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NOTES TAKEN BY MARION STEVENSON FOR AN ESSAY ENTERED IN GRADE EIGHT PUBLIC SCHOOL. THE PRIZE RECEIVED GIVEN BY THE ALDERSHOT WOMEN'S INSTITUTE. Notes supplied by Mr. George Fllman, a neighbor. "David Fonger Sr., one of the first settlers about 150 years ago, followed by Applegarths, Browns, Easterbrooks and others. Some of the first church ministers must be Methodist as not listed in St. Matthews. Rev. Lancely or Leslie 1843. Also Rev. Prescott and Rev. Sifton. The first school house was across from Burniston's, also a school on La Salle Park Rd. Mrs. John King lived in this building which became a dwelling after the school was built at Hidden Valley Road. This school later on became known as "Black Horse Inn" and then a garage. Miss Emma Bollock and a Mr. Vollick were early teachers. There was a post office on Waterdown Road near the Railway tracks. Mr. W. A. Smith was Post Master, Mr. Brown followed. The Post Office was moved to where R. Green lives, then to a brick building at the corner of La Salle Road and No. 2 Hy. [Highway] now occupied by Mr. Connell. Sinclairs having moved across the Hy [highway]. to the south east corner. Other Post Masters were Blakely and Mr. Riggar, appointed by the Government. A number of toll gates were operated one at the Station, one at Valley Inn Road, one at the junction of York St. one going into Burlington and one at top of the hill going in to Waterdown and one at Hamilton entrance. Charges were from three, ten, twelve and fifteen cents. Mr. Filman remembered being told that Chief Joseph Brant's Grant was given him by a grateful Government for help during the War of 1812-14, and was to be as much land as he could encircle in a days walk. The boundries of this grant were from the Brant House or Inn to the corner of Wm. [William] Filman's property, then down to the bay shore and East to Harry Long's place thence to Maple Ave. This Grant was later taken back by the Government and the Reserves established and an agreement made that Chief Brant's people and generations to come would receive a monetary Grant or interest money. Mr. Filman has the original Deed of Government Grant given his great grandfather for their land over one hundred years ago. The first of the Filmans was born in Holland and came here with the United Empire Loyalists. There is another story about Chief Brant's land and that is that the boundries extended West to Lancefield's property on La Salle Road and there is an old Oak tree called the "Sentinal Oak" which was the landmark for the wharf called Brown's Wharf where most of the larger boats came in. There also is a story of buried treasure along the Bay shore and different efforts have been made to find it. Coins, arrow heads and spear heads are still being picked up in the vicinity of the Bay shore. The old Channel or Canal was opposite Col. Hendrie's home and not where the present canal now is. It is thought the ship bearing treasure landed in that vicinity and some articles such as copper kettles, arrow heads, spears, skinning stones etc, have been found there. Applegarths operated Mills and the walls of one are at