Clinton News-Record, 1986-07-16, Page 43Page 22
1836. is recognized as date of township's birth
Colborne History in Brief
Colborne Township, named for Sir John
Colborne, the Lieutenant -Governor of Up-
per Canada when the Huron Tract was be-
ing opened up, is a relatively small
township consisting of 35,460 acres. The
Huron Tract had been the casual hunting
ground for the Chippewa Indians but John
Galt, a tall, handsome, imaginative Scot,
envisioned it as a rich agricultural land to
which his countrymen could emigrate. He
founded the Canada Company in 1824,
throwing open a vast expanse of Western
Ontario to settlement.
In 1826 Dr. Dunlop, also a man of many
talents and of whom much has been writ-
ten, was appointed Warden of the Forests
by Galt. He was 6'3" tall and spoke with a
broad Scottish accent often accompanied
by a hearty laugh. In 1832 Dr. Dunlop and
his brother, Captain Robert Dunlop, took
up a 'block of land on top of the hill
overlooking the Great Meadow, the
Maitland River and Lake Huron. They
built a solid oak log house in the form of the
letter H. On the front hung a brass plate
marked Mr. Dunlop. He was born in 1792
and died in 1848. He and members of his
family are buried in the Tomb adjacent to
his home.
Attracted by the presence of men like
Galt and Dunlop, people of good family
and education began emigrating to Col-
borne. They were English and Scotch in
equal proportion with one -twelfth being
Irish. Michael Fisher is said to be the first
settler, arriving about 1830. While looking
for a suitable place in the densely wooded
land, he discovered the creek that empties
into the Maitland River near Benmiller,
and tracing the creek to its source was
more than pleased to find a mobster spr-
ing. He took up 5,465 acres. In 1831 he built
a log shanty and later a fine stone house.
Others soon followed — Mr. Hydman, a
Scottish barrister; the Lizars, an Edin-
burgh family; Major Strickland whose
sister wrote of pioneer days; Ben Miller,
an Englishman to name only a few. Ben
Miller utilized some of the water power on
the Fisher Creek (Sharpe's) and establish-
ed a flour mill. The picturesque village
bears his name.
The Clarks arrived from Banffshire in
•ROKEN FRONT GONGESS,ON
COLBORNE TOWNSHIP
1984
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the early 1830's and were the first to bring
purebred stock into the Township. The
Youngs from Glasgow took up extensive
holdings. Mr. John Morris opened the first
tavern, a log building called The Crown &
Anchor, at Gairbraid, the Village laid out
by Dunlop, in 1854. The first marriage was
that of Louisa McColl and Captain Robert
Dunlop. Reverend Campbell preached the
•
first sermon in the Township at a service
held in the Dunlop home. The first church
was build in 1855 one mile south of Carlow,
known as Zion. The first salt well in North
America was discovered m the Hamlet of
Saltford in 1866. The first bridge was built
across the Maitland River at Saltford the
same year.
Dissatisfaction with the Canada Com-
pany began early. A group of residents
formed the Colborne Clique% including the
Hyndmans, Lizars, Kippens, Lawsons,
Clarks and others. Dunlop abandoned the
Company in 1838 and joined the group. 40
They charged the Company had promised
roads, harbours and schools which were
never built, and a great deal of bitterness
ensued. The first member for Parliament
for Huron was Robert Dunlop; 18354841.
On his death the Colborne Clique
nominated William Dunlop to succeed him
and the Company put up James, McGill
Strachan. Dunlop won the hotly contested
election.
No major settlements developed in the
township but by 1879 there were five
villages. Of these the most important was
Smith's Hill, named for David Smith who
had surveyed $host of the township. Later
it became Carlow and was designated a
post office in 1854. Two years earlier the
present brick building, then a hotel,
replaced the wooden structure that had
burned. To the east of the hotel an open sh-
ed and stable were built with a ballroom
over the stable. Ownership of the hotel
changed hands several. times until 1917
when Mrs. Jonathon Miller sold it to the
township for a new township hall. Carlow
is referred to as the municipal centre for
the Colborne township.
Benmiller became a post office in 1855. A
village of great scenic qualities, it has seen
its woollen mill and chopping mill con-
verted to a rustic hotel, dining -room and
convention centre. It has hosted the Priine
Minister of Canada, the Premier of On-
tario, the Ontario Lieutenant -Governor,
the Hon. Pauline McGibbon, and many
guests from far -away places.
Saltford has had many name changes. It
was once called Bridge End Place, then
Maitlandville and its present Saltford as
well as having been nicknamed Slabtown.
Its story hinges around the salt industry.
Millburn, now Dunlop. also attained post
office status. There is a plan of sub-
division for this area but was never
developed. The early settlers were An-
thony Allen and Hillary Horton about 1833.
The old tavern, which housed Club 21 dur-
ing the Second World War, was moved to
rf
Doug Norman
Over 20 years in the carpet and
home decorating business.
Have a great ce e i ration!
From all of us at
your one-stop Decorating Information Centre!
Joanne Poelman
A drapery consultant. Seven year
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fnterio decorator. Ourlvallcovering
specialidl. Eight years experience in
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Decorating Centre
Bill Fowles
On -staff carpeting and hard -surface
flooring installation craftsman.
Jenny Langendoen
Bookkeeper
56 KING STREET CLINTON
Just oppostt the Post Office
4S2-3528
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