 bestowed upon the town fourteen acres of land for a public park, which has been called after his name. He died on New Year’s Day, 1877, aged 78 3rears, and left an ample fortune behind him.

The early settlement of Dumfries and Galt has not materially differed from that of other sections of the Province. It has not been marked by striking events or dire calamities, with the exception of the visitation of cholera in 1834. But the history thereof, with the hardships and struggles of its early settlers, is deeply interesting, as illustrating Backwoods Life in Canada fifty or sixty years ago, and the slow and rugged road by which the town and township have reached a place among the most wealthy and intelligent districts of Canada.

The township, especially the northern portion of it, although blessed with a fertile soil, was naturally rugged and difficult to clear. But nothing could withstand the untiring energy and industry of its early settlers, the superior of whom, in these respects, never left the old world. How nobly they did their duty can be seen, not only in the fine appearance of the township to-day, but in the wealth and prosperity of the large and handsome towns of Galt and Paris, as well as the thriving villages of Ayr and St. George, which have arisen in its midst. Few places in Canada, of the same size, equal these in the variety and excellence of their manufacturing industries, and it may be said without exaggeration of the whole township, that there are few, if any, throughout the broad domain of Canada, the masses of whose people are richer, better educated, or more happily situated than they are.

The lapse of time has served to moderate somewhat the ambition which animated Galt when flushed with its new-found honours as a town. The location of our two principal lines of railway—the Grand Trunk and Great Western, one north and the other south of the town— has been the principal factor in producing this result. But, after all, it may be said that few places in Canada excel Galt in beauty of situation, in manufacturing enterprise, or in accumulated wealth and solid prosperity.

The present position of both Galt and Dumfries affords evidence of what can be accomplished in Canada, either by individuals or communities, with a proper display of industry and thrift, and their early history is well fitted to teach a lesson—to

“Point a moral and adorn a tale,"

to the descendants of those early Pioneers and true heroes of Canada, who, as we have already stated, found our Dominion a wilderness, and have made it blossom as the rose.

THE END.