St. Thomas in Elgin County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Captain. Daniel Rapelje

1774-1828

Photographed by Tim Boyd, August 23, 2024

1. Captain. Daniel Rapelje Marker

Inscription. Emigrating from New York State to the Long Point Settlement in 1802, Rapelje later received 200 acres of land on the south side of the Talbot Road at Kettle Creek. He settled here with his family in 1810. A veteran of Lundy's Lane and other battles of the War of 1812, he became a captain in the 1st Middlesex Militia. In 1814 he built a log grist-mill and subsequently divided a portion of his land into town lots. The settlement that Rapelje established formed the nucleus of the city of St. Thomas.

Erected by the Ontario Archaeological and Historic Sites Board.

Erected by Ontario Archaeological and Historic Sites Board.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Ontario Heritage Trust series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1802.

Location. 42° 46.744′ N, 81° 11.561′ W. Marker is in St. Thomas, Ontario, in Elgin County. It is at the intersection of Talbot Street and Mondamin Street on Talbot Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 545 Talbot Street,

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St Thomas ON N5P 1C4, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Southwest Ontario Area

and in Southwestern Ontario.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: St. Thomas Street Railway: 1908 (within shouting distance of this marker); Elgin’s Finest (within shouting distance of this marker); Hon. Mitchell F. Hepburn 1896-1953 (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); St. Thomas Canada Southern Railway Station / Gare ferroviaire de St. Thomas (approx. half a kilometer away); Elgin County Courthouse / Palais de Justice Elgin County (approx. 0.8 kilometers away); Elgin County Courthouse/ Palais de Justice Elgin County (1853) (approx. 0.8 kilometers away); Elgin County Courthouse/ Palais de Justice Elgin County (1898) (approx. 0.8 kilometers away); Elgin County Courthouse/ Palais de Justice Elgin County (2014)

Photographed by Tim Boyd, August 23, 2024

2. Captain. Daniel Rapelje Marker

(approx. 0.9 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Thomas.

Also see . . . St. Thomas, Ontario (Wikipedia).

The founder of the settlement that became St. Thomas was Capt. Daniel Rapelje, descendant of a Walloon family settled in New Amsterdam, now New York City, at its inception in the seventeenth century. In 1820, Rapelje, the town's first settler, divided his land into town lots suitable for a village. Owner of the New England Mill, Rapelje subsequently donated two acres of land for the building of Old St. Thomas Church.

(Submitted on September 2, 2024, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario.)

Map of Part of Yarmouth Township, 1819. image. Click for full size.

3. Map of Part of Yarmouth Township, 1819.

Showing Daniel Rapelje‘s mills south of the site of St. Thomas. Source: Elgin county Archives

Photographed by Tim Boyd, August 23, 2024

4. Captain. Daniel Rapelje Marker

At the St. Thomas City Hall

Credits. This page was last revised on September 3, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 2, 2024, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. This page has been viewed 360 times since then and 82 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 2, 2024, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.