HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1983-06-29, Page 27Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, June 29, 1983—Page 3
Lucknow past and present - a brief history
As of most Ontario town the begin-
nings of Lucknow were the erection of
those first requirements of a pioneer
settlement - a saw mill and a grist mill.
These were built where what was known
as the Woolwich and Huron Road
crossed the Nine Mile River.
As a village Lucknow was born soon
after the distressful days of the great
"Indian Mutiny", accounts of which
penetrated even to the furthest corners
of the wilderness. The name suggests
that fact. Not only is Lucknow named
after the city in India around which the
fiercest struggle of the mutiny occurred,
but a number of the early named streets
bear the name of generals who took a
leading part in the saving of India to the
Empire, as witness: Campbell, Have-
lock, Outram, Wheeler, Gough and
Rose streets.
The first saw mill was build by one J.
Eli Stauffer, a German, who came up
from Waterloo County. He, as a reward,
received from the government a grant of
two hundred acres of the surrounding
land. Stauffer early sold his property to
James Somerville, a native of Dumferm-
line, Scoiland. He had the site of the
future village surveyed into lots, the
plan being registered on September '1st,
1858. On the same date the village was
named and an auction sale of lots was
held. The manner of celebrating the
event is strongly suggestive of pioneer
life in a timbered country. We are told
LUCKNOW'S MAIN STREET, LOOKING EAST FROM STAUFFER STREET CORNER
that instead of the customery salute of
twenty-one guns, there were twenty-
one charges of gunpowder exploded in
augor holes bored in Targe trees.
The first considerable impetus to
growth came in 1866 With the opening of
a good road northward through the
township of Kinloss. This was followed
seven years later by the coming of the
railroad - an important event, and oi.e
which first gave the village a character-
istic which it has ever retained - that of
being an, excellent market for farm
produce of every description.
To the late Malcolm Campbell be-
longs the distinction of being the first
merchant and the first postmaster. In
the rnerchantile line he soon had compe-
tition in Messrs. Walter Armstrong,
Alex Murray, Chas. Secord, John
Treleaven and Bingham & Little.
In 1863 Lucknow was erected into a
police village, but ambition for self-gov-
ernment soon outgrew the limitations of
that status and by 1873 steps were taken
to secure incorporation as a village.
This, however, was not attained without
a struggle which engendered feelings of
antagonism that long left their traces.
This was due to the fact that the village
was located partly in Bruce and partly in
Huron Counties. An element of the
population desired that the village be
united with the one: an equally strong
element desired that it be united with
the other. It is needless to give the
details of the contest. There was the
holding of many public meetings, and
the passing of resolutions, and the
making of representations to the County
and Provincial Governments. It is said
that politics finally decided the result.
The electorate was strongly Liberal. Mr.
R. M. Wells was representative for
South Bruce. He had received valued
support from that part of Lucknow
located in his riding, and naturally was
reluctant to to have that support
transferred to another County. So
evenly was opinion divided that a vote
of the ratepayers proved practically a
tie. Appeal was made to the Provincial
Authorities, and here, it is thought that
the influence of Mr. Wells made itself
felt in determining that the village
should be a part of Bruce County. Word
of the final settlement was received b',
the Bruce County Council on -June 4,
1874.
A Reeve and Councillors had been
elected in January preceeding the set-
tlement. It consisted of Mr. Malcolm
Campbell, as Reeve, and Messrs.
Thomas Lawrence, Charles Mooney,
Alexander Maclntyre, Walter Treleaven
as councillors. Geo. T. Burgess was
appointed to the joint office of clerk and
treasurer. Mr. Campbell continued to
occupy the office chief executive until
the end of 1877 when he was super-
ceeded by D. A. MacCrimmon M.D.
Other occupants of the position were -
Geo. Kerr, 1879, '80, '81, '82; D.
Campbell 1883, '84, '85; J. Tennant,
M.D., 1886, '87; R. Graham, 1888;
James Bryan, 1889, '90, '91, '92, '93;
James Lyons, 1894, '95, '96; J. G.
Murdoch, 1897, '98, '99; Wm. Taylor,
1900; Wm. Allin, 1901, '02, '04, '05; A..
T. Davison, 1903; J. G. Anderson, 1908;
J. Joynt, 1909, '10.
On several occasions Lucknow has
suffered heavily by fire, but as with
other towns the loss was not wholly
unmixed with benefit; the destruction of
old wooden buildings given opportunity
for the erection of new ones of more
substantial material and better appear-
ance. Especially is this true of the fire of
1905 when a considerable section on the
north side of Campbell street was
Turn to page 4*
Congratulations
to the
Village of Lucknow
125th Anniversary
Fairview Foods
Lucknow
Anne, Beth,
Mae, John,
Paul
•
Fairview Dairy & Car Wash
Hilda, Tom, Mark, Michelle Andrew
528-3001