Col. Thomas Talbot

Col. Thomas Talbot. Veteran of the War of 18 12. , Col. Thomas Talbot landed immediately south of this location in May of 1803. From here, he would, for the next 30 years, direct the settlement of an immense area stretching from Windsor to Delhi. When he arrived there was nothing but dense bush, the townships and farms had not been surveyed and there were no roads. By the time. he handed over the administration of his lands in 1837 he had settled 3000 people on 60,000 acres of land., Prior to 1812, Talbot was given overall command of the militia in the London District, made up of the counties of Oxford, Middlesex and Norfolk. (Elgin was created in 1852). He had extensive military experience having been an officer in the 24th Regiment. Militia service was required of every able-bodied settler between the ages of 16 and 60. However, during planting season, he was told "it will would be like drawing their eye teeth to call them out., Talbot did assemble some militia to accompany Brock to Fort Detroit in August of 18 12. Militiamen of all three counties were also present at Lundy's Lane and Chippewa, two key battles in the summer of 1814. The militia also were called when the District was threatened by raids following the British defeat at the Battle of Lake Erie (September 10, 1813) and the Battle of the Thames (October 5, 1813)., For much of 1814 the region suffered through a series of raids from American forces, many led by former residents seeking revenge for real or imagined slights. One was Simon Zelotes Watson who Talbot had alienated when he rejected Watson's settlement scheme for Westminster Township. Capturing militia officers was often the raiders intent though Talbot managed to evade every attempt. Col. Mahlon Burwell, however, who lived nearby was taken in August of 1814 and spent six months in captivity in Chillicothe, Ohio., Talbot did suffer personally during the raids. On September 19 or 20, 1814 raiders burned his mills and other buildings along with Col. Burwell's house and barn which were nearby. After the war, Talbot built a new house and continued to manage the settlement into the 1830s. He died in London at the home of his heir George Macbeth in 1853.