In honoured memory of
the men of
Aylmer and Malahide
who fought and died
for King and Country
in the Great War
1914-1918
(names not transcribed) — — Map (db m273238) WM
In October, 1817, John Van Patter, an emigrant from New York State, obtained 200 acres of land and became the first settler on the site of Aylmer. During the 1830's a general store was opened and village lots sold. Originally called Tray, in 1835 it . . . — — Map (db m255222) HM
Burwell's Corners is named after Mahlon Burwell, the son of United Empire Loyalists, who came to the Talbot Settlement in 1809 at the request of Thomas Talbot, a colonial land administrator. Mahlon Burwell surveyed much of the land from Essex to . . . — — Map (db m255427) HM
Burwell, a surveyor, was a militia officer during the War of 1812 making him a prime target for enemy raiders who plundered Southwestern Ontario unopposed for most of the last year of the war. He moved to Port Talbot in 1809 with his family to . . . — — Map (db m255424) HM
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, . . . — — Map (db m253447) HM
No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School was a unit of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The Plan, from April 29, 1940 to March 15, 1945, graduated over 130,000 air crew, of which 73,000 were Canadians. No. 4 B&GS consisted of the main station at . . . — — Map (db m253435) HM WM
The Talbot Settlement
The settlement begun in May 1803 by Thomas Talbot was despite the controversial practices of its founder one of the most successful in Upper Canada. Major roads were constructed throughout the settlement and . . . — — Map (db m253442) HM
John Kenneth Galbraith was born here October 15, 1908. Educated at the Ontario Agricultural College and the University of California, Berkeley, he joined the faculty of Harvard University in 1934. During World War II he administered price controls . . . — — Map (db m253523) HM
Southwold Earthworks
This prehistoric site was once a fortified village occupied by the Neutral Indians between about 1500 and 1650 A.D. An earth and palisade wall, later strengthened by a second wall, protected a cluster of . . . — — Map (db m255420) HM
Southwold: The remains of an indian village
Members of the Neutral Amerindian group built a village surrounded by a double palisade here, in Southwold, around the year 1500, it is not known how long the site was occupied, but it . . . — — Map (db m255419) HM
Near here, Sir William Johnson, Superintendent
of Indian Affairs for the British colonies,
made camp while journeying from New York
to negotiate with native tribes in the Detroit
area. Upon news from General Amherst of
the surrender of Belle . . . — — Map (db m255238) HM
Born of Loyalist parents, Burwell became a deputy-surveyor in 1809 and was instructed to lay out the Talbot road for settlement. He was granted 600 acres of land in Southwold Township where he settled in 1815. A close associate of Col. Thomas . . . — — Map (db m252695) HM
The Port Burwell lighthouse was constructed in 1840. It was part of a national network of light stations equipped with beacon lights to warn or guide ships at sea. The Port Burwell light was used to aid navigation and commercial shipping of local . . . — — Map (db m198238) HM
This frame building was begun in 1836 and completed the following year. An example of simple early Gothic Revival architecture, this church was constructed as a result of the interest and substantial financial assistance of Lieutenant-Colonel Mahlon . . . — — Map (db m252721) HM
Aldborough Pioneers
In the year 1816, Alexander Forbes, Archibald Gillies and Neil Haggart, natives of Scotland, moved from Caledonia, New York and were each granted fifty acres of land by Colonel Talbot in Concessions 12 and 13 of Aldborough . . . — — Map (db m255531) HM
Following the burning of the mill at Port Talbot
in 1814 by American forces after the War of 1812
Colonel Talbot donated this stone to Peter McKellar
to use in the valley mill he was building on Sixteen
Mile Creek in Aldborough west of New . . . — — Map (db m255521) HM
With the British loss at the Battle of Lake Erie in September of 1813, supplies could no longer be brought by boat to Forts Detroit and Malden on the Detroit River. With many Native Allies to feed, the British were forced to withdraw along the . . . — — Map (db m255492) HM
In 1921 the Aldborough Old Boys Association constructed this summer dance pavilion.
The first dance was held Wednesday, August 3, 1921 with the music supplied by a local group:
Vernon "Hubby" Morris - violin, Ada (Johnson) Murray - piano, and . . . — — Map (db m255547) HM
Originally, Port Stanley residents had to use small boats to cross Kettle Creek. In 1843, the Province of Canada built a swing bridge across the Harbour. This bridge would allow vessels to travel north of the bridge if the creek was deepened . . . — — Map (db m253079) HM
Port Stanley was not yet settled when the War of 1812 broke out, however, the land on which it sits had been granted to John Bostwick, a native of Massachusetts, then living in the Long Point region. He had come to Upper Canada with his brother in . . . — — Map (db m252879) HM
This tablet erected in 1939 commemorates more than one hundred years of development of Port Stanley harbour
beginning with the launching of schooner “Sterling” in 1827 of 90 tons burthen and commencement of first harbour pier.
The steamer “Thames" . . . — — Map (db m253080) HM
Born in Massachusetts, Bostwick came as a child to Norfolk County. He was appointed high constable of the London District in 1800 and sheriff in 1805. A deputy surveyor, he laid out some of the earliest roads in the Talbot Settlement and in 1804 was . . . — — Map (db m284031) HM
Kettle Creek was called by the Iroquois the "Kanagio", by the Ojibwas the "Akiksibi", by the French the "Rivière Tonti". Among early visitors were: Louis Jolliet, September, 1669; Dollier and Galinée, April, 1670; the Celoron expedition, . . . — — Map (db m252912) HM
The London and Port Stanley Railroad
After the Great Western Railway reached London in 1853, local businessmen and politicians began promoting a competitive line south to Lake Erie. The London and Port Stanley Railway began . . . — — Map (db m253034) HM
H E L L O
.... . ._.. ._.. _ _ _
In the early years of the last century, if you wanted your cousin in the Northwest Territories to know that his Aunt Millie had taken a turn for the worse you would probably have headed for the . . . — — Map (db m253428) HM
A modest example of Greek Revival architecture and suited to the plain tastes of a Quaker-influenced community, this house was built in 1855. It is characterized by a symmetrical facade, and a centre doorway with pilasters and a dentiled cornice. . . . — — Map (db m260329) HM
This cairn was first erected in 1935 on the farm of Eli Mann by the Boy Scouts of St. Thomas. Eli had hosted all of the scout camps and activities on his farm for many years. In 1935, he died as a result of a goring by his bull and the scouts built . . . — — Map (db m260321) HM
Hiram came to Sparta in 1830 at the age of 19 with $5.00 and a tailor's goose (a 21 lb. iron for ironing woolen garments). He set up as a tailor on this site, building the house in 1842 for himself, his wife Sarah (Mills) and their two sons, Isaac . . . — — Map (db m260314) HM
The Doan family were the first settlers in the Corners (later named Sparta). Jonathan Doan came in 1813 from the Niagara Region and settled just west of the current village. His son Josfa took part in the 1837 Rebellion and fled to the United . . . — — Map (db m260218) HM
In the late 1800s, excessive drinking had become a major concern in the village of Sparta and a Temperance Society was formed with leadership from the Baptist minister, Rev. J.J. Baker, the Methodist minister, Rev.
W.H. Graham and Dr. G.A. Shannon. . . . — — Map (db m260312) HM
This yellow brick building was constructed in 1886, and served as a Methodist Church until
1925 when it became a part of the new United Church of Canada. After substantial fundraising and local participation in its construction, it opened to great . . . — — Map (db m260359) HM
Built in the 1840's adjacent to the Mills Hotel (Sparta House), the Abbey was first used as an inn. For a brief time, The True Teller, a Sparta newspaper was published in this building. R.J. Stratton operated a furniture and coffin business . . . — — Map (db m260357) HM
Built by Henry Yarwood and sold to John Eakins.
The years 1840-1880 marked the prime years of the Sparta Settlement.
As the centre of the agricultural community, Sparta had good supplies of water and power supplied by numerous mills on Mill and . . . — — Map (db m260215) HM
As the War of 1812 began Sir Isaac Brock, Upper Canada's military governor, called all men for the militia to assist with the defense of the colony. Because of their historic Peace Testimony, and the understanding established when they came to . . . — — Map (db m255244) HM
This property was originally settled by John Kipp, a Quaker who came up from Pennsylvania after the War of 1812, at the urging of Jonathan Doan. He began this home between 1819 and 1820. Early Quaker Meetings were held here and at Elias Moore's home . . . — — Map (db m260361) HM
David Mills erected this finely built hotel in the American Colonial style: it had double verandas and classical proportions with a large ballroom on the second floor. It features dentils under the eaves, eave returns, a boomtown, pilastered doorway . . . — — Map (db m260216) HM
This area of Ontario was originally inhabited by the Attawandarons (Neutrals), but they were dispersed by the conflict between the Hurons and the Iroquois two hundred years before Europeans came to the area. In 1813 Jonathan Doan, a Quaker came . . . — — Map (db m255291) HM
This hotel was built in the 1840's by Hitchcock and sold to Isaac Moore who renamed it Elgín House after the governor of the day. Later the Elgin became Ontario House in 1872. This hotel seemed to have the better business than the other hotels in . . . — — Map (db m260358) HM
Here is one of the pioneer necessities of any village- the blacksmith's shop, which was built by a Mr. Keller from England.
A pit was dug in the clay bank, water added, straw scattered on this and oxen tramped down the mixture which was then built . . . — — Map (db m260355) HM
In memory of
the men of
Springfield and
South Dorchester
who fell -
and in honour of
those who served in
the Great War
1914-1918
1939-1945 — — Map (db m273258) WM
About 1850, some ten years after this area was settled, a school and a Methodist meeting house were erected here on the town line between the Townships of South Dorchester and Malahide.
Shortly afterwards a post-office named Clunas was opened, with . . . — — Map (db m255220) HM
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 . . . — — Map (db m255828) HM
Founder of the Talbot Settlement, he was born at Castle Malahide, Ireland, a member of the Anglo-Irish nobility. In 1803, after serving in the British Army, and on Simcoe's staff, he was granted 5,000 acres in this region and settled in Dunwich . . . — — Map (db m255637) HM
This house was built in 1848 by Dr. Elijah Duncombe brother of Dr. Charles Duncombe. The latter, born in Connecticut, came to Upper Canada in 1819 and settled on this property shortly thereafter.
In 1824, with Dr. John Rolph, he opened at St. . . . — — Map (db m255573) HM
The Elgin Registry Office was built in 1874 during a formative period (1870 to 1886) of constructing separate buildings for the registry offices. A standard design was developed by the Ontario Department of Public Works for registry office . . . — — Map (db m255730) HM
The former Governor's residence was a two-storey, yellow-brick, Queen Anne-style house. It sat at the south-west corner of the Elgin County Courthouse, facing west towards Stanley Street and the Kettle Creek river valley. The house was . . . — — Map (db m255655) HM
The Provisional Elgin County Council accepted a site for the courthouse and jail from a local landowner, Benjamin Drake. The site was conveyed to Queen Victoria for county and district buildings in October of 1848. During the planning of . . . — — Map (db m255656) HM
The Elgin County Courthouse was built in 1852-53 and is one of the earliest pre-Confederation county courthouses in Ontario. Along with the courthouses of Brant and Norfolk Counties, the
Elgin County Courthouse is one of the three . . . — — Map (db m255667) HM
After a fire in 1898, St. Thomas architect Neil R. Darrach was commissioned to repair and enlarge the courthouse to meet its growing needs. Darrach's plans closely followed the designs done by the original architect John Turner when he . . . — — Map (db m255665) HM
The Elgin County Courthouse has stood as a St. Thomas cultural landmark for more than 150 years. Its restoration and renovation will preserve its historical stature and allow it to continue serving the local and the extended community for . . . — — Map (db m255657) HM
On Sunday, June 25 1916, a crowd of 20,000 gathered at the Michigan Central Station to see off the 940 men of the Elgin Regiment's 91st Battalion.
Travelling by train from St. Thomas to Halifax, they crossed the Atlantic aboard the Olympic and . . . — — Map (db m255841) HM
Ontario's eleventh prime minister was born in nearby Yarmouth Township and educated at St. Thomas Collegiate. After serving in World War I, he was elected to the federal parliament in 1926 as member for Elgin West. In 1930 he was named leader of the . . . — — Map (db m255738) HM
On September 15, 1885, the giant African elephant, star of the Barnum and Bailey Circus, met a untimely death when struck in St. Thomas by a Grand Trunk locomotive. To commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of this tragic event, the citizens of . . . — — Map (db m78342) HM
In a fall of 1814 American general Duncan McArthur lead an expedition of 600 mounted riflemen, mostly Kentucky and Ohio volunteers, into Upper Canada from Detroit. He intended to attack Burlington Heights, the closest British encampment, in concert . . . — — Map (db m255604) HM
RCAF Technical Training School
The only facility of its kind in Ontario during the Second World War, No. 1 Technical Training School, St. Thomas, was established by the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1939 to produce skilled ground crews for . . . — — Map (db m255293) HM
[English] The St. Thomas Canada Southern (CASO) Station, financed by American railway promoters, was constructed between 1871 and 1873 to serve as both the passenger station for St. Thomas and CASO's corporate headquarters. During the 1920s, . . . — — Map (db m198268) HM
The St. Thomas Street railway opened in 1879. Although it was originally a horse drawn trolley line, the ten mile line was modernized with electrical power in 1898. By 1908, St. Thomas was home to seven different railways. It was then that St. . . . — — Map (db m255838) HM
This church was completed in 1824 on land given by Capt.
Daniel Rapelje, the founder of the city of St. Thomas.
It is one of the province's finest remaining examples
of Early English Gothic Revival architecture. In 1825
a tower, steeple and . . . — — Map (db m255608) HM
This property once belonged to John Rolph, a prominent
physician, lawyer and legislator. Born in England, he
emigrated to Upper Canada in 1812. In 1824, with Dr.
Charles Duncombe, he established at St. Thomas the
province's first medical school, . . . — — Map (db m255560) HM
Jonathan Doan (1765-1847), a member of the Society of Friends, came to Upper Canada from Pennsylvania about 1789. He settled first in the Niagara peninsula, and then purchased 200 acres of wilderness here in south Yarmouth Township in . . . — — Map (db m252787) HM
On this site stood the home of Samuel Edison, a Loyalist from New Jersey who had moved to Nova Scotia in 1783 and settled here in 1811. During the War of 1812 he served as a captain in the 1st Middlesex Militia. Tradition maintains that this . . . — — Map (db m283492) HM
Born and educated in Walllacetown, Sifton joined the 18th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, in October, 1914. During the Canadian attack on Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917, his company was held up by the fire of a German machine gun. . . . — — Map (db m253504) HM
Elgin County's first settlers arrived near this spot in 1809 and by the time the War of 1812 broke out they had only been on the land for a few years. Outside of occasional militia service, the war had little impact on their lives until the fall of . . . — — Map (db m253508) HM
A fine example of early Gothic Revival-architecture, this
Anglican church lies in the midst of the original Talbot
Settlement. The nave was erected by the congregation in 1827.
The belfry and tower, added in 1845 to accommodate a bell
donated by . . . — — Map (db m253500) HM
• One of Elgin County's most successful early communities, Tyrconnell was a busy port community during pioneer days.
• Mills, greatly needed in the region, were established as early as 1817. Other early additions included a warehouse, post . . . — — Map (db m255471) HM
At the beginning of the war of 1812, US General William Hull briefly invaded Southwestern Ontario from Fort Detroit. General Sir Isaac Brock both military commander and civilian governor of Upper Canada at the start of the war, responded by . . . — — Map (db m255473) HM
