History of the settlement of Upper Canada (Ontario,): with special reference to the Bay QuintéCanniff, William
History
History of the settlement of Upper Canada (Ontario,): with special reference to the Bay Quinté
Canniff, William
Ontario -- History; Quinte, Bay of (Ont.)
more especially in Sophiasburgh, and indeed throughout all of Prince
Edward district.
Respecting the provision made for cross roads, Alex. Aitkins, who was
Deputy Surveyor of Midland district for many years, says under date,
1797, in respect to the township of Sophiasburgh, “Mr. Kotte’s orders
1785, were from Deputy Surveyor General, Mr. Collins, who was then at
Kingston, to lay off cross roads between every six lots as he had done
in the eastern part of the province, from township number one, now
Charlotteburgh, to township number eight Elizabethtown, and, of no
doubt, they would be found at the waters’ edge on the Bay Quinté.”
By looking at the township maps of the bay, it will be seen that the
lots of the first three townships, are numbered from west to east, while
as we have seen, the townships were numbered from east to west. It is
inferred from this fact that the surveyor conducted his survey along the
front, planting posts to mark the division of lots, and leaving
allowance for roads, but did not complete the concessions until the
breadth of the townships had been determined, when it was done from west
to east, the lots being numbered accordingly.
The surveyor continued to chain the front, upon the north shore of the
bay, until he reached the turn in the bay at the western point of
Adolphustown. This portion of territory was divided into four townships.
The surveyor then crossed the bay and proceeded from the Upper Gap, to
lay out lots in an irregular manner upon the water, along the bay and
the lake to, and around Smith’s Bay, and along Black Creek; also upon
the east shore of Picton Bay. This constituted the fifth township.
Following the bay shore of Prince Edward peninsula from Picton Bay,
along the High Shore and around Green Point, another, the sixth
township, was laid out; the lots always fronting on the bay. Still
following the bay, the seventh township was created, the western
boundary of which brought the surveyor to the head of the bay, or
Carrying Place.
Turning eastward along the north shore of the bay, the eighth township
was laid out. Likewise, the ninth township, which brought the surveyor
to a tract of land which had been reserved for, and given to the
faithful Mohawk Indians. Passing by the present township of Tyendinaga,
still another township was laid out fronting upon the Mohawk Bay, and
Napanee River. This constituted the tenth township, Richmond. Thus the
surveyors had made a complete circuit of the bay. These townships were,
for many a day, designated by the numeral prefix; even yet may be found
gray haired individuals who speak of them in no other way. Subsequently,
however, these townships had given to them respectively, the royal names
of Kingston, Ernest town, Fredericksburgh, Adolphustown, Marysburgh,
Ameliasburgh, Sophiasburgh; and the noble ones of Sidney, Thurlow, and
Richmond.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account