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PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, JUNE Il, 19 W, "OUR HISTORICAL HERITAGE', WHITBY FREE PRFSS Rowe: our first mayor By EUGENE HENRY Sometimes a country like Canada or a community like the Town of Whitby is especially fortuante, in securing the services of a political figure, who is ad- mirably equipped to handle the problems of his par- ticular term of office. Such was the case of Cap- tain James Rowe when he was elected as, the first Mayor of Whitby in 1855, soon after the town was in- corporated by a Special Act of Parliament in that year. He was 56 at the time, and brought . to .the Chief Magistrate's office the proven expertise of a successful grain merchant and a wealth of front line political experience at the county level. James Rowe He had come a long way since he first arrived in Whitby, from Queen's Coun- ty Ireland, in 1824. He was then a mature and ambitious yo4ng pan of 25 confident that Canada would prove to be, a land of opportunity for him, and itwas., In those early- Ontario days, Jim Rowe of* Port Whitby had little of this world's goods, because those who knew him then said that he would often walk "from the Corners to the Bay" with an axe on his shoulder, ready to chop wood for the meagre pay that such menial work might bring. Mid-way through the 1850's our town was growing rapidly, business was booming and condition t generally were very good throughout the Whitby area. Canada had just signed a reciprocity treaty with the United States (1854) and there was a surplus of grain and lumber here abouts, available for movement to export markets in the U.S. through Whitby Harbour. Port Whitby was bursting at the seams with marine activity and all of the dock side warehouses were filled. It was the age of sail and small schooners were shut- tling over to Rochester and Oswego, New York almost daily. The round trip was not much more than 100 miles. Concurrently, our en- treprennurial businessmen were doing their best to make the most of these favorable conditions in Canada/U.S. trade. Captian James Rowe of Port Whitby was front and entre of all these develop- ments in the bourgeoning grain trade as senior par- tener of James Rowe and Co. As a grain broker and warehouse man at dock- side. It would have been reasonable enough for his fello citizen to tap him for the mayor's chair faced as they were with substantial problems and great prospec- ts in opening up these markets for Whitby Far- mers, millers and business people throughout the area served by Whitby harbour. He was not, however, a neophyte, in politics for the first time. He was well known throughout the area as an organizer, a trusted local politician» who had brought about the separation of what is now This is the home that Cap- tain James Rowe, Whitby's first mayor, built at the top of the harbor in 1845. The house is built of fine the Region 0f Durham from the Region of Durham fromn the Home District. He had travelled throughout the district urging the settlers to separate with Peter Perry and others. It took five years to accomplish but it was done. This is the nan of political experience who was elected mayor in 1855. Prior to the election as mayor, Rowe was also Reeve of Whitby Township in 1852 and 1853 and Warden of Ontario County in 1853. He obviously seemed to be the people's choice in the community when they needed an experienced and trust-worthy, first magistrate in 1855. Let's go back a few years in Port Whitby and see how James Rowe made a won- white pine and cedar in the excellentiy maintained Is Georgain style with this 12 presently the home of by 12 foot original glass win- Eugene Henry, dows still in place. h -Photo courtesy of Henry The house, which has been Heritage Collection derful mix of politics and business and then achieved that enviable role of all politicians that of the reluc- tant candidate, answering the call of duty to public ser- vice. It must have appealed to his Irish sense of humour. Soon after Rowe arrived in the Whitby area, the days of settlement came to an end and surplus quantities of grain and lumber became available for export loosely. Things started ,to move around Windsor Har- bour as Port Whitby was known then. The first warehouses were built and then the Federal Gover- nment dredged the harbour and built new piers in 1843 and 1844. Who got the contract for marine works? A f irm by the name of James Rowe and Co. For a period of 10 years from 1844 to 1854 traffic at the harbour increased and all of the roads running nor- th to the farmlands of Uxabridge, Scugog and Beaverton were improved. In 1848, the harbour road to Port Perry was planked in pine. when the reciprocity treaty was signed the har- bour people had a good base set to make the most of it. James Rowe was the first among several equals that included Peter Perry--his stewardshop in the grain trade were at an end he was making real money. He built a couple of CONT D ON PG. 5