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AREA HISTORY Excerpts taken from Country History describing Early Days in The Burlington Gazette, Jan 24/63 Life in Halton County in 1877 - can you imagine how it compared to today's modern pace? While the historian can find little of "Moving accidents by field and flood" to embellish the narrative of the early settlement of Halton county, yet it has not been entirely destitute of heroes, or men who, when duty called, were ready to step into the breach. In fact, the early pioneers, in their own humble way, acted the heroic part and filled perhaps quite as useful a part in the world's history, as though they had won their honors on the tented field. When the Indian was the possessor of the soil the southern part of Nelson Township was the scene of many a hard fought battle, as their traditions and the numerous graves yet to be found bear testimony, but since the history proper of Canada began, no battles have been fought within the borders of this county. Many of her settlers took part in the war of 1812-13. The first municipal organization of what is now the Province of Ontario, was made by Lord Dorcester in 1788 by proclamation, under the authority of an Imperial Act of Parliament. The Province was divided into four districts, namely: Lunenburgh, Mecklingburgh, Nassau and Hesse. The Provincial Act of 1792 continued these four divisions but called them the Eastern, Midland, Home and Western. Each district was to have a gaol [jail] and courthouse. Halton formed a part of the Home District. It subsequently, with Wentworth, formed the Gore District which comprised the following townships: Wentworth contained Barton, Binbrook, Ancaster, Brantford, Glanford, Onondago, Tuscarora and Saltfleet: Halton contained Beverly, Dumfries, Esquesing, Flamboro West and East, Nassagaweya, Nelson and Trafalgar. The Gore District was set apart in 1816, and the first settlers in the country were almost exclusively U.E. Loyalists [United Empire Loyalists], who preferred to begin life over again in the bush rather than sever their connection with British Crown. They were a brave, intelligent, industrious people, and their noble example has left no light impression on the people of the present day. Afterwards the Counties of Wentworth and Halton were reduced to their present dimensions.