History of the settlement of Upper Canada - Ontario (eBook)

CHAPTER XXIII.

Ode to Canada—Early events—First English child in America, 1587—In New England—First French child, 1621—First in Upper Canada, 1783—In Prince Edward—Adolphustown—Ameliasburgh—North of the Rideau—Indian marriage ceremony—Difficulty among first settlers to get clergymen—First marriage in America, 1608—First in New England, 1621—First in Canada, 1621—Marriageable folks—No one to tie the matrimonial knot—Only one clergyman—Officers marrying—Magistrates empowered—Legislation, 1793—Its provision—Making valid certain marriages—Further Legislation, 1798—In 1818—1821—1831—Clergymen of all denominations permitted to marry—Methodist ministers—Marriage license, 1814—Five persons appointed to issue—A noticeable matter—Statements of Bates—Mode of courting in the woods—Newcastle wedding expeditions—Weapons of defence—Ladies’ dresses—The lover’s “rig”—A wedding ring—Paying the magistrate—A good corn basket—Going to weddings—“Bitters”—Old folks stay at home—The dance, several nights—Marriage outfit—Frontier life—Morals in Upper Canada—Absence of irregularities—Exceptional instances—Unable to get married, Peter and Polly—A singular witness—Rev. Mr. Stuart—Langhorn—McDowell—How to adorn the bride—What she wore—A wedding in 1808—On horseback—The guests—The wedding—The banquet—The game of forfeits—The night—Second day wedding—The young folks on horseback—Terpischorean—An elopement by canoe—The Squire—The chase—The lovers successful—The Squires who married

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CHAPTER XXIV.

Burying places—How selected—Family burying place—For the neighborhood—The Dutch—Upon the Hudson—Bay Quinté—A sacred spot to the Loyalists—Ashes to ashes—Primitive mode of burial—The coffin—At the grave—The father’s remarks—Return to labor—French Burying-place at Frontenac—Its site—U. E. Loyalists’ burying place at Kingston—The “U. E. burying-ground,” Adolphustown—Worthy sires of Canada’s sons—Decay—Neglect of illustrious dead—Repair wanted—Oldest burying-ground in Prince Edward—Ross Place—At East Lake—Upon the Rose farm—“The Dutch burying-ground”—Second growth trees—In Sophiasburgh—Cronk farm—In Sidney—Rude tomb stones—Burial-place of Captain Myers—Reflections—Dust to dust—In Thurlow—“Taylor burying-ground”—The first person buried—Lieut. Ferguson—An aged female—Her work done—Wheels stand still

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DIVISION V.

THE EARLY CLERGYMEN AND CHURCHES.

CHAPTER XXV.

French missionaries—First in 1615—Recollets—With Champlain—Jesuits, in 1625—Valuable records—Bishopric of Quebec, 1674—First Bishop of Canada, Laval—Rivalry—Power of Jesuits—Number of missionaries—Their “relations”—First mission field; Bay Quinté region—“Antient mission”—How founded—First missionaries—Kleus, Abbe D’Urfé—La Salle to build a church—The ornaments and sacred vessels—The site of the “Chappel” uncertain—Bald Bluff, Carrying Place—Silver crosses—Mission at Georgian Bay—The “Christian Islands”—Chapel at Michilmicinac, 1679—The natives attracted—Subjects of the French King—Francois Picquet—La Presentation—Soegasti—The most important mission—The object—Six Nations—The missionary’s living—“Disagreeable expostulations”—Putting stomach in order—Trout—Picquet’s mode of teaching Indians—The same afterwards adopted by Rev. W. Case—Picquet’s success—Picquet on a voyage—At Fort Toronto—Mississaugas’ request—Picquet’s reply—A slander—At Niagara, Oswego—At Frontenac—Grand reception—Return to La Presentation—Picquet in the last French war—Returns to France—By Mississippi—“Apostles of Peace”—Unseemly strife—Last of the Jesuits in Canada

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CHAPTER XXVI.

First church in New York, 1633—First Dominie, Rev. Everardus Bogardus—The Dutch, Huguenots, Pilgrims—Transporting ministers and churches—First Rector of New York, Wm. Vesey—Henry Barclay, 1746—First Catholic Bishop in America, 1789—Episcopalian Bishop, 1796—Moral state of Pioneers in Canada—Religion—No ministers—No striking immorality—Feared God and honored their King—The Fathers of Upper Canada—Religious views—A hundred years ago—“Carousing and Dancing”—Rev. Dr. John Ogilvie—First Protestant clergyman in Canada—Chaplain, 1759, at Niagara—A Missionary Successor of Dr. Barclay, New York—Death, 1774—Rev. John Doughty—A Graduate ordained—At Peekskill—Schenectady—A Loyalist—A Prisoner—To Canada—Chaplain—To England—Returns—Missionary Resigns—Rev Dr. John Stuart—First clergyman to settle—His memoir—The “Father of the U. C. Church”—Mission work—The five nations—The Dutch—Rev. Mr. Freeman—Translator—Rev. Mr. Andrews—Rev. Mr. Spencer Woodbridge, Howley—New England missionaries—Rev. Dr. Whelock—The Indian converts—The London society—Rev. Mr. Inglis—John Stuart selected missionary—A native of Pennsylvania—Irish descent—A graduate, Phil. Coll.—Joins Church of England—To England—Ordination—Holy Orders, 1770—Enters upon his work

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CHAPTER XXVII.

At Fort Hunter—Mr. Stuart’s first sermon, Christmas—Officiates in Indian tongue—Translates—The rebellion—Prayers for the King—The Johnsons—Rebels attack his house—Plunder—Indignity—Church desecrated—Used as a stable—A barrel of rum—Arrested—Ordered to come before rebel commissioners—On Parole—Limits—Idle two years—To Albany—Phil—Determines to remove to Canada—Not secure—Exchanging—Security—Real estate forfeited—Route—Negroes—The journey, three weeks—At St. John’s—Charge of Public School—Chaplain—At the close of the war—Three Protestant Parishes—Determines to settle at Cataraqui—Chaplain to Garrison—Missionary—Bishop of Virginia, Dr. Griffith—Visits Mr. Stuart—Invitation to Virginia declined—“Rivetted prejudices,” satisfied—“The only refuge clergymen”—Path of duty—Visits the settlements, 1784—Mohawks, Grand river—Reception of their old pastor—First church—Mohawks, Bay of Quinté—Remains in Montreal a year—Assistant—Removes to Cataraqui, 1785—His land—Number of houses in Kingston—A short cut to Lake Huron—Fortunate in land—5000 settlers—Poor and happy—Industrious—Around his Parish, 1788—Two hundred miles long—By batteau—Brant—New Oswego—Mohawk village church, steeple, and bell—First in Upper Canada—Plate—Organ—Furniture—Returns—At Niagara—Old parishioners—Tempted to move—Comfortable, not rich—Declines a judgeship—New Mecklenburgh—Appointed Chaplain to first House of Assembly—Mohawk Mission—At Marysburgh—Degree of D.D.—Prosperity—Happy—Decline of life—His duties—Illness, Death, 1811—His appearance—“The little gentleman”—His manners—Honorable title—His children—Rev. O’Kill Stuart

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