Annapolis Royal (Port Royal) in Nova Scotia is the site of the first European settlement in Canada. It was settled three years before Quebec City in Quebec and two years before Virginia in the United States. A settlement was established in 1605 in the Annopolis Basin by the French. At first it consisted of a wooden palisade, a few small huts or homes and a church. A Governor's house was added to the fort and buildings for munitions and military personnel. Most of the settlers lived outside of the fort area. Eventually the fort was rebuilt of earth and then stone. By 1671 there were approximately 68 families living in Annapolis Royal and by 1686 the population had reached 231 civilians. By arms or treaty the settlement changed hands between the French and the English a total of seven times. In 1710 the English captured Annapolis Royal for the last time. The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 had the French give her possessions of Acadia and Newfoundland to the Crown of Britain forever. In 1710 Annapolis Royal had been captured by General Nicholas who was later to become the Governor of all of Nova Scotia in 1714. Annapolis Royal was governed by Colonel Vetch of the 1710 war. In 1714 the Queen encouraged Governor Francis Nicholson to allow the French residents to retain their land and tenements or to sell their land. English settlement was encouraged. In 1719 Colonel Phillips replaced Governor Nicolson. By 1720 there were approximately 12 English families living in Annapolis Royal near the fort. (Taken from: MacVicar, W.M. "A Short History of Annapolis Royal, the Port Royal of the French..." Toronto: The Copp, Clark Company, Limited, 1897. microfiche CIHM 09502.)
The Hambeltonian Stallion "Boxer" was bred by Ira Emmerson, of Adams, in Jefferson County in New York State. He was jet black in colour and stood 16 hands high. He obtained a speed of 2.33 and 1/2 in Watertown, New York in 1888. He had been raced twelve times of which he had won six of those races; came in second three times; came in third once; tied second and third place once and came in unplaced once. Boxer was sired by Jefferson Prince. His proprietor in 1889 was James Baptie of Springville, Ontario.
Flavelles originated in 1860 with the partnership between J.R. Dundas and Mr. Claxton. They operated a general store on Kent Street in Lindsay, Canada West. In 1872 J.D. Flavelle, a nephew of J.R. Dundas, became a partner when Mr. Claxton retired. In 1877 W. Flavelle joined the business and the business became Dundas & Flavelle Brothers. The company expanded under the Flavelle brothers into the grain market. They acquired the controlling interest in the flour mill near Lindsay Street and called it the Flavelle Milling Company until it sold out to the Canadian Cereal Company in 1912. Around the same time a growing produce business handling eggs, butter, cheese and poultry was developed. A warehouse on King Street was built to store products and eventually branch plants in Port Perry, Belleville, Alliston, Chatham and London were established. Later on a coal and builders' supply department was added to the Lindsay business. The merchandise used in the store was purchased from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. The first export business in eggs, butter, cheese and poultry occured in 1888 when W. Flavelle, who was a regular member on the British Isles business trips, decided that it was a good idea to ship produce and use the proceeds on future merchandise purchases. In 1895 J.R. Dundas died and his stock was purchased by other partners. In 1900 a provincial charter was obtained under the name of Dundas and Flavelles Ltd. and by 1904, with another charter, the name was changed to Flavelles Ltd. The Victoria Creamery was puchased in 1912. In 1916 the cold storage warehouse on King Street burnt to the ground while it was full of produce. Only the power house, which was in a separate brick building, was saved. A new brick warehouse, which was a cold storage and creamery, was built on the corner of Kent and Victoria Streets in 1917. After 1918 a separate charter in the name of the Lindsay Creamery Limited was obtained and the Flavelle family, who were the controlling shareholders of the business, operated the creamery for a number of years. In 1925 the business was merged with other department stores throughout Ontario and became known as Canadian Department Stores and eventually these stores were taken over by the T. Eaton Company. Flavelles had associations with Hall's Limited of Lindsay and H. R. Scott Limited of Peterborough. (Taken from: Flavelles Limited fonds. 92-003-1.) For photographs of the Sadler, Dundas & Flavelle's Flour Mill, Dundas & Flavelle Bro's store and the Dundas and Flavelle Bro's Egg House see accession 92-010 (Dorothy Choate Herriman fonds) Box 5, Folder 15.
In 1852, William Lyon Mackenzie introduced to the Legislative Assembly a resolution asking for a survey of the Huron-Ottawa Territory. His intent was to increase settlement within the uninhabited region of Canada West, to encourage immigration from Europe, and discourage emigration from the province. This resolution, along with similar recommendations, led to the Colonization Roads policy, and ultimately to the passing of the Public Land Act in 1853 by the Legislature. This Act allowed the government "to appropriate as free grants any public land in the province to actual settlers, upon or in the vicinity of any public roads in any new settlements which shall or may be opened through the Lands of the Crown." The policy and the Act led to surveys for many new roads in the northern portion of Canada West, including the Burleigh Road in 1860-1861 by James W. Fitzgerald. The original survey indicated that the road was to extend north from Burleigh rapids through the Townships of Burleigh, Anstruther, Chandos, Cardiff, Monmouth, and Dudley and end where it intersected the Peterson Road. By 1862, 23 miles of the proposed road had been constructed, running north from Burleigh Bridge. With the survey and proposed construction of the Monck Road, it was decided not to extend the Burleigh Road as far north as the Peterson Road, but only to the Monck Road, which resulted in a total distance of 43 miles for the Burleigh Road. Due to the poor quality of the Burleigh Road, settlement of the surrounding townships was extremely slow and it never achieved the importance of some of the other Colonization Roads. The Burleigh Road no longer exists today. (Taken from: Murray, Florence B. "Muskoka and Haliburton 1915-1875: a collection of documents." Toronto: The Champlain Society, 1963. Spragge, George W. "Colonization Roads in Canada West, 1850-1867." Ontario History. Vol. XLIX, no. 1, 1957.)
Fisher Gauge Ltd. is a family-owned business that was founded in Peterborough, Ontario in 1942 by toolmaker and designer R.F. (Bill) Fisher. Its earliest customers were General Electric, Westinghouse, Western Electric, and Massey Harris. The company, now known as FisherCast Global, manufactures special-purpose die casting components for customers world-wide (information taken from FisherCast Global Web site, 2004).
Jacques Cartier is credited with the discovery of the country of Canada in 1535. The area which was first considered Canada was the area around Stadacona, later known as Quebec City. The name Canada later became synonymous with New France in the 1600's. As French explorers and fur traders pushed westward and southward in their travels, the area to which Canada referred to increased, but specific geographic boundaries were never firmly established. In 1791, the Constitutional Act, or Canada Act divided Canada, also known as Quebec at this time, into the two distinct provinces of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. In 1841, the provinces were united to form the Province of Canada. The British North America Act of 1867 united the Province of Canada (now divided into the provinces of Ontario and Quebec) with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. This union created the Dominion of Canada. At first, the geographic area was relatively small, but it rapidly grew with the purchase of Rupert's Land in 1870 which extended the country to the Rocky Mountains in the west and to the Arctic Ocean in the north. In 1871 British Columbia joined Confederation, extending the country from sea to sea. Prince Edward Island joined Canada in 1873 and Britain handed over title to the arctic islands in 1880. The geography of Canada as we know it today was completed in 1949 when Newfoundland and Labrador joined the Dominion of Canada. The name Canada is taken from the Huron Iroquois word "kanata", meaning village, or settlement.
The Registrar General registers are registers in which all instruments including proclamations, commissions, letters patent, and other documents issued under the Great Seal and the Privy Seal of Canada, are entered. Prior to Confederation, the registration function was the responsibility of the Provincial Secretary for each province. In 1867, this responsibility was assumed by the Secretary of State. It continued in that Department until 1966 when the Register General became a separate Department. In 1967, the new Department of Consumer and Corporate Affairs took over all the duties and functions of the Registrar General.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police had previously been known as the North West Mounted Police (from 1873 to 1904), and the Royal North West Mounted Police (from 1904 to 1920). On February 1, 1920, the name was changed to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The force was established to protect and police the newly acquired lands from various threats including American annexation and various illegal activities. It was also established to help encourage settlement throughout the region. Today, the RCMP is Canada's national police force.
The Privy Council Office under the direction of the Clerk of the Privy Council was created to provide a secretariat to support the administrative activities of the Privy Council and to assist the President, in council business. In 1940, the operation of the Office was modernized by instituting more business-like procedures such as pre-establishing agendas for Cabinet meetings, records of Cabinet decisions taken, notification of departments concerning required action and the creation of a central filing system. In 1968, further changes to the Privy Council Office were introduced. These included an operations division to provide expanded secretarial services to the Cabinet and Cabinet committees, a Plans Division to provide services to the planning committees, and a Federal-Provincial Relations Division to provide liaison services between government departments and the provinces. (Taken from: "Government Archives Division: General Guide Series." Ottawa: Library and Archives Canada, 1991.)
Since the initial reservation of the Hot Springs at Banff in 1885, the Canadian Parks Service has grown to encompass more than 30 national parks, more than 70 national historic parks and major sites, and 10 historically significant canal systems. The Canadian Parks Service plans, develops, and operates National Parks and National Historic Parks and Sites. First controlled by the Dominion Lands Branch of the Department of the Interior through its Superintendent of Rocky Mountains Park, Parks became, in 1908, a unit of the Forestry branch and, in 1911, a separate entity known as the Dominion (later National) Parks Branch. From 1918 to 1966, the Canadian Wildlife Service was a unit within the National Parks Branch. In 1973, Parks acquired control of historic canals, previously under the control of several different government departments. In 1979, Parks Canada became part of the Department of the Environment and in 1988 it was renamed the Canadian Parks Service. (Taken from: "Government Archives Division: General Guide Series." Ottawa: National Archives of Canada, 1991.)
On March 17, 1862 the position of Deputy Superintendent General of Indian Affairs was created and William Spragge was appointed to this postion. At Confederation, control of Indian matters was given to the federal government and this responsibilty was delegated to the Department of Secretary of State for the Provinces. The Secretary of State became Superintendent General of Indian Affairs. In 1873 the Department of the Interior was created and an Indians and Indian Lands Branch was set up within it. As a result, the Minister of the Interior became the Superintendent General. The following year, L. Vankoughnet was appointed Deputy Superintendent General. In 1876 the Indian Act was passed which consolidated and revised all previous legislation dealing with Indians in all existing Provinces and Territories. Four years later, in 1880, the Independent Department of Indian Affairs was set up. However, the Minister of the Interior remained Superintendent General of Indian Affairs. In 1893, Hayter Reed was appointed Deputy Superintendent General and remained in this position until 1897 when James A. Smart, Deputy Minister of the Interior, took over the position. In 1902, Francis Pedley was appointed Deputy Superintendent of Indian Affairs thus ending the system where bythe Deputy of the Interior held that post. Under Pedley, the departmental structure of Indian Affairs was restructured. Several distinct branches were set up to reflect the expansion of the Department's activities. These were the Secretaries Branch, the Accountant's Branch, the Land and Timber Branch, the Survey Branch, and the School Branch. In 1913, Duncan Campbell Scott was appointed as Deputy Superindendent of Indian Affairs, a position which he retained until 1932. The Department continued to exist until 1936 when it was made a branch of the Department of Mines and Resources.(Taken from: "Public Records Division, General InventorySeries : No. 1 Records relating to Indian Affairs (RG 10)."Ottawa: Public Archives of Canada, 1975.)
The Department of Lands and Forests, 1920-1972, was a department of the Government of Ontario based under the Ministry of Natural Resources. Before 1920 it was known as the Department of Lands, Mines and Forests, 1906-1920; The Crown Lands Department, 1827-1905 and the Office of the Surveyor General (Upper Canada), 1792-1827. (Taken from: The Archives of Ontario Guide to Holdings)
Library and Archives Canada holds these records as R.G. 10 which is the Department of Indian Affairs from 1677-1978 and contains 1750.6 m of textual and graphic material.(See also General Guide Series 1983, Federal Archives Division in the Trent University Archives Reading Room.)
The Canada Company which was created by John Galt, was established in late 1824, and incorporated by the British Parliament on July 27, 1825. The purpose of the Company was to obtain land in Upper Canada and to promote the sale of such land to prospective settlers. In 1826 the Company purchased 2.5 million acres (1 million hectares) from the government for $295 000. Approximately half of the land lay within the Huron Tract and the rest of the land consisted of scattered crown reserves. The company was dissolved on December 18, 1953.
Victoria County, formally established in 1860, is comprised of the Townships of Bexley, Carden, Dalton, Eldon, Emily, Fenelon, Laxton, Digby, Longford, Manvers, Mariposa, Ops, Somerville, and Verulam. The town of Lindsay in Ops Township is the county seat. The County is bordered in the north by the Muskoka District, in the east by haliburton and Peterborough Counties, in the south by Lake Scugog and the Regional Municipality of Durham, and in the west by Durham and Simcoe Counties. It is 2 169 km square in area. The land in Victoria County was first opened for settlement in 1821 and the first settlers were mainly Irish, both Protestant and Catholic, and Scottish Presbyterians. By 1880, lumbering was firmly established as the main industry in the county. Quickly the region was stripped of its forests, and it wasn't until the 1920's that an interest in reforestation developed. Today, Victoria County is a prime grain producing region. As well, chemical industries and tourism make up the present day economic picture of the county. (Taken from: Mika, Nick and Helma. "Places in Ontario, Part III." Belleville: Mika Publishing Company, 1983.)
Victoria County, formally established in 1860, is comprised of the Townships of Bexley, Carden, Dalton, Eldon, Emily, Fenelon, Laxton, Digby, Longford, Manvers, Mariposa, Ops, Somerville, and Verulam. The town of Lindsay in Ops Township is the county seat. The County is bordered in the north by the Muskoka District, in the east by Haliburton and Peterborough Counties, in the south by Lake Scugog and the Regional Municipality of Durham, and in the west by Durham and Simcoe Counties. It is 2 169 km square in area. The land in Victoria County was first opened for settlement in 1821 and the first settlers were mainly Irish, both Protestant and Catholic, and Scottish Presbyterians. By 1880, lumbering was firmly established as the main industry in the county. Quickly the region was stripped of its forests, and it wasn't until the 1920's that an interest in reforestation developed. Today, Victoria County is a prime grain producing region. As well, chemical industries and tourism make up the present day economic picture of the county. (Taken from: Mika, Nick and Helma. "Places in Ontario, Part III." Belleville: Mika Publishing Company, 1983.)
Mining in Deloro began in 1868 when gold was discovered. In 1873 Canadian Consolidated Gold Mining Company, a British-based company, began mining operations which eventually failed due to the poor recovery of gold. In 1896 Canadian Gold Fields Company bought the property and the first mill was built. The operations were successful in the beginning as new cyanide technology was used to extract the gold and roasting furnaces were built to remove the arsenic from the gold. The mill was closed in 1903 due to the poor grade of the gold.
The land which is now Peterborough County was originally part of Newcastle District before 1841, and the Colbourne District until 1850, the year when districts were replaced by counties in Upper Canada. At this time the United Counties of Peterborough and Victoria was created. In 1861, Victoria County was given independence from Peterborough. Peterborough County is made up of the following townships: Galway, Cavendish, Anstruther, Chandos, Harvey, Burleigh, Methuen, Ennismore, Smith, Douro, Dummer, Belmont, North Monaghan, Otonabee, and Asphodel. (taken from "Illustrated Historical Atlas of Peterborough County 1825-1875." Peterborough: The Peterborough Historical Atlas Foundation Inc., 1975.)
The land which is now Peterborough County was originally part of Newcastle District before 1841, and the Colbourne District until 1850. At this time the United Counties of Peterborough and Victoria was created. In 1861, Victoria County was given independence from Peterborough. Peterborough County is made up of the following townships: Galway, Cavendish, Anstruther, Chandos, Harvey, Burleigh, Methuen, Ennismore, Smith, Douro, Dummer, Belmont, North Monaghan, Otonabee, and Asphodel. (taken from "Illustrated Historical Atlas of Peterborough County 1825-1875." Peterborough: The Peterborough Historical Atlas Foundation Inc., 1975.)
The Federal Cultural Policy Review Committee (F.C.P.R.C.) was created in August 1980 by the Honourable Francis Fox, Secretary of State and Minister of Communications, to review Canadian cultural institutions and cultural policy. This was the first such commission since the Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences of 1949-1951. The F.C.P.R.C. grew from an Advisory Commission on Cultural Policy which had been established in November 1979 by the Honourable David MacDonald. The committee held public hearings and developed its own recommendations. Known as the Applebaum-Hebert Commission after Louis Applebaum and Jacques Hebert, the Final Report was released in 1982.
The Buckhorn Wilderness Centre, established in 1966, was a non-profit corporation dedicated to the preservation of typical Canadian wilderness for the education and cultural enrichment of future generations. In 1971 responsibility for the Centre was transferred to the Otonabee Region Conservation Authority.
The Stuart dynasty began in Britain with the reign of James I (James VI of Scotland) in 1603. His reign was marked by the Gunpowder Plot, a new translation of the bible, the rise of Puritanism and increasing hostility between monarch and Parliament as the latter increased under the influence of barons and an increasingly powerful merchant class. James I died in 1625. (See, for example, Victor Slater. The Political History of Tudor and Stuart England. N.Y.: Routledge, 2002).
Brighton Township was created by an Act in 1851. It is bounded on the north by Seymour Township; on the west by Cramahe Township; on the east by Murray Township and on the south by Lake Ontario. It is part of the United Counties of Northumberland and Durham. The Village of Brighton was incorporated in 1890 but existed well before then. Built on the Brighton Harbour as a point of entry it had a population of 500 in 1850 and 1700 in 1878. In 1850 it had two grist mills, a plaster mill and a tannery. By 1878 it had four churches and a school. The early settlers were the Singletons, Thayers, Proctors, Butlers, Lockwoods, Wills, Dr. Gross, Sanfords and Ketchums. John Lockwood was the first postmaster of the village. Brighton Harbour used to be known as Freeman Point and Gosport.
In 1852, William Lyon Mackenzie introduced to the Legislative Assembly a resolution asking for a survey of the Huron-Ottawa Territory. His intent was to increase settlement within the uninhabited region of Canada West, to encourage immigration from Europe, and discourage emigration from the province. This resolution, along with similar recommendations, led to the Colonization Roads policy, and ultimately to the passing of the Public Land Act in 1853 by the Legislature. This Act allowed the government "to appropriate as free grants any public land in the province to actual settlers, upon or in the vicinity of any public roads in any new settlements which shall or may be opened through the Lands of the Crown." The survey of the Bobcaygeon Road came about as a result of this legislation. Before 1854, the Bobcaygeon Road did not extend beyond the village of Bobcaygeon. By 1857, the road had been constructed to Kinmount. A year later, surveyor Michael Deane was commissioned by the Department of Crown Lands to conduct a survey of lot frontages along the proposed Bobcaygeon Road from just north of Kinmount (Somerville Township) to Bell's Line. In 1860, surveyor Crosbie Brady was hired to survey the Bobcaygeon Road from where Deane had left off, north of Bell's Line, to Nippissing Road Line, on the south shore of Lake Nippissing. Throughout the years, the road and the lots along either side of the road have been re-surveyed for the purpose of establishing specific boundaries and correcting any mistakes in the initial surveys. All that remains of the original Bobcaygeon Road today is Highway 649 which extends from the village of Bobcaygeon to Highway 121, south of Kinmount. (Taken from: Spragge, George W. "Colonization Roads in Canada West." Ontario History. Vol. XLIX, no. 1, 1957., and W. D. Thomas. Bobcaygeon: The Hub of the Kawartha's. Bobcaygeon: W. D. Thomas, 1980.)