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
To weary out, to cause useless expense, and still further to harass Mr.
Paris was now the object of the defendant. He imagined that Mr. Paris
could not enter upon or keep up a protracted legal contest--that Mr.
Paris, being a new beginner, could not furnish or procure the necessary
funds to resume proceedings in the fall. He was mistaken. The friends of
the latter, among whom was the writer, advanced all that was required.
The Fall Assizes came on at the appointed time. Mr. Robert Hervey, of
Ottawa and Mr. Buell, together with the late Mr. T. M. Radenhurst,
appeared for the prosecution. The nuisance case was first proceeded
with. A verdict of "Guilty" was pronounced. The Chief was fined, the
mill ordered to be removed, and the dam demolished. This was immediately
done. The order of the court was at once carried out. The water in its
downward rush nearly swept away the mills of Mr. Paris. The Chief's
saw-mill was moved further down the stream, and was afterwards the
property of Mr. William Lindsay, who purchased it and a large portion of
the White Lake property from the late Allan McNab. The walls of the
grist mill having never reached further than one storey, still remain in
ruins on the concession line, near the spot where the saw-mill once
stood, a monument of the Chief's folly and futile revenge. The
traveller, unacquainted with the history of this transaction, is struck
with the mournful aspect of the ruins so close to the bridge, and
wonders what was the builder's intention. It is there a memorial of the
past, and its ruins are a fitting memento of the downfall of attempted
feudalism.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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