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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1971-10-07, Page 9positor DUNC Liberal candidate in Huron A Liberal party led by Bob Nixon has a blue print for government! EDUCATION 80% of education costs will be paid by provincial government revenues, th4s removing this burden from land taxes.. ASSESSMENT A Nixon government will halt provincial assessment and return the responsibility to the people of Huron. LOCAL GOV'T. Nixon is pledged to halt further ' regionalization of government and to restore municipal authority. AGRICULTURE Bob Nixon and Ken Duncan — both farmers — are committed to preservation of the "Family Farm". See Ken Duncan on TV Monday, October 11, on CKNX between 5:30 and 6:00 p.m. and on CFPL 6:00 and 6:30 p.m. Let DUNCAN and a LIBERAL Gov't. speak --- for you see TIE LEER SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7 1971 — Pages 9 - 20 • Keen interest was evident when nearly sixty area residents were present in Seaforth Town Hall Monday evening to consider steps to be taken so that the Van Egmond property in Egmondville could be acquired and restored and be made available to the public. The residence, built early in the last century, is in good condition the meeting was told. (Story on page 1) (Staff photo) • Interest In Van Egmond History On The Increase Interest in the possibility of the Van Egmond property in Eg- mondville being purchased and restored for public use has led to an increase in interest in the i • .t ....OrY -Of Col. Anthony-Van Eg- mond. Reproduced hereunder is the story carried in the Expositor in July 1963 on the occasion of • the unveiling of an historic plaque in memory. of Col. Van Egmond. (From the Huron Expositor July 4, 1963.) The first. farmer of Huron County, Colonel Anthony J. W. G. Van Egmond, avill be offic- • to ti sally honored for the first time Thompson. The chairman will be by the Archaeological and A. Y. McLean. Historic Sites Board of Ontario The plaque will be unveiled with the unveiling of a plaque by Miss C. A. Rudolph, great- 2:30 Sunday at Egmondville cem- granddaughter of Colonel Van atery. Egmond and will be dedicated by Sunday's ceremony ig-being----Rev. Harold Snell, % descendant'__ arranged and sponsored by of the colonel. the Seaforth Women's Institute. Van Egmond has been recog- will represent the province's Mrs. J. R. Futcher of St.Thornas nized before. Onp the centenary of the opening of the Huron Road, Historic Sites Board, and among six cairns were unveiled inSept- those taking part in the ceremony ember, 1928, commemorative of will be: Ontario Minister of High- the pioneers who opened the ways,Hon.Charles MacNaughton; Huron Tract. At Harpurhey a cairn was erected by the Town-Seaforth Mayor, Earl Dinsmore; ships of McKillop, Tuckersmith James R. Scott, Seaforth; W. J. and Hullet and the Town of Sea-Forbes, Warden of Huron County, forth, honoring the Colonel as a and Tuckersmith Reeve, Elgin pioneer and road builder In the Huron tract. The subject of a number of historical studies, Colonel Van Egmond, a Dutchman by birth, was ttie descendant of Count Van Egmond •and the German Prin- CIST-SahifiC —The count died--a- martyr for the cause of liberty marking the beinning of the revolt of the Netherlands against the merciless clutch of the Spanish inquisitor, King Philip. From this proud ancestry the Van Egmond of Huron was im- bued with a spirit of freedom, a fine strain of nobility and athirst for adventure. in 1794 the shadow of Napol- eon's iron fist swept acroSsHol- land and the Dutch were conscrip- t' -ted, the young Van Egmond in- cluded, to aid in the conquest of Europe. The Russian Gold finally cracked the fist in 1812 and --Napoleon's__.. _empire began to crumble. The Dutch seized upon- the opportunity to free them- selves and joined the allies to shatter the worn and weary troops of Bonaparte at Waterloo. With the experience of the European wars behind him, Col. Van Egmond emigrated to Penn- sylvania, probably beCause of the severe depression which followed the false economic prosperity sustained by long years of war, with his family in 1819. There he prospered as a farmer with storekeeping as a subsidiary occupation. His family of children, which began with a son in 1808 and finally totalled five sons and three daughters, was well underway. Van Egmond came north to Canada in 1827 and Settled with Pennsylvania Dutch who had pur- chased a tract of land near Water- ' iloo. Even at close to 50, when the thoughts of settling down should be well entrenched in a man's, mind, Anthony Van Eg- mond still hungered for new ad- venture. Meanwhile, John Galt, aScot- tish playwright and journalist, began taking up the plight of the humble Scottish crofter like his compatriot Robbie Burns. Galt made his first contact with Canadian affairs when he was -appointed an agent for Canadians , claiming reparations _agaitistiossessalyered during the war of 1812. '- The insight gained from this experience convinced him it was only part of a much larger prob- lem, the systematic development, of Canada's great resources. ,Development needs people and Galt felt the solution to the plight of poverty-stricken cob- blers was emigration. The two thoughts dove-tailed. Galt purchased one million acres of land in Western On- tario from the British Govern- ment for the Canada Company. Included in that tract of land ,were what are now the Town- ships of Colborne, Goderich, Hullett, McKillop, Tuckersmith Stanley, Hay, Stephen and Us- b°1ell' • The first requisite for settle- .• 6 • ment was a passable road, the day of the long and circuitous waterways being over. Galt sought out "Tiger" Dunlop, who had built the,. road from Lake Simcoe to penetanguishene. Dunlop blazed a trail through from Toronto to Goderich. The 'next step was a real road. To do this job, a third colorful re- cruit was added. He was the former Dutch soldier, Anthony Vafi Egmond. James Scott writes of him in "Huron in Pioneer Times": "He was an able , arrogant old man with more pretensions to grandeur than either Galt or Dunlop, but his organization for building the road was masterly." .,.Scott also says: "There is no question whatsoever, in the light of eventual developments, that without it no major settle- ment of the area could ever have been possible:" The road is described'he be- ing put through with tremendous dispatch. First went an ex- plorer, followed by two survey- ors with compasses and a band of trailblazers. Then axemen fel- led trees and cleared the way. All in all, the project was des- cribed as an efficient operation. To build the road, Galt com- missioned Van Egmond, an "honorary agent" of the Canada Company. • It was a position without stipened. To provide convenience in travelling the long road from Toronto, Van Egmond had tav- erns built every seven miles. His ox teams assured regular dente:fry of supplies, and in 1832 it is reported he had 20 four-horse teams transporting settlers and their belongings along the road. Van Egmond was no needy immigrarat. He had prospered in Pennsylvania and applied this same 'business sense to Can- ada. In time he became the largest land owner and the wealthiest man in {he disTrict', eventually acquiring 13,000 acres. But even with his wealth, the old colonel never lost his compassion for the poor immi- grants. Newcomers in need of help found him liberal with his purse. His first recorded act in Canada describes how he helped a family of newcomers stranded at Niagara unable to make the trip inland,. He solved their pressing problem by storing his own belonging and transported them 'to their destination. When the Canada Company neglected to fulfill its promises to provide schools and churches, Van Egmond donated sites gen-'., erously for schools and church-" es. A history records that the church of Harpurhey was built by the pioneers on land donated by a settler with a tin roof pro- ' vided by the colonel. Van Egmond had dreams of the parochial system in Huron with himself and his family as leader. His own house became the social centre of the com- munity and he set up a village on the Hayfield 'River. It 'was characteristically called Eg- mondville. As soon as the Van Egmonds settled they swiftly cleared 100 acres of land. In the second season half of it was sown with wheat. Samuel Strickland,„ had left his homestead near'Peter- borough to join Gait, -describes the gala festival which Van Eg- mond organized to celebrate the harvesting of the first wheat in Huron. "The old soldier had spared neither pains nor expense in providing habdsemely for the occasion. After the cloth was removed, 'a 'nice dessert was laid out, consisting of almonds, raisins, oranges and red and black raspberries." Madame Van Egmond cut the first sheaf. Her adeptness made the onlookers conjecture that it was net the first sheaf she had cut and bound. Following the lead set by Van Egmond, settlers began transforming Huron into a per- manent settlement area. Log barns and stables were erected, wells were Aug and many acres were cleared. To cope with' increased in- tensity of farming, manufactur- ing was needed for the first major implements. Plows were now made in Goderich and a special type of harrow was de- veloped to work fields dotted with stumps. Artisans began making their appearatice. Experaenced cob- blers moved into The county, making the Iong walk to Galt for new shoes unnecessary. Black- smiths opened shops in many centres and horses, first brought into the county by Van Egmond, were "doing a flourishing business. After Galt's recall in 1829, settlement of the tract proceed- ed initially along the general lines which he had laid down. However, his immediate succes- sor, Thomas Mercer Jones, was a man of very different calibre. According to Dunlop, Van Eg- mond and their contemporaries, Jones succeeded in ingratiating himself with the ruling obligar- chy at York, known as the "Family Compact", while an- tagonizing both his associates in the Canada Company and t settlers In the Huron Tract. Van Egmond, as a contra for the Company, had a particu- lar grievance against the policy of payment by means of land credits. While this method en- abled him to acquire large acre- ages of land in the tract, at a time when ready cash was at a pretnium, it caused him a great • amount of financial hardship. Apart from this he .heartily de- tested the man whoM he' con- sidered. as the usurper of his close friend John Galt, and had some harsh words to describe the superintendent and' his friends.. Some of his descriptive epithet'S are "Atrite-solorfutilir= eluding such phrases as: "old parasites and young idlers; half- beggard would-be gentlemen,' half-pays ,and no pays cashiered officers, ex-West Indian Negro- drivers, mushroom aristocrats, etc." Apparently, it was a sore point with Van Egmond that new- comers were being appointed to the various offices of the Canada Company, while thelocaksettlers were "stamped with tie indis- soluble sin of being either born or old residents here, men Who lacked the soupleness in their back to make bows deep and pleasing enough - in fine, who would not barter their old-fash- ioned principles for office". No doubt Van Egniond exaggerated his case, but there was certainly widespread diSaffection with some of the Company's policies. Relations between Van .Eg- mond and the officers of the Canada Company, who were sup- ported by the government of Up- per Canada, rapidly deteriorated. By the mid' 1830's Van 'Egmond was probably one of the largest private land-owners in the Huron Tract, and felt 'that he should make a protest against what he considered the iniquitous policies of the Company. In order to do this he proposed to Stand "for election to the legislative assem- bly as a Reform candidate. His hopes were dashed when he was defeated by the governmerit can- didate, a brother_ of ,-Tiger" Dunlop. In the meantime Van Egmond had been in touch with William Lyon Mackenzie, the leader of the militant wing of the Reform, party. An article entitled: "The Curse of the Canada Company," which was written by Van Egmond, appeared on October 4, 1836, in Mackenzie's newspaper, "The Constitution." This was a detailed Indictment of that organ- ization's settlement policies. Mackenzie, in his long fight for reform, had exhausted his patience', and planned an armed uprising as the final means of attaining his objectives. While cooler heads within the Rtform group advocated change by normal legislative processes, Mackenzie, supported by ' Van Egmond, would settle for nothing less than outright rebellion. He formulated his plans for up- risings in various parts of the province, which were to be trig- gered by a direct attack along Yonge Street from the north of the provincial seat. of govern- ment, Toronto. Needless to say, a man of Van Egmond's military experience would be, an invaluable asset, and he was appointed by Mackenzie to be the commander of the rebel forces. Mackenzie gathered his men at Montgomery's Tavern, a site just north of Eglinton Avenue in the present city of Toronto, in December, 1837, but when Van Egmond arrived at the camp, he found that far from the large number of volunteers he had been promised, the rebel force was composed Of a relatively small, band of yeo- manry. News was received at Mackenzie's camp that ,a large contingent of loyal militia was marching up Yonge Street headed by the redoubtable Colonel James. FitzGlbbon. This caused further consternation among the rebels, many of whom fled from the scene. When the militia arrived the rebels, commanded by Van Egmond, held their ground dhring short skirmish, but seeing re- nce was useless againstsuch rge, well-armed group, the colonel gaire the order to disperse. Many of those who fled, in- cluding .Van Egmond, were cap- tured by the loyal forces ' and imprisoned in the Toronto jail. Van Egmond was an old man, Win Prizes At Local Gymkhana The Huron Trail Riders Saddle Club held a local Gymkhana on Saturday when twenty-five horses and riders took part. Trophies were donated to the following classes: Showmanship at Halter: 1st Bob Wright, - won McGee Sales & Service, Goderich; 2nd Lyn Flowers, 3rd Burton Bean, 4th Art Dickson . Trail Class: 1st Art Dickson - won Hodges Milling Limited, Dungannon, 2nd Wayne Straughan, 3rd John DeKroon, 4th Gale Lauzon. Gameg -,Top Games Horse and Rider: John DeKroon, riding Hot Pants - won the Gord Davidson Sky Ranch Restaurant, Goderich, trophy, 2nd Wayne Straughan, 3rd Sue Gardiner, 4th Doug Riley. Open Equitation: 1st Michelle Flowers - won Henderson's Lumber, Lucknow, 2ndSandralee Baker, 3rd Lynn Flowers, 4th Bob W right. Original Costume Class: 1st Kimberly Riley - won Luke Cazabon-Butler ' Man. Co.", 2nd Burton Bean, 3rd Martin Straughan, 4th Sue Gardiner. An outstanding showing in the costume class highlighted the evening. McKILLOP #2 ,The McKillop 2 Club met at Mrs. Moylan's home. Girls who demonstrated how to make Cottage Potato Salad were Linda Albert, Ann Albert, Barbara Maloney, Carolyn Maloney, Jo Ann Swartz, Mary Ann Van Bake', Mary Beth Downey. At a later meeting, how to make "Cheese Crisp" was de- monstrated by Donna Nolan, Cathy Murray, Ann Stewart, Mary Ciaessens and, Pat Murray. The girls worked on their skit for A6hievemeht Day. it • and in very poor health. In writing to the Commissioners , ' of the_ Court of Inquiry, he re- marks that he has: "The use of but one arm, one leg' and one eye anymore, and by a con- sumption of 18 months since was reduced to a mere skeleton". By -hit account, donditibns in the jEd1.--- were extremely primitive and the rigours 'of the Canadian winter , added to his miserable condition. He was kept in confinement dur- ing the .following weeks, but early in January, 1838, he died. He was buried at first on the farm of his son, Constant, but at a later date re-interred in the cemetery in Egmondville. While this constituted an in- glorious end to a long and use- ful life, there can be no doubt, that he was a man of the high- est moral principles and was acting in good faith when he joined Mackenzie. Certainly his contempories such as "Tiger" Dunlop and Samuel Strickland, both of whom served with the loyal militia during the Rebel- lion, exonerated Van Egmond. Although - Van Egmond died with a charge of treason hang- ing over his head, history has recognized that he gave his life for what 'he firmly believed the sacred rights and liberties of the people. The lat e Professor W. B. -Kerr, who made a particular study of Col. Van Egmond and whose own family roots run deep in the history of Huron County, said " • .the Men and women of Huron may well continue to honor the memory of the man who gave his heart, soul and purse to the Enfant settlement of the county, and who deserves the title, "Palffer of- Rie-fruron Tract."