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~ Hlustrated » 49th YEAR. No. 9. PORT PERRY, ONTARIO, Port Perry the Beautiful ©, A Prosperous Town A Charming Country Port Perry Past and Present By JOSEPH BIGELOW, ESQ. The history oi Port Perry extends back for about sixty-five years, at | which time it was searcely known, | only as a landing piace and camping ground of the Indian and the fur | trader, and the landing place of the Indian trail between Scugog Lake and Lake Ontario at Oshawn. Evi- dences of the early occupation of the place is in the finding of arrow heads and stone implements where once roamed the untamed Indian with his dusky mate and children of the forest in pursuit of game, and happiness in anticipation of a full meal, affording a very unreliable means of support, especially during severe and prolonged winters, which must have entailed much suffering in their exposed condition in the bark Scanty cloth- have covered wigwams with Their little ones must hardship in their the trail -- the papoose on her ing suffered extreme rude homes and 00 squaw carrying her back--in their parsull of fresh hunt- ing grouads the rivers and lakes populated by Indians upknown to white mall, where {ish and game were plentiful with no season 08 enforced by the laws Scugog Lake, and porth, were largely at one time close of white men. Evidences of Indian occupation at a very early period, or by a prehis- torie race, 1s apparent in the struction of dykes and mounds spake and amy ithealre shapes, and embankments for purposes unknown, vetween Port Perry and Seagrave along the railway lo the ninth and 4anth ponoessions of Reach. South of {he present prigge connecting Port Perry with Scugog Island, and aronnd the southern end of the TIs- tand, was at one time about two thousand acres of low-lying 1and, spareely covered with a growth off tamarac anG spruce trees, giving sautiful grass con- of marsh the appearance of a be the feeding ground of the buck and doe, al times in large numbers, affording meat for the In- diane and early settlers. 71 he rais- ing of the waters of the lake by the boilding of a dam at Lindsay on the Scugog River about the year 1832 overflowed this low lying land, kill- ing all the timber, which was subse- quently cut down by incoming get- wood, now presenting covered park, tlers for fire a partially marsh stumps beaten relies of a bygone age, now the feeding ground of millions of wild ducks. This is now held by a com- pany as a zame preserve, and is a real paradise for Speaking of the traders, one Joun dered by an Indian on tsland. The Indian was rubsequent- 1y arrested and taken to Toronto, {hen Little York, for trial It was then learned that the crime was com- mitted in the Newcastle district, Little York belug in the Home Dis- trict, the trial couid vot take place there, and he wus transferred to {he Newcastle District, where the offence was committed It was ar- ranged that the trial should take place at Presque Tsle, om the 7th of submerged waste of and bare weather- sporismen. Indian and Indian Sharp Was mur- Washburn's citor-General Robert Iraac Gray, Sheriff Angus McDonald, Deputy Sheriff John Fisk, in charge of the Indian, went down the lake in the Government schoouer "Speedy," Cap- tain Paxton, lor the place of trial at Presque Isle. The vessel was lost, and all on board drowned The John Fisk referred {0 was the great grandfather of our townsman, Mr Bigelow, who has the administration papers respecting his estate Where Port Perry now stands was formerly an Indian Reservation, and was called by the first settlers, and up to the time'ol a posl office be- ing established, Reuben Crandell was the first setiler on the Scugog land west of Lalla street in 1821 Shortly after came Charles and Elias Willlama, wii land east of Lilla street, located on the Charles about 1845, selling out his portion by Alexander McMichael, and later by Henry Cnaries, where the St Chavles hotei now stands. The first hotel was bullt in 184& by Harrison Haight, on the south side of Queen gtreet, on the properly at present owned by Mrs, Sinclair; iollowed by another hotel ballt by 8. E. Cran- dell on land now occupied by the Bank of Commerce, Tn 1848 and 1849 was bullt the plank road from Port Whitby to Scugog Lake, nine three teen miles in length, made of eet long, with by glx pine Figure that would be worth to-day inch pine plank, te three stringers, three the whole distance what Over the road was hauled immens ties off masts scua-e timber white oak, and West India pip staves, mostiy rafted aud brought tc Port Perry from the townships of quant Mariposa, ¥enelon, Ops and Cartwright The plank road at th time afforded the only outlet fo Seugog these products of the forest, as we« other traffic and travel. At tt ime nearly the whole town was ee ee eA ee ee Pee ee ee ee Se oe MR. JOSEPH BIGELOW ee ee ee er ee ee to ema to Peter Perry, and Elias to his son, Peter Williams, by will dated 1849 Mr. Perry had his purchase about 1845 laid out in lots, which was the first commencement of the town. A frame storehouse was erected on the south side of ithe corporation wharf About 1846 Thomas and George Pax ton built a saw mill, followed by an other built by Samuel Hill alter wards becoming the property of W S. Sexton. These men carried on the lumbering business until the pine forests around Scugog Lake became exhausted In 1853 another BAW mill was built at the west end of the Scugog Bridge, by Stephen Doty, an American, afterwards becoming the property of Mr, Bigelow. In 1847 and '48 John Nott and John W. Davis engaged in the manufacture At this date was open- ed a general store by Peter Perry, of Whitby, managed by Chester Draper, and later purchased by Richard Lund, who retired, and the of furniture. October, 1801. Judge Cochrane, Soli- | business wag subrequently carried on J. G. WADDELL PRISON IONE NR ME PE ee it MEMBERS OF PORT PERRY COUNCIL, 1906 REV. GEO. ROBINSON orest, the north side ol Queen street (rom Water street to John street was forest, onlv enough timber being cut wway for Crandell's hotel. From Dr, Pirocter's to (he school house there acres cleared, but all north was bush. Oo the south side f Queen street from Mr. Forman's were a lew residence to the town hall and south te the bth concession was a cedar th of the town swamp. East and s mall clearing made by South cf Mary street hall was a Elias Williams vl was bush land. At this time not mone than half a "ozen houses con- tituted the cmbryc town In July, 1851, a hurricane passed through the township of Reach and Port Perry, killing two people and overturning a Irame house, carry- ing it across the road about where John Cassidy's house now stands In 1851 the first steamboat was built by Hugh Chisholm, who was also her first captain. The boat wag owned by Cotton & Rowe, of Whitby. Some lwo years al'erwards W. L. PARRISH (REEVE) UR | she was nadly damaged' by five, | and was sold tq.George Crandall,who repaired and made tri-weekly trips uetwegig Bort Perry and Lind- say Next val built the steamer "Ogema," owned and operated by Captain Wallace, uf Fenelon Falls. This boat made two trips per week | bet een Port Perry and Fenelon Falls. Later.& numb.r of other stoners west iuto ihe carrying trade, whieh fig quite extensive un- | til the rallw&y was built between port Hope and Lindeay. Previous to the building Of steamers the carry ing trade was donc in small boats the largest one bging of about three tons capacity, and was owned and after whi~h a =cow wax put inte service, propelled by salls and poles navigated by Phristos her Shehey, Thig was about the only means of getting into end out of the back country, ae the roads were bush roads. A team would have to snake ts way around stumps and trees, wer roots and mud holes, up and fjown hill--a moet trying operation The present generation of people have but a vague conception of the | hardships of tier pioneer ancestors who toiled and slaved to make homes for themselves nud their children The chiidren can now have fine splendid carriages good the horses, sohools, houses good enough for of a king, and pianos and palace 2 luxuries for the family Ir contrast this to the log other stoking shanty, the big open fireplace, the log barn, the yyke of oxen the home- made jumper and the three-cornered havrow of ihe pioueet who did the chopping and' cloaring of the land saving the ashes, running off the lye boiling it down to the consistency salts This,and 1, was quite an of soft sugar--eculled black arlash to be made into | the making of pe extensive industr ing of land, to cbiain a little money or pay store bills. A penrlash works | wag carried on by Richard Lund, lo-¥ cated where Obarles Vickery's office now stands. These were the daye when square 0. g. clocks were ped- delled through the country and sold on long time at twenty dollars each during the clear- Now they sel{ior ghree dollars. : Pie 3 Boot fle {her, but I must nol get toolfar from my text--Port Perry past and pres nt In 18 vas opened a general ¢tore by Cotton & Rowe, managed by W. N Rutledge, where the Observer office is now. The same year came Ar. Joseph Bigelow and his brott opening ral store where Mr MceCaw's & now stands. Ir 352 a post office wag cpened, Mr. Josepk Bigelow being appointed post master After the opening of the post office daily g 18 sta between Vhitby and Port Perry A ew f I wee ir vd Cugog 1 lesirable nd | vas called Port Perry he founder of the vil ge, Pete ry, who was a prom er me vind vin buyer of Vhitby, and wns a Member of Par a f t York in the Par ment er Canada, t} ses ns 0 ! time wera held Torc a steam flour ing and sa 11 was built by John (Ca merc y[ Toronto, and carried o fc ome y when it was burned 1 stood where the rail located dally Perry and Whithy was way slatior In 185 her stage line between Por started by ( Jewell, the two lines connecting h the steamer Woord man, and both lines doing a large passenger 1 yess So keen at one time vas t competition between the stage line: that passengers were carried between Port Perry and Whitby for In 1858 Jacob and W, D. Bowerman started a w len faelory and plan wenty-five cents. H. G. HUTCHESON a re oe ing mill where the railway englne sheds now are, altcrwards passing to Mr. Bigelow, who added thie manu- facture of flour barrel staves, car- rying on the busiuess for some years. | When the property wus expropriated for railway rmposes the mill was taken down and removed to near the foundry of Madisou Williams. The next mile stone {i Port Perry's progress was the building of the Sen- gog bridge by the County of Ontario in the yeurs 1853-4, connecting Port Perry with Scurog Island. This was a {loating bridge, but was after wards filled in, making a solid, per manen* roadway Previous to this a ferry had to be operated during the open <eason between the Portard the Island. Neat was started a stove foundry, hy John Cameron, of To ronto, and managed by William Ship- man, erected wheie Swan Bros. car riage shop alterwards burned down. Next was a fiouring mill, built by T. & G. Paxton, later now stands becoming the property of James Car destroyed by [lire n June, 1002, bul hav been replaced | brick build order was the building negie. This was by a modern, substant ing. Next ir of the Port Perry foundry, owned by Mr. Bigelow and Thos and operated Ly Paxton, Tait & Co, n the manufacture of agricultural Paxton mplements and mill wachinery. This s at present owned bv Madison Wil liams, whose orders for turbine whaels wand mill machicery cowme from all over the Dominion Following the upward progress of the town, was the opening of a branch of the Royal Canadian Bank, of which Mr. Bige ow was the manager for five year retiring to give greater personal at tion to his extended business. Shor ly after, in 1870, the building of the Perry ra which Mr Port Whitby and Port way was commenced, of Bigelow was p-e ident during its co Paxtions, struction I'he Sextons, nd Edward M were some O moving sj lertak Mr. Bigelow le he railway thdrew fro ¢ upany Shortly alter I € lank opened a h: manager, The Bank, of whick lat W McG wag ma compelled to ciot gh misman wgement and fice The building of the Cartwright roadway was undertaken in 1890 connecting Scugog Island with the Townehip of Cartwrieht, to which the people of the town contributed largely, and which hag proved so beneficial to the town, and a con venience to the whole country. Then followed the es*ablishing of a branch of the "anadian Bank of Commerce ee een ©. H., ALLISON LOOKING NORTH-EAST FROM PORT o! which the present manager is Mr Chas. Ballard In the year 1808 was established the "Port Periy Standard," by Mr I} Mundy. Suortly after this the Ontario Ohserver, published at Prin Albert, was removed to Port Perry This | Henry Parole 'After the completion of the rall owned and conducted by Mr way all the business men of Prince Albert memouved to Port Perry, viz JR Fo~man, Aaron loss, George Currie, John Diesfeld, J. H Brown, Thomas Courtice, late of Courtice & Jeffrey, W Gordon from Manchester, M.P.P. for rock, and others. Adam North Ontario, came to Port and built a grain elevator wher the Matthew Edwards egg storehouse is located. This was afterwards 4d troyed by fire incorporated Port Perry was &71. Mr d by the County Coaneil to take Joo Nott wus appoint- © censu int this established the llaze's claim to be Incorporated port Perry, therefore, commenced I Public a lig I lil Its fam v g he De I I r. McBride, w ha 1 po tion for the past 34 year Many oi his pupils hold | 1ine pe tiong In Canada and he United ytates. Port Perry h urned many able men 111 walks l In 1884 occurred the g 1 t Ie which burned down the whole of the business portion of Lhe tow from Water street to Jchn street tl only building left being Mr Tun mond's grocery and feed store. The fire entailed a loss of between two nd three hundred thousand dollars Not discouraged, however, her people went at It with a will, and rebailt their premises better than ever Port Perry a' prereut about sixtean hundred people, nnd with the Prince Albert suburbs add contains ed, aggregates about two thousand The town is sit or the west side of Seugog La gog Island, which forms a ke, opposite Sen separ te township, contalning about ten thousand acres, aud ig fully set farmers. The Is Indian reserve of with prosperous land contains a 500 acres, on which is located a band of about forty Mississauga In- dians. Port Perry ls situated on ground from the Lake, rising to an elevation of 117 feel within a dis- tance of three-fourths of a mile, in one of the finest agricultural and atock-ralsing districts in the Prov- ince. The highest elevation of the town is nearly 700 feet above Lake ! Ontario, Scugog being 568 feet above rising PER Or Tc 1 or - - ne A | RY SCUGOC LAKE AND ISLAND. itario. The town is 40 miles [rom yron*o by rall via Whitby, aod is ed us ne ( he most healthy wns Lhe Dominic At such an titude the alr is always fresh pure nd invigorat which makes Lhe vce a moslL pleas one summer winter The residence streets © embowered io vde trees, which rm a vind bhrak iter a ol shade the Leat summer,and dd very watciially to the beauty of ing, as it ta the town Who ean say Port Ferry Is not a st delightfui place to live in, hav- has, 80 many local advan- ges. Situated on ihe shore of a eautiful Inke, having a magnificent panoramic view of Seugog Island, forming a enchauting and bean tiful scene of farm and hillside, not easily excelled town who have seen t to ing the town them elves Residents of ithe panorama nature every day for years fail gee it as strangers do when visit- Strangers express delighted ind surprised h the be y e town, the 1y « e olf ¢ Island, aud y k ad I « 11 1 k x lway | good 16 Methodist Bap a0 A lic rreh 5 188 Pub [ es 2 fur §€ ga An 1 lccks at Port Perry, go er Tren Peterborough, a dis b niles 3 direction, and noilh-westerly to ilsam Lake oO wpletio » the anal [rom ther Lake Simcoe the present yeul 1 nte hat 1ke, visiting Or isarrie, Beaver ind Jacks I re- rte I 1e (inal > he inal vessels from here 1 g he Lawrence to e sea, or west to the Upper Lakes, king in all tl es of the lakes om Midiand te Chicago, r( or level Continved o 2 I I MR. JOSEPH BIGELOW (From a photo taken thirty years ago. at ald Br