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ft IS vn <9 WW Bicentennial Supplement, Bowmanville, Ontario, Wednesday, October 5,1994 «COAL DOCK, POET BOW MAN VI LI/E, ONT." W, f. A Hi;», i X < i -tv man v i i ie, (} >v ?i "-. - . . 1 ■ ; j l 't;. , *-* 4 ra . ■ * . * PORT OF CALL - Before the coming of the railroad, the Port Darlington harbor was the hub of trade and commcrc e in Bowmanville. Products flowing from the port included grain, flour and lumber. On October 2nd, 1794, a trio of pioneer families landed on the Bowmanville Bowmanville lakefront at a point said to be about one mile west of Barber's Creek (now known as Bowmanville Creek). They were United Empire Loyalists Loyalists fleeing the political turmoil of the American Revolution. They' moved to the British-controlled portion portion of North America lured by promises from Governor John Graves Simcoe of land. Two hundred hundred acres were promised to all males over the age of 18 and, with special permission of the governor, even larger land grants were possible. possible. The Burks, the Conants and the Trulls were the first three families to arrive in Darlington Township. The Burks, the Conants and the Trulls were the first three families to arrive and establish a permanent settlement settlement in Darlington Township, at Concession 1, Darlington. In a letter quoted by Coleman, Jessia Burk, who was just 14 years old that first autumn in Darlington, describes some of the living conditions. conditions. "We had no neighbours but the Indians for two to three years." The nearest grist mill was 60 miles away (at a site near Belleville) It was a two-week journey by canoe for anyone wanting flour milled. Forced to improvise, the setders ground grain in coffee grinders or used wooden mortars and pestles. The grain was made into Johnny Cake. There was also wild rice and a plentiful supply of fish and game. Owing, no doubt, to the struggle for survival in those early years, there is little information on day-to- day life. It is known, however, that the Burks would remain at the Bowmanville Bowmanville site and sometime before 1820 had founded a mill and store. John Burk received the Crown Deed of Lot 13 in the Broken Front and a site which would become known as Darlington Mills and later Bowmanville. Bowmanville. There were probably fewer than 25 in the group which arrived on a balteau, a large, flat-bottomed vessel vessel 30 to 40 feet long and perhaps eight feet wide. John T. Coleman in his 1875 book entitled: Early Setders of Bowmanville, Bowmanville, Darlington and Clarke, stated: "Their families and effects were placed on board a batteau." The boat proceeded along Lake Ontario, Ontario, from the Niagara area, "running "running into bays and inlets in order to avoid storms or for die purpose of cooking dicir meals and camping during die night." , ' v Tlk/" stock, which consisted of The Conants, who were descended descended from the first settlers to arrive in America on board the Mayflower, were to become associated with Oshawa and its early development. Roger Conant, who began to trade in furs, became one of die founders of commerce in Oshawa. The Trulls moved further west, in Darlington Township, becoming more closely associated with development of the Courlicc/Oshawa area. Although die Burks were joined by other pioneers, growdi continued to be slow. Even by die year 1818 - over 20 years after the settlement, die popu- ladon was meagre. Professor John Squair, in his book "A history of the Townships of Darlington and Clarke." estimates that the number of persons eligible to pay taxes in the two townships 58. Based on dial number, the local populadon stood at about 350. A diary from Samuel Wilmot from around the same time (1816) also quoted in the Professor Squair's book noted that the number of persons persons on the road through Darlington was seven: Stevens, Thos. Powers, Solomon Tyler, David Stevens, John Burk, Squire Fletcher and John Borland. There were no settlers nordi of the main road. By 1827, the population of Darlington Darlington was estimated at 616. An account from 1825 noted diat Bowmanville had a grist mill, saw mill, store (now owned by Charles Bowman) and half a dozen houses. It wasn't a large community. But it was the side from which die Town of Bowmanville and the Township of Darlington would sprout. Imagine a scenario in which two cows and a horse, was driven present-day Bowmanville were to around the shore on foot, having to double its size before the turn of die cross marshes and rivers. The first order of business was to build temporary log huts lined with mud and prepare for the onset of winter. century. This might give us some idea of die incredible growth which occurred occurred here in the 1850's -- a sort of growdi which may not even be To say life was hard in that first matched by our post-war boom, decade would be an enormous un- By 1820, the total population of derstatement. Even by the standards both Darlington Township and of the day, living was primitive. Bowmanville would not have been For die Burks, who remained at much more than 350 souls, all of the Bowmanville site, the nearest them residing south of what is to- neighbour to the east was at Smith's day's Highway Two. By 1827, that Creek (now Port Hope). To the population had scarcely even dou- west, die family of Benjamin Wil- bled. October 2, 1794: Conants, Trulls and Burks arrive at Port Darlington to begin setdement, September 2,1795: John Ca- Rycrson. August 25, 1839: Methodist chapel on West Hill, Bowman- villc, dedicated by Rev. Egcrton 1913: Official Memorial Hospital son had settled at an abandoned French trading post just east of the present site of the Oshawa harbor. They were joined by the Conants Opening of and die Trulls in the more westerly area of Darlington Township. However, in 1851, a government census placed the population of Darlington Darlington (which probably included Bowmanville) at 8,005. By 1861, when Bowmanvillc's populadon was listed independently, sey Trull bom to John and Lydia Trull, he was die first pioneer child bom in Darlington Township. Township. 1805: Leonard Soper builds first sawmill in township. March 3, 1807: First recorded recorded marriage in Darlington Township. Township. Thomas Conant and Hannah Hannah Stoner. Before 1820: (exact date unknown) unknown) John Burk establishes saw mill, grist mill and opens store. 1824: Nucleus of Bowmanville Bowmanville formed from mills and store purchased by Charles Bowman. 1827: Post office established 1840: First grist mill established established in Hampton. Hampton would later become the seat of municipal government for Darlington Darlington Township. 1850: Darlington Township becomes a municipal corporation. corporation. ' 1853 rated as a October 27, 1856: Completion Completion of Grand Trunk Railway. 1858: Bowmanville is incorporated incorporated as a town. 1873: Dominion Organ and Bowmanville incorpo- at Darlington Mills (later Bow- Kano Company moves to Bow- ... .*■ m'lnxnlIf» manvillc) 1830: Approximate date for establishment of first school building in Bowmanville 1837: Port Darlington Harbor Company receives charter. Actual Actual harbor takes shape in 1839 manvillc. 1890: Completion of new high school building on Queen' St. 1910: Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. establishes operations operations in Bowmanville. Ml fS'l :"A ---. «Wptffïiï'l •* ttNfÉI 8 111 b FOUR CORNERS -- Bowmanvillc's main street, looking cast, as it would have appeared around 1905. In the foreground is the Bank of Ontario Building, constructed in 1866. Beside it is the post office. the number of inhabitants had risen to 2,721. By any standards, that is a lot of development. What had happened? A number of factors likely produced produced the population boom of the mid 1800s. These included die end of the War of 1812 which produced stable relations with the United States and also U.S. hade. There was also die Crimean War, which produced greater demand for materials materials and other goods in the British Empire. Finally, there was a massive massive influx of settlers from the British British Isles, whereas previous growth had consisted mainly of United Empire Empire Loyalists. The development of die Port Darlington Darlington Harbor Company in 1839 gave Bowmanville a tiiriving port for export of not only lumber, grain and flour but also less-known products products such as oatmeal, butter and pork. With increased settlement comes the first formal municipal government. With increased settlement comes the first formal municipal government. government. Although there had been informal informal gatherings of the townsfolk in previous years to conduct business business of the community, the first full- fledged council session in Darlington Darlington took place in 1850 in the Bowmanville Bowmanville Court House. Henry S. Reid was elected reeve. Michael Cryderman was deputy and councillors councillors included John Simpson, John Rusk and John C. Trull. Bowmanville became incorporated incorporated as a village in 1853, while Darlington Darlington remained a Township. In 1858, Bowmanvillc's status had been upgraded to that of a full- fledged town. Continued on Facie 2 ^ ' ' IMF I ' 's Fastest The Creation is in Diverse Jobs Firemen Quit s Man Lived in Of Post Offices For Women in Over Pay Fight Pianos Sold Bowmanvil Bowmanville For Darlington World War One 136 Years Ago World Wide Named Aft 00® oooU Bam 9A 900*1 6l11|Jtfci rail u 000