Chapter I: Front Matter

Upper Canada Sketches

BY
THOMAS CONANT

With Illustrations, Portraits and Map

TORONTO
WILLIAM BRIGGS
29-33 RICHMOND ST. WEST
1898

Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year
one thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight, by THOMAS CONANT, at
the Department of Agriculture.

To Thomas G. Milsted

_Of Chicago, Ill., U.S._

A LARGE-HEARTED, FAITHFUL FRIEND AND PLEASANT
COMPANION, UNDER EVEN THE MOST TRYING
CIRCUMSTANCES;
WHO SWAM IN THE DEAD SEA, ASCENDED THE NILE TO
THE MAHDI’S CONFINES, AND LIKEWISE WITH ME
KICKED PARIAH DOGS FROM OUR PATHS
IN CONSTANTINOPLE,

THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED,

WITH FULL RELIANCE IN THE HOPE THAT EXPATRIATED
CANADIANS, WHO ARE SO VERY NUMEROUS IN THE
UNITED STATES, MAY ENJOY WITH HIMSELF
(LIKEWISE ONE OF THEM)
THESE RANDOM CANADIAN SKETCHES.

THE AUTHOR.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Prefatory Note vii

CHAPTER I.

Normandy--William the Conqueror--Origin of the name Conant--Devon, England--Sir Walter Raleigh’s home--Richard the Mill-owner--Roger the Pilgrim--The first Governor of Massachusetts--Salem, Massachusetts--Mill-owners 9

CHAPTER II.

The American Revolution--Personal Rule of King George III.--Washington’s politeness--Valley Forge--Washington’s prayer--Raw New England levies--John Hancock--Other leaders and generals--Colonel Butler--Murder, not war--Roger Conant removes to Canada--An old deed--Governor Simcoe--York (Toronto) 21

CHAPTER III.

A home in the wilderness--Salmon fishing--An idyllic life--Logging--Fur trade--Durham boats--Rapids of the St. Lawrence--Trading with the Indians--The Hudson’s Bay Company--_Coureurs du bois_--Maple sugar making--Friendly Indians 32

CHAPTER IV.

Waubakosh--Making potash--Prosperous settlers--Outbreak of war of 1812--Transporting military supplies--Moode Farewell’s hotel--“Here’s to a long and moderate war”--A lieutenant’s misfortune--“Open in the King’s name”--Humors of the time--Ingenious foragers--Hidden specie--Hardships of the U. E. Loyalists 40

CHAPTER V.

Capture of York--Immigration increasing--David Annis--Niagara--Prosperous lumber business--Ship-building--High freight rates--Salmon spearing--Meteoric showers--An affrighted clergyman--Cold winters--A tragedy of the clearings 51

CHAPTER VI.

Discontent in Upper Canada--Election riots--Shillelahs as persuaders--William Lyon Mackenzie--Rioting in York--Rebellion--Patriots and sympathizers--A relentless chase--Crossing Lake Ontario in midwinter--A perilous passage--A sailor hero--A critical moment--Safe on shore--“Rebellion Losses Bill”--Transported to Botany Bay--Murder of my grandfather--Canadian legends--A mysterious guest 65

CHAPTER VII.

Religious movements--Itinerant preachers--$50 a year--Camp-meetings--Weird scenes at night--Millerites--World coming to an end--Dissenters attempt to fly--Affrighted by a “sun-dog”--Destruction fails to materialize--The Mormons--An improvised Gabriel--Raising the dead--Converts--Salt Lake--An Irish refugee and his poem 89

CHAPTER VIII.

Canadian laws--Cases of justifiable homicide--Ineffectual attempt to discipline a church member--Major Wilmot--Asa Wallbridge--“Uncle Ned”--Cows and matrimony--A humorous dialogue--A witty retort--An amusing duel 102

CHAPTER IX.

Paring bees--Mirth and jollity--Dancing and games--Playing “forfeits”--Anti-Slavery Act--Canada’s proud distinction--Refugee slaves--“Uncle Tom”--Old Jeff--Story of a slave 120

CHAPTER X.

Civil war in the United States--Large bounties paid Canadian recruits--Prices of products go up--More than two million men under arms--I make a trip to Washington--Visiting the military hospitals--I am offered $800 to enlist--Brief interview with President Lincoln--A pass secured--I visit the Army of the Potomac--90,000 men under canvas--Washington threatened by the Confederates--Military prison at Elmira, N.Y.--Cheap greenbacks--A chance to become a multi-millionaire 137

CHAPTER XI.

The “_Trent_ affair”--Excitement in Canada--Bombastic “fire-eaters”--Thriving banks--High rates of interest--Railway building--The bonus system--A sequestered hamlet--A “psychologist” and his entertainment--A mock duel--A tragic page of family history 153

CHAPTER XII.

Fenianism--A claimant for my father’s farm--A scare at Port Oshawa--Guns, forks and clubs for fighting--Awkward squad--Guard catch a young man out courting--The Fenian raid of 1866--A Catholic priest taken prisoner--United States Government at last cries “Stop!”--Adventure in high life--A youth runs away from home--Tragic death of the mother of the runaway--Marries the serving-maid--Wedding and funeral journey in one 171

CHAPTER XIII.

The French in Upper Canada--Sir Wilfrid Laurier--Voyageurs and their songs--“A la Claire Fontaine”--Money-lenders--Educational matters--Expatriated Canadians--Successful railway speculation--A shrewd banker 181

CHAPTER XIV.

Poor-tax--Poor-houses undesirable--The tramp nuisance--A tramp’s story--Mistaken charity--Office seekers--Election incidents 193

CHAPTER XV.

Upper Canada’s favored situation--Our Great Lakes--Cases of apparent tides on Lake Ontario--Canadians as givers--Oshawa’s generous support to churches and charities--Life insurance--Amusing incidents of a railway journey--A “talking machine” 209