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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1994-04-06, Page 3Feature Who was Colonel Van Egmond? BY DAVID scow Expositor Staff Who was Colonel Van Egmond and why did he come here? He wasn't the inventor of apple cider and the annual Ciderfest. And he didn't even live in the Van Egmond house that stands today in Egmondville. His oldest son, Constant built that in 1846. It might have been a fine retire- ment home for Van Egmond but It was a jail cell that housed the Colonel in his final days after the ill-fated MacKenzie Rebel- lion of 1837. "Like his distinguished fore- bear, Colonel Anthony Van Egmond was to end his days in jail charged with treason, with only death from a violent illness saving him from the gallow's tree," wrote Prof. James Scott of Seaforth in his book, The Settle- ment of Huron County. Not a very happy ending to the life of the wealthiest landowner of his time in this district. Van Egmond was a significant figure in both Huron County and Cana- dian history. Along with John Galt and William 'Tiger' Dunlop, he opened the Huron Tract to the early Canadian settlers and offered land and employment to many. Van Egmond was also the original rebel of Huron County being virtually the only participant in the 1837 Rebellion from this area. But Colonel Anthony Van Egmond had a colourful past long before he set foot in North America. He was a participant in one of the most important mili- tary campaigns of the 19th cen- tury. Van Egmond and Napoleon Colonel Anthony Van Egmond was born in Holland in 1771. One of his illustrious relatives was Count Egmont, who was beheaded in the city square of Brussels on ltne 5, 1568 at--tht- commencement of the Dutch revolt against Spain. Young Van Egmond joined the Dutch forces as an officer in the war between France and the European Coalition which began in 1793. In 1795, the French army under the command of Napoleon and aided by the Dutch republican party, overran Holland with case and converted it into a dependency of the French Republic, according to former Seaforth native, historian Wilfred Brenton Kerr, Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and Assistant Professor of History at the University of Buffalo, who DAVID SCOTT FEE PHOTO VAN EGMOND HOUSE - The house that Constant Van Egmond (Cobnel Anthony Van Egmond's oldest son) built is the centrepiece of today's Van Egmond Reserve in Egmondville. It's the site of the annual Ciderfest that features arts, crafts, food, entertainment, and a chance to tour through the museum. published a 13 -part series on Colonel Van Egmond and the Rebellion of 1837 in the Huron Expositor in 1931. Like most of his colleagues Van Egmond was immediately conscripted for service with the French, wrote Prof. James Scott. But mysterysurrounds Van Egmond's next few years. There are sketchy accounts and strange claims about Van Egmond's life from both Scott and Kerr during the period from about 1796- 1812. Professor—Scott writes that--.-- Anthony Van Egmond was a member of court in 1802-03 for judging cases of robbery. The cases involved so-called 'Ger- man Robin Hoods,' who were rebels against the French invaders. They had taken to the woods and led guerilla raids on the iich in order to provide the peasants with enough food to survive, according to Scott. Van Egmond wrote about the trials in later years and con, mental favourably on the accused. "Had these three men been judged by a Court purely of equity in lieu of one of law and their good deeds been allowed to weigh in contra of their mis- deeds, they would have been honourably acquitted. It was the laws and not the crimes that condemned them," wrote the Colonel. Both Seaforth historians men- tion Van Egmond's marriage to Susanna Dietz and the birth of their son, Constant. But Scott suggests both events happened between 1802 and 1808. Kerr claims Susanna Van Egmond accompanied Colonel Van Egmond in the great invasion of Russia and march to Moscow in 1812 and_ gave _ birth along the_ way. Other claims by Kerr are also remarkable. After the French overran Holland in 1795, he writes: "Accordingly Van Egmond took service under Napoleon. It is said that he was an aide-de-camp of the Emperor (Napoleon) himself and that he campaigned in Italy and Spain." Van Egmond did survive the invasion and retreat from Mos- cow in 1812, wrote Scott. Kerr says the family of three returned safely to Holland in time to witness the great Conti- nental revolt against Napoleon in the year 1813, the expulsion of the Emperor to Elba and the restoration of the old mon- archies, including that of Hol- land. Van Egmond's fighting days weren't over yet. He joined up again with the Dutch army now that they had broken away and joined the allied force against Napoleon. Van Egmond ended up serving under the Duke of Wellington, whose forces he joined in time to take part in the historic battle at Waterloo. "Severely wounded in this greatest of nineteenth century battles, he was carried off the field, having thereby earned a fitting climax to a military career of twenty-two years during which he had received fourteen wounds and had attained the rank of Colonel. These facts are sufficient indication of his mili- tary qualities," writes Wilfred Brenton Kerr. Having honourably capped off a long and distinguished military career, Van Egmond focussed now on North America and further adventures. (with references from Prof James Scott and Wilfred Brenton Kerr) Next week: Van Egmond and the Canada Company. Cromarty Scouts tour area airport by Stephen Mitchell On March 19, the First Comarty Scouts, their leaders and parents went on a tour of the London Air- port. Tour guide was Ross Hemingway, a Scout leader from Brussels and an employee at the airport. The Scbuts were taken to the weather room where staff kept a watch on the weather and told the pilots which direction to come and go in. The Scouts went to the security room where luggage is checked with a metal detector. The Scouts next went to the hanger. This is where they fix and repair airplanes. Scouts sat in an airplane and Ross explained all the controls in the cock pit. Following the tour of the hanger the Scouts went to the System Operation Control room, where they monitor the coming and going of the airplanes. After the tour the Scouts received souvenirs. On Monday night the Cubs and Scouts helped sort out the blue boxes that Hibbert Township recently purchased. On Wednesday the Scouts played floor hockey with the Seaforth troop in preparation for the tourna- ment on Saturday at Upper Thames Elementary School. THE HURON EXPOSITOR, April 6, 1994-3 PIONEER. Now.. aetoco-. 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