HISTORY OF BOWMANVILLE
Part 12
By Mr. J. B. Fairbairn, P. M.
Among the many who flocked into Canada from the west of England were the Colemans. Peter, the one with whom I am more immediately concerned, lit in the course of his flight, on the land a part of which is now owned by George Trimble, Maple Grove, arriving here in 1837. The Colemans were a robust, vigorous lot far beyond the average immigrant in every way. the settlement was beginning to emerge from what was almost a night of moral and material darkness into the brighter light of progress and hope. Intelligent hands were needed to aid those fighting against the gigantic evils that existed among the population, many of whom were almost uncivilized, deprived as they had been of the advantages of education and religious teaching with which older communities had been blessed. Two of the brothers, William and Francis, entered the ministry of the Methodist church, and no doubt did their share in laying foundation of the stately edifice which this great body now fills.
The pioneer preachers had no bed of roses upon which to recline. Their days were spent amid hardships and often danger. Although the worst was past when the Coleman's arrived, still they must have done their share in trying to edit and unroll the pages of progress then being written under such adverse conditions. Without doubt they carried the evangel to many a poor obscure settler among the wilds of Canada.
Professor Coleman, of the School of Practical Science, Toronto, is a son of Francis. He is well known here having twice lectured in the High School on Geological subjects having had the good sense to popularize them by the avoidance of scientific terms. Should he again visit us, he will receive a hearty welcome and a good audience.
Peter left the farm after a short trial, built a house immediately opposite the notorious tavern, and moved into the village. He was living there when I first knew him. Tall and well-built, he was a bad man to meet in a hostile encounter. He carried on the butchering trade for sometime.
The old Court of Request was superseded by the Division Court, which was practically the same as that which we have now. With one exception, - the jurisdiction of the present court is larger. Faulkner, the first judge who presided, was followed afterwards by Judge Boswell, both of them hailing from Cobourg, then, as now, the county town. Colonel Cubitt told me an amusing thing that happened under the first named system.
The Court consisted of a bench of Magistrates, called to hear the special case involved, hence the nomenclature. The senior Justice of the Peace acted as chairman when the court was in session. A case came up in which a rough and ready citizen was the plaintiff. He conducted his own case. After its merits were gone into the judgment was for the defence. In delivering the decision, the one whose duty it was to do so, quoted the law of Moses as a precedent upon which the finding was based. "What in h__ has he to do with it? He has been dead over a hundred years!" Roared the disappointed and incensed suitor.
How Mr. Coleman became as he did bailiff, I do not know. At the time it was an important position, the credit system was universal. A great many of the people were poor, shiftless and always in debt. This caused a great deal of litigation. It wanted a good, resolute officer to carry out the behests of the law. He had many a dangerous encounter.
The township of Manvers made a dead set against the entrance of any minion of the courts. A regularly organized band existed for that purpose. The members had a complete set of signals and on the appearance of danger all were on the alert. Once while he was out there on duty, his horse was shot from under him. A man by the name of Badger, was heavily in debt to the Bowman Co. and they were determined to collect the amount. As he persistently refused to meet the obligation, the legal machine was set in motion and they expected to grind him up without difficulty. But no, he had so fortified his castle as to defy the foe.
Imprisonment for debt was a penalty attached to nonpayment, and of all the wretched, unreasonable enactment's that ever disgraced the statutes of Great Britain, this was one of the worst. Dickens did a noble thing when he penned "Little Dorritt," a satire on the prisons of England the influence of which was largely instrumental in abolishing the system.
I remember well when a posse of armed men was sworn in and started to get the "Badger" out of his hole. They were prepared for a lengthy and dangerous siege. On their arrival at the seat of war, he capitulated and squared up. A considerable time elapsed before I was safe for a constable to enter that township.
When Mr. Coleman made up his mind to make a seizure or execute a warrant it was done. His door was ever open to all comers, and a good table provided even to prodigality. They seemed only too glad to entertain. In writing of this before, I said I never knew a kinder man, and I reiterate the statement. Before the Grand Trunk was completed, while the work was in progress, he bought a large area of land, part of which now composes the southward. Things were booming. The spirit of speculation took possession of the people. All holders of land were rich. He sold off portions of his property at high rates and for a time was looked upon as a fortunate man. He laid out South Park, and erected the large and fine-looking house now occupied byMr. Hector Beith.
Not many names are more frequently seen on old title deeds, in the annals of the church, the minutes of the municipal council, and records of the courts than that of Peter Coleman. He had an amiable temper; if angry, he did not show it. He was a regular supporter of the Methodist congregation with which he was connected, and he helped on every good cause. He was fond of gardening, and became quite a horticulturalist. He spent a great portion of his time during the declining years of his life in that elevating and delightful pursuit. Can any human being be really bad who like flowers?
Of his sons, Thomas was our chief constable for years. He inherited his father's love for gardening, and was one of the principal contributors to our fall fairs, showing by the numerous prizes he took his great skill in cultivating vegetables, flowers and fruit. He died at about sixty from the effects of Le Grippe, John wrote a pamphlet on the EARLY SETTLERS. He was quite a naturalist and followed the profession of a taxidermist.
The daughters are all living, - Mrs. (Rev.) Miles, of Guelph, Mrs. Palmer, Burlington, Mrs. Ratcliffe, Brampton, and Mrs. Windatt, mother of Mrs. Thos. Todd, the only one left in Bowmanville. I very much regret indeed to say that Mrs. Windatt was called to the better life after this was written. She having passed peacefully away a her son's, Mr. Thomas Windatt, near Beaverton.
Next - Bowmanville and Darlington History Part 13
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