Article regarding George Strange Boulton, by Percy Climo.

During the last years of the Eighteenth Century, in the County of Rensselaer, located on the east bank of the Hudson River, and below Albany, New York, lived the D’Arcy Boulton family, a family of means. It was the eleventh of September, 1797, in the village of Green Bush, when George Strange Boulton, the sixth child, was born to this family. The Boultons held a strong attachment to the British Crown. In the year 1800, they decided to move north into Upper Canada, and for seven years lived in Cornwall, on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. It was here that young George came in contact with, and received his early education from John Strachan. The father, D’Arcy Boulton, was appointed Judge of the Superior Court of Upper Canada, and removed to York. He took up land and established the residence known as “The Grange” in York. It was about the same time John Strachan also moved to York and later became the Bishop of Toronto.

George continued his education under the direction of Strachan. During the war of 1812, young George was trained in the profession of Law, and in completion of his studies, moved to Port Hope as an advocate.

In the year of 1824, George Strange Boulton received the appointment of Registrar for the County of Northumberland. He also married this same year and took up residence in Cobourg. He acquired a number of acres of land, to the east of the village, and erected a large dwelling which he named “Northumberland Hall”, located on Township Lot Number Fourteen in the “B” Concession; a beautiful site overlooking Lake Ontario. It was here he lived out the rest of his life. He also retained the office of Registrar until his death in 1869.

George Strange Boulton was a very active person. In addition to his law practice, and his duties as Registrar, he took a leading part in many new developments. He was on of the Commissioners appointed during the initial developments of the Trent Waterways. In 1829, he was one of the first directors of the Cobourg Harbour Company, and later acted as President for several years of that Company. He was one of the first directors of the Cobourg and Peterborough Railways Company in its initial organization in 1835. He was a leader in the Newcastle District Building Society, a money lending institution. He was always active on the local scene in any public meetings dealing with new developments.

In the military spheres, he was Colonel commanding the Sixth Battalion, and for a number of years was in command of the fourth military district of Upper Canada. At the time of the 1837 Rebellion when the Cobourg Rifles made their famous march to Toronto, Colonel Boulton, already in Toronto, met the Cobourg Contingent outside the city, and on horseback led the group into the city, looking after their needs on arrival.

The Boulton Family were staunch Church and State people, one of the powerful families known as the “Family Compact” group. George Strange Boulton was ne exception, and was a powerful political figure in the Newcastle District. He clung instinctively to the banners of the Church and State Party, which he never once failed to uphold to the day of his death. He represented in the House of Assembly for Upper Canada, the County of Durham for upwards of twenty years. In 1847, he was appointed by the crown, a member of the Legislative Council, which post he held until Confederation in 1867.

In his business dealings, George S. Boulton, was a purveyor of mortgages, an extensive buyer and seller of real estate. There are many, many old deeds to properties, throughout the district, that bear his name. His was a service of banking at a time when money was in short supply. He served later as a Trustee on the Northumberland and Durham Savings Bank.

At one time new law students were trained in his Cobourg office. A later Chief Justice Draper was one of these students. Mr. Daniel McAllister reports that Sir John A. Macdonald once was a student under Boulton.

In later years, George S. Boulton served on the Cobourg Town Council, at the time of the construction of Victoria Hall, in the years of 1858 and 1859. He assisted in setting up the town’s precarious financial position on a sound foundation. He became a member of the Town Trust, the organization took over the control of the town’s finances, on which he served until his death. Boulton Street ,in Cobourg, is named to his memory.

Mr. Boulton was married twice. His first wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Boulton of “Giddington House”, near Kittering, North-amptonshire, England. Three children were born to this marriage, one son and two daughters. Mrs. Boulton died in 183888, at the 38th year of her age. George remarried on the 23rd of April, 1840, at Schenectady, New York, to Anna Maria, widow of N.F. Beck of Albany, and daughter of J. Walton, of Schenectady. His second wife predeceased him on the twelfth of December, 1862.

Mr. Boulton remained very active up to the time of his death, which occurred suddenly, at his residence, Northumberland Hall, on Saturday, the 13th, of February, 1869. He was in the 72nd year of his age. He had been to Peterborough the previous day. D’Arcy Edward Boulton, also a lawyer practicing in Cobourg, was a nephew to George.

It is reported that George Strange Boulton was a kind friend to the poor. Even in his later years he took a lively interest in the town.
On every occasion he was foremost when his influence was required to promote its welfare. He was of a kind and genial disposition. He employed his wealth in the district when money was scarce and difficult to obtain.
He applied his talents to many enterprises and assisted in the development of the town and district over the years. George Strange Boulton was a good citizen.

Various issues during the life
of George Strange Boulton from
1831 to 1869, particularly the
Feb. 5, 1834
Feb. 4, 1835
Oct. 15, 1836
Jan. 3, 1838
April 26, 1848
Feb. 17, 1869