The Last Laird of MacNab: An Episode in the Settlement of MacNab Township, Upper Canada — John Shaqi
The Last Laird of MacNab: An Episode in the Settlement of MacNab Township, Upper Canada
History
The Last Laird of MacNab: An Episode in the Settlement of MacNab Township, Upper Canada
MacNab, Archibald, 1778?-1860
Lot 6, con. 12, Alex. McNab:--This is one of the most infamous
characters in the township.
Lot 7, con. 12, Jas. McNee:--This person is my old family Piper, to
whom I granted a lot of land and deed, but never received any
value. He has a large family of sons.
Lots 18 and 19, con. 13, Alex. McDonell:--Originally granted these
broken fronts and deeded for building a good inn and store for the
benefit of the township and the public, which Mr. McDonell did,
much for the comfort and accommodation of that part of the country.
It is a pity that Mr. Allan should state what he is not perfectly
certain of.
Lots 20 and 21, con. 13, Michael Roddy:--This original grant was to
one Walter Beckwith, under an agreement to build a comfortable inn
for the accommodation of the public. In this he failed to cover
what McNab had advanced; he sold the lot to one Michael Roddy, who
is deeded for it.
It is here particularly to be observed that McNab was obliged to
make many sacrifices, and in order to encourage an infant
settlement, was induced to make several gratuitous grants of land
to encourage tradesmen to settle in this remote quarter.
McNab cannot conclude these remarks upon Mr. Allan's report,
without regretting much the spirit in which it is made or drawn up,
and in more points than one, its total deviation from truth. For
instance, obviously from a desire to deteriorate the value of the
township, he states positively that there is no grist-mill in the
township. Now the truth is there has been a very extensive mill
establishment in active operation for these ten years past, both
saw and grist, at Arnprior; that there has been a saw-mill in
operation upon Waba River, for some time past, and a grist-mill
erecting; also a third upon the very same creek (being reference to
Mr. Hugh McGregor, who saw these mills frequently in operation). He
takes also the liberty of remarking, under what consideration does
Mr. Allan value the spot on lot McNab has built his cottage, at 15
shillings per acre?--by much the highest price he has valued (but
which comes the nearest to the real value of any one he has
valued), for MacNab most positively avers, and that without doubt,
that the one-half of the township as settled is as good, if not
better, than it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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