The Priory Sofa
This is the sofa from
The Priory Home
later owned by David Alan of Guelph and
Then Clarissa W. Stewart
1827
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A Brief Sketch
of the
Early History of Guelph
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By Robert Thompson,
a first year settler
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In the spring of 1825, my father, with his family, came to reside in the town of Galt. He purchased a lot on the west side of the Grand River, and erected a house where we resided for about two years. Galt was at this time a place of 70 to 80 inhabitants, with one store, one tavern, and a grind and saw mill, a coopers shop, a distillery, and about ten dwelling houses. On the morning of the 22nd of April, 1827, my attention was arrested by a small group of men and ox teams on the opposite side of the river. I was then a boy of about ten years, and possessing, as I believe I did, a full-fledged share of curiosity in seeing and knowing all that was going on around me, I hastened to the spot and very soon gathered from the conversation that the party was preparing to start for a place they called the Block, somewhere east of the Township of Waterloo. So far as memory serves me the party were as follows: -- John Galt, Dr. Dunlop, Charles Prior, John McDonald (late Sheriff of Goderick), William Goodin, of Galt, and some eight or ten axe men and chain bearers –- four of whom I knew as Harry and Curtis Lambert, Stace, and Ira Holdin, all residing in or near Galt. The teams belonged to Absalom Shade and were loaded with pork, flour, whiskey, etc.. The easterly part of Waterloo with which they had to pass was at that time thinly settled, and only one settler in the entire Township of Guelph; this was a man named Rife, who had about two years previous squatted near the westerly limits of the Township, about five and a half miles from the town: the creek running through his farm is still known as Rife’s creek. The distance traveling from Galt was about seventeen miles, and for the most part over a newly made bush road. The cartage left Galt at about eight o’clock in the morning, and reached their destination at about five o’clock in the afternoon. As many of the more favored of the party as could be accommodated took shelter for the night in a log shanty which had been erected a few days previous by the Surveyors, the remainder as best they could, some under wagons, and some in wagons covered with branches of trees.
The shanty stood about thirty yards north of where the Grand Trunk Railroad Passenger Station now stands. As the comforts ran, they had grand illusions that night: what was lacking in deference to comfort was the nature of their purpose.
Mr. Galt in manner was a man of more than ordinary refinement and of size considerably above the average men. The Doctor was but very little above the average size; but in manner a man of a very different type. Though liberal, kind, and generous at heart, he was gruff and uncouth in manner and with all was very eccentric. An incident in this connection may perhaps be worth relating: --At early dawn next morning Mr. Galt, in making his way out of the dark shanty, by mistake happened to tread on Doctor’s shins, where upon he was greatly incensed, and roared out at the top of his voice, “ Can ye na keep off folk’s shins, ye great Muckle brute”. On the morning of the 23rd the party proceeded to the spot where stood the Historic Tree; it was a large birds-eye or sugar-maple, about two feet in diameter. It was soon cut down by the axe men. Mr. Galt and Doctor giving it a few blow before falling. On the center of this stump the surveyor, John McDonald, planted his compass staff, and declared it to be the center of the city prospective, but a very serious perspective presented itself at this juncture. This tree stood near the banks of the River Speed, which formed the extreme eastern limits of the plot or hillock set apart as the sight proper for the town; and how to fix the centre and circumference on one and the same spot was a problem very difficult to solve. The Doctor, however was quite equal to the emergency, and at once suggested the ladies fan, to which all present gave hearty consent. The stump was fenced round, neatly leveled and dressed on the top, and a sun dial placed on it, which answered as the town clock for several years.
Ready employment and remunerative wages soon brought reinforcements of craftsmen of various kinds to the place, in so much that great inconvenience was experienced for a time in finding even temporary accommodations for the workmen and their families. The first three months were mainly occupied in clearing up the land and erecting log houses in different parts of the town. Four of these original structures are still standing. Two of them may be seen on Waterloo Street—one opposite the planning mill of Mercer and Casey, and the other on the premises of F. W. Stone, Esq..
This one was the first blacksmith shop, and was occupied by John Lynch, father of our respected townsman, James Lynch, and who is entitled as being honored as one of the first of the old settlers now living in the town. The house at present occupied by Dr. Herod, on Quebec Street, was erected the same year by Mr. Prior, intended as a residence for himself, but was never occupied by him. It is still sound and in good condition, and likely to last a hundred years longer; unlike the other three buildings; unlike the other three buildings, it was made of squared or hewn logs.
And last the house occupied by D. Allan, Esq., on the bank of the Speed, known as the Priory. This house is above the average size and made of quality log houses.
The main building is about fifty by thirty feet, with a wing or lean-to at each end, which was all finished in first class style in 1828. It was originally intended as general headquarters for the company’s employees, and was also the residence of Mr. Galt for some time previous to his being recalled. The south wing, while in an un-finished state, was set aside as a tavern, and occupied by Mr. Reid, who also acted as Postmaster pro tem
Early in July an opening celebration was Mooted, and finally the King’s birthday was fixed upon for the occasion. All hands were soon set to work in making the necessary preparations.
A large frame building to be called a market house was soon in course of festivity. In view of the coming event, another tavern was also soon in course of erection.
This building stood on the east side of east Market Square, nearly opposite the Royal Hotel, and was kept by one Philip Jones. Alexander Shade had by this time finished his contract of cutting and clearing what was then called the Broad Road, which is now the Waterloo Road, extending from the Waterloo Line to the town, a distance of six miles. He soon after commenced another contract of chopping and clearing the road through the Township of Puslich, or Clorgy Reserve. The Company, with few exceptions, were then getting all their supplies from Mr. Shade, viz, pork, flour, whiskey, etc., etc., so that teams were almost daily on the road from Galt. By this means the writer was enabled to work on his way for the first time to the new town. My father and brother being here at the time was an additional inducement to me to visit the place of so much notoriety. The King’s birthday happened to fall on a Sunday the celebration must come off on Monday the 18th, but Sunday did not prove a day of rest. The new market house was only halfshingled, the ox had to be dressed and made ready for the roast, and the various other little preliminaries preparatory to the occasion. The day came, and the visitors from various parts began to flock in. The band from “Little York”, now Toronto, was in attendance. Mr. Gurnett, of Ancaster, editor of the Gore Gazette, was present, and had quite a lengthy article in his next issue.
Waterloo, Galt, Eramosa, and Woolwich were all represented. About five hundred strangers were present early in the morning. The dressed ox had been put on a windlass in front of a burning pile and turned as on a spit for six hours. He was then cut in pieces and served up. Two pot-ash kettles of potatoes were by this time ready for serving up, together with plenty of bread, hemlock tea, and whiskey. The entire company was supplied with a plain but sumptuous dinner; the only attempt at ornamentation hind and horns of the bullock placed on a large side dish at the head of on of the tables. All were satisfied that the ox had been roasted whole, but very few of those that partook believed that the whole of the ox was roasted.
Next on the ceremony was the laying of the foundation stone of the first stone buildings in town. One of those was intended for a bank it was located on a spot where the Grand Trunk Passenger Station now stands. It was finished in the spring of 1828, and used for some months as an office some of the Canada Company’s clerks. The property was subsequently purchased from the Company by the late Dr. Alling. This building was afterwards demolished to make room for a large two-story brick dwelling. This was likewise demolished to make room for the station-house. The other referred to was a school-house, located a few chains further to the east. Mr. David Matthews was the teacher in this house for the first ten or fifteen years. It was also used as a meeting-house or church by the various religious denominations for several years after it’s erection. The amusements of the day were various and diversified. The only thing that attracted much attention was the firing of the wooden cannon. Those were made of beech and maple logs about two foot in length and one foot in diameter, with a two inch bore, and a bound with three strong iron bands, generally bursting after the first or second shot. A few fights brought the day’s proceedings to a close, and the crowd generally dispersed. Some, however, of the more aristocratic Remained for the evening. A ball and super was to come off in the Priory. The tables were spread in the main building, as yet in an unfinished state. From sixty to eighty sat down to a sumptuous supper. Mr. Galt at the head of the table, and the old Doctor acting as Vice. What follow the removing of the cloth may be easier imagined than described. Suffice it to say the night drew on with songs and clatter, and aye the gang was growing in better. The ball was led off by Mr. Galt and Mrs. Leaden. Farther on in the evening, however, a row ensued, and one Thomas Brown, acting as Constable pro tem, while endeavoring to restore peace, had one of his hands cut by with a carving knife in the hands of one of the rioters. Brown was incapacitated and appointed Greg Boss among the company’s workmen. This Brown’s son was father of the first child born in town. Letitin Brown, infant, was a grantee of a house and lot as a free grant from the Canada Company prized to the first born in town. The lot referred to is eighty-five on Quebec Street.
A brisk business in building continued during the remaining part of the season. The buildings, however, were for the most part of a somewhat different class from those erected in the early part of the season. A frame store was erected and kept by the firm of Gilkinson & Leaden. It stood where the produce store now stands on East Market Square, near the Grand Trunk Station. A saw-mill was erected by the same firm on the site where the People’s Mill, (Goldies Mill), now stands. Jenkins & Oliver built a stone store just opposite the first mentioned on the northwest side of the Square.
From some cause or another unknown to the writer the business carried on by this firm was of short duration, lasting some four or five months. Several frame buildings were erected along the northerly side of the square. One of these belonged to Mr. James McQuinlan, now residing a short distance from town, and father of the enterprising owners of McQuinlan’s Block on Wyndham Street. Early in the spring of 1828 two other stores were opened on the south side of Upper Market Square—one by Thomas McVane, who occupied a log home opposite the drill shed; the other was a frame building a little further eastward, with one Charles McCrea as it’s proprietor.
The day book, now my property, was the one used in the establishment at the time. By the index it would appear that he had names of about eighty of his customers in his books, which comprised nearly if not quite all the adult male portion of the inhabitants in town.
This book is at the disposal of any who might be curious enough to know what the average price of whiskey in Guelph was fifty years ago. Through the winter of 1827 it was unusually mild, and little was done in the way of building houses.
Quite a number, however, of the company’s workmen were retained and employed during the winter in opening and extending the roads leading into the town. Early in spring the work resumed under management of a new foreman—an Englishman named Strictland, who had been in the country a few years, and professing to have had some practical experience in now country life.
Mr. Galt first met with him in Toronto, and was so favorably impressed with his abilities, together with some satisfactory recommendations, that he brought with him to Guelph on trial, and finally gave him the entire management of the company’s works, which consisted mainly for a few months in bridge building and other general improvements.
By this time the town has assumed such proportions that it was deemed to hold semi-annual fairs. So the first Mondays in May and November were named.
The first May Fair in Guelph was a day long to be remembered. The show of stock, however, was something very different from what was exhibited at our last Easter Fair. Three cows and two yoke of oxen comprised the entire stock on the ground.
It was a rare thing in those days for gatherings of this sort to pass off without a few fights. On this occasion it was Irishmen pitted against Yankees. Two brothers named Sullivan appear to have been the principal actors on the Yankee side. A row commenced at a newly opened tavern named the “Horn of Plenty” kept by one Charles McTague resulting very unfavorably for the poor Yankees. As soon as that affray was over one of the Irishmen were collected, and told them that one of the Yankees had gouged out a bushel of Irishmen eyes. This was, of coarse, a signal for a general assault upon the perpetrators. The Yankees, only about half a dozen in number, perceiving that the odds were against them, and that they were likely again to be over powered, fled for refuge in the direction of their boarding-house, with twice as many Irishmen close at their heels. They succeeded, however, in reaching the house and getting the door closed before their pursuers overtook them. This was a small log house that stood on a lot where Cook’s Hotel now stands on Cork Street, and kept as a tavern and boarding-house by a man named Yankee Matthews, still living, I believe. The Irishmen were determined not to be foiled, and began to force open the door.
My father happened to be in the house at the time, and perceiving that the Yankees were armed with axes, and fully determined to use them should the others force an entrance, quietly got out through a small window at the rear end and went around to the crowd in front, assuring them that murder would surely be committed if they persisted in entering the house, and finally persuaded them to leave, still vowing vengeance on all the Yankees they could find in town.
Mr. Shade, from Galt, who was well known to be a Yankee, was in town, but took the precaution of keeping out of the way. He rode a very fine horse, and put up at the Jones Hotel.
Now it was verily believed that the poor animal was suspected of being Yankee too, from the fact that in the morning when it was brought out it was minus a tail.
An action for damages was instituted against Jones, resulting in a verdict for the plaintiff for sixty dollars and costs. Jones left soon after , and was succeeded by a man named Vanboutin.
Quite a number of emigrants came during the early part of the summer. Among them were some eight or ten families from Paisley in Scotland.
A majority of these were temporarily housed in large log homes newly erected for Dr. Dunlop. This house stood on the south bank of the Speed River, a little north-east of the new English Church. It was demolished some eight or ten years ago. Doctor Dunlop took these Paisley bodies, as he was pleased to call them, under his special charge, and took an interest in selecting farms for them, etc.. Some of them, I believe, were among the first settlers in that part of the township known as the Paisley Block. He also acted as their physician for a time, as it would appear from a little incident related from Mr. Strickland before referred to. This gentleman amused himself occasionally interviewing eccentricities and relates the following anecdote – I remember, one time in particular. He came to my office and enquired for me. In being informed by the store porter (Mr. Fielding, father of the present landlord of the Great Western Hotel), that I had just gone out, he said to tell him when he comes back to take the calomel and jalap down to my house and treat those Paisley bodies to a dose a piece. What, all of them, sir? To be sure. They have as but just arrived, and have got as fat as pigs on the voyage, and some of their bacon must be taken off, or with this heat we will have them sick on our hands, and tell him not to spare the jalap.
The time was now nearing when the subject of holding another King’s birthday must be considered. And the question of how it was to be observed was of all the most perplexing. Some were in favor of a grand ball and supper, others contended that another ox should be roasted. A few, however, of the more commercial, thought that it would be far more fun out of a barrel of whiskey than either of the first two mentioned. The vote be taken, it was found that the whiskey had a large majority. So on the morning of the 12th a barrel of whiskey and placed in the market-house, and not withstanding the limited means of advertising in those days a good number were in attendance, and, which might be expected, things began to get tolerably lively towards evening. The proceedings were brought to a close by a grand concert, as quite a number of the commercialists voted around the lingered around the much loved spot, and were seen at a late hour sitting in ranges along the steps of the market-house singing heartily, “We Won’t Go Home Till Morning !”
The 12th day of August 1829 was observed for the last time in Guelph, the only demonstration being the firing off of as many of the old muskets as could be collected in the neighborhood.
I wish now to return briefly to return to the history of the Post Office. On Reid’s removal from the Priory, in the spring of 1828, the appointment was transferred to Mr. Hume, who at that time was residing at the stone store, referred to as built by Jenkins & Oliver, on lot No. 1, a little west of the station. Hume died in 1832, but his widow still retained the office. The duties, however, in those days were very light, as there was but one mail a week to the town for the first three years. A change in the ownership of the property soon after necessitated another removal. It was next relocated to a small frame house on MacDonald street, near or about it’s intersection with Sandibank street, in the rear of Carter’s store. Mrs. Hume was sister to Thomas B. Hushackel, a clerk in the Canada Company’s employ for nearly two years, but left here to reside in the city of Rochester in 1829. He was a gentleman of considerable ability, and has for many years, and still is, I believe, practicing law in that city. It was while Mrs. Hume was in the occupancy of the last mentioned premises, that she became wife of the late Robert Corbett, Esq., whereupon the office was again removed by Mr. Corbett to his own premises on Cork street, the property at present owned and occupied by E. Newton, Esq.. On the death of Mrs. Corbett, which was soon after, Mr. Corbett was formally appointed Postmaster in June 1837, and subsequently married Miss. Oliver, daughter of the late James Oliver, Esq., who came from New York with his family to reside in Guelph in 1829. The office was next removed to Mr. Corbett’s newly erected block, corner of Wyndham and Cork Street, in 1830. He held the appointment of Postmaster until time of his death, which was in 1861, a period of over twenty four years. He was a man of correct business habits, and gave people satisfaction as a public officer. His widow is still living and now resides with her family on Norfolk street.
There were four deaths during the first year, all accidental. The first of these was about the end of July. A brewer or beer peddler names Steven Tuttle was in town with a load of beer. On his return, and when about three fourths of a mile down the Waterloo Road, a tree was blown down across the wagon, killing him instantly, without injury to the horse or any part of the wagon, except the box. The next was a man named Chase, who was killed by a falling beam who was at a house-raising in the month of November. He was a carpenter by trade, and boarded at the Jones’ Hotel. Though comparatively a young man, he was very wise – in his way of thinking wise enough to be a scoffer and was wont to parade his skepticism occasionally among the fellow-boarders. In conversation the night previous he said to his companions – “Boys if you have any messages to hell, I’ll take them for you.” A man named Turner was killed on the 17th of March, 1828, by a falling tree by chopping. He had just located on the lot adjoining that now occupied by John Murphy, Esq., known as Mount Tara, formerly known as Dwyer Farm. The other was a man named Church, who was choked by a piece of beef, on the Good Friday following, while taking his breakfast in Jones Tavern. Turner was buried in South Market Square, a few feet from the west corner a few feet from the corner of the stone building recently erected for an arsenal. His remains were never entombed that I am aware of. The other three were taken for internment by their friends. Macdonald street was at that time chopped and cleared to the top of Church Hill, (as it was then called), and an acre or so slashed which was intended as a burying ground when cleared. A portion of what is known as old burying ground was cleared off early in August, and the first one buried was a man named Reid, one of the first year’s settlers in the Scotch Block on Elora Road. Two others were entered the day following, one a Mr. Wallace, father of Mr. D. Wallace, of the township of Pilkington, the other a man named Thane, from Paisley, Scotland, who died very shortly after his arrival in town.
Horace Perry, of Port Hope, millwright, who had the contract of building the Guelph Mills, arrived in Guelph with a staff of builders and millwrights on the 28th of April, 1830. The mill was up and running on the December following.
The first Sunday School was opened by Mr. Buchanan, British Consul, in August, 1828 while in Guelph for a visit a few days from New York. It was in a small log house on South Market Square, owned by the late Benjamin Harrison, who, with his wife, were among the teachers.
The first schoolteacher in town was a man named Davis, who opened a private school for a few months in 1827.
An office for job printing was opened on Waterloo street early in 1828, by a man named Chatterton, existing only some six months.
The Canada Company’s offer of a town lot and house for the first weaving done in town was awarded to the late James Hodgert, Esq., who had a loom running in the winter of 1827-8. The lot is situated on the corner of Quebec street and St. George’s Square, lately the property of Mesars Hoffernan.
The first marriage solemnized was that of Christopher Keough to Miss Ann Green in September, 1827. Mrs. Keough is still living and resides adjacent the town.
The first practicing physician in town was Dr. Welch, in 1827.
Thomas Lynch was the first born who is still living in town.
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