Fur Trade & European Settlement

Fur Trade and European Settlement. . , 2:1 | Fur Trade , Transportation in early Canada depended almost entirely upon the waterways. This area’s advantageous geography and rich natural resources, coupled with plentiful beaver, muskrat, bear, fox and fish explains the attraction to both Aboriginal Peoples and later, the Europeans who settled here in the early 17th century. Early settlers noted that frigid Canadian winters encouraged the growth of dense, luxurious coats of fur – highly desirable for European fashion. The Detroit River’s strategic position between Quebec’s shipping ports and the inland waterways made Sandwich an ideal location for fur and mercantile trading., 2:2 | Iredell’s Plan of the Town of Sandwich , Jay’s Treaty of 1794 forced British subjects living in Michigan Territory who were loyal to the Crown (Loyalists) to relocate to Upper Canada [present day Ontario]. In order to accommodate the migrating British, 1078 acres of land were purchased from the Ottawa, Chippewa, Potawatomie and Wyandotte Peoples in the area shown below, thus creating Sandwich. The one-acre lots within the two blocks of the river were the most highly prized because they afforded direct access to the water. As the rest of the land had yet to be cleared of forests and drained of marshes, roads were basically non-existent and the river was the main method of transportation., 2:3 | Transcription of Church Wardens’ Document: , Sandwich 9th July 1798, We hereby certify Mr. Alex Duff has built a House of two Stories, forty six feet by thirty two, another House twenty five feet by eighteen, and a Stable twenty four feet by thirteen, all upon his Lot No. 5 in the Town of Sandwich, which he has exchanged with Colonel McKee for the Lot No. 13 drawn in his own name and we do recommend him to get a grant of a Park Lot of Twenty Four Acres. , William Park , Wm. Hands , Church Wardens, 2:4 | Alexander Duff and the Distribution of Lots , Alexander Duff was a Scotsman and Loyalist who left Detroit with his business partners James Leith and William Shepherd to relocate his fur trading establishment in the newly created town of Sandwich. Parcels of land in Sandwich were arbitrarily distributed by drawing lot numbers. Duff originally drew Lot #13 on the corner of Russell and Chippewa Streets. This, however, did not meet his needs and he successfully negotiated a trade with Col. Alexander McKee for a more centrally located property. Lot #5, on the corner of Mill and Russell Streets, is where he settled and built his house in 1798. Subsequently, he was able to acquire the water lot across from his home to build a wharf. This connection to the river was key to his success as a fur trader and merchant. The wharf was used by other residents and merchants of the town contributing to the prosperity of the local economy. Voyageurs and Indigenous Peoples brought their canoes onto the water lot and carried their furs into the front Trading Hall of Duff’s home where the exchange of goods and money for furs took place. The Duff-Baby House, as it is known today, still stands on this original lot.