The 2nd and 3rd concessions had the MCDONNELLS, PRICES, ODELS, JARVIS, CRUIKSHANKS, Richard LOVEKIN, Levi BARNADY, Lachlin MCINTOSH, William Rickard, Richard LAKE, Agustas HATT, Robert WILKINS, Elisha BEAMAN, John Beverley ROBINSON, Jesse PRICE, and others who obtained grants.
On the 4th Concession - Henry RIDNER, John BYRNES, Richard SMITH, Henry MILLER, Cornelius Van WATERS, Samuel and Agustus HATT, Robert NICHOLSON, J.G. SCHULTZ, Alex MCKAY, William BAKER, Andrew BRANT, Cornelius WORDELL, HICKSON and JOHNSON obtained grants. And further north - M. KNIGHT, Peter QUACKENBUSH, Harmonius Van ALSTINE, the SLINGERLANDS, Samuel MUNGER, Christian ABRAHAMS, Henry HICKSON, John SILVERTHORNE, Josiah HARRIS, Joshua FORSYTH, Ernest CLAPBOARD, William CARSON, Jeremiah LAPP, Hazelton SPENCER, Daniel Allen ADKINS, Henry ELLIECE, William LEE, Henry BINNEKAR, Eleazer YOUMANS, George WOOD, Lewis GERMAN, John HUFF, Hugh CAMPBELL, Richard HENSHAW, Anthony DEMILL, John STUART, Samuel SMITH, Isaac ORSER, George LUCAS, Philip PEMBER, Peter RUTTAN, the VANORDERS, Joseph FORSYTH, Asahel BRADSHAW, the PURDYS, DAVYS, Andrew RUSK, A. MYERS, John EDGAR, B. WARTMAN, the HERCHIMERS, HAWLEYS, Edward WALKER, the MCKAYS, DAYS, LONGWELLS, John SHIBLEY, and Jeremiah YOUREX. Most of these grants were to retired army officers, or 'servants' of the Crown, few of which actually ever settled on their land grants.
The McGuires, Knowlsons, Grahams, McAnus, the families of Adams, Allan, Anderson, Andrew, Argall, Armstrong, Arnott, Atkinson, Baker, Ball, Ballah, Baner, Barrett, Barrie, Boskwell, Bates, Beaford, Boyd, Box, Bradley, Bellamy, Best, Bean, Beeman, Burr, Bellwood, Bigelow, Billings, Bowen, Bowar, Berch, Brand, Brook, Brown, Brightwell, Budd, Burgess, Burnham, Byess, Cain, Campbell, Cangamore, Carson, Cartsmill, Casey, Caswell, Chapman, Chestnutt, Case, Carney, Christie, Clark, Clay, Clifford, Cobbledick, Cotton, Colville, Convey, Cooper, cooney, Coppin, Carscadden, Corem, Costly, Carruthers, Couch, Coulter, Cowan, Crawford, Crozier, Davy, David, Davidson, Daniels, Davison, Dicker, Dickey, Dickson, Early, Eddy, Eilbeck, Elliot, Ellis, Fairbairn, Farncomb, Farrow, Ferguson, Fielding, Finley, Fligg, Fluke, Foster, Fountain, Fox, Frasier, Francis, Freckburn, Galbraith, Gamsley, Gifford, Gibson, Gilbanks, Gilfillan, Gilroy, Gordon, Gray, Graham, Griffin, Halliday, Hall, Hallowell, Harris, Henderson, Hillin, Hurlburt, Hunter, Hewson, Hutchinson, Jacobs, Jackson, Jennings, Johnson, Jones, Kelly, Kennedy, Kerr, Kimball, Lancaster, Layton, Leith, Lent, Little, Lockhart, Marshall, Miller, Milligan, Mitchell, Moffatt, Munroe, McAllister, McChesney, McConachie, McCullough, McKay, Mullen, McMurtry, MacNachton, Neal, Nesbitt, Northcott, Ogden, Ovens, Payne, Potts, Powers, Purdy, Raddick, Rae, Rainey, Rowland, Reed, Renwick, Robins, Rich, Rutherford, Sanders, Salbury, Sanisbury, Scott, Sharp, Smart, Smith, Soper, Somerville, Thompson, Thornton, Staples, Stewart, Squires, Tamblyn, Taylor, Tibble, Torrins, Toures, True, Trull, Tyreman, Underwood, Valier, Vint, Waddle, Wade, Wallbridge, Walker, Walton, Watson, Walsh, White, Wilcox, Williams, Wilmot, Wood, Wright, were amongst the earliest settlers, many of whose descendents still survive.
The Wallbridges are of English descent. The head of the family in Clarke, Asa Wallbridge, came from Duchess County, State of New York. Previous to the breaking out of the American War of Independence, in 1775, the Wallbridgessold the land held by them in Duchess, for gold. At the close of the war they bought land again in the same county. When Asa moved with his family to Canada, he remained at first in Prince Edward County, for a short time. He finally settled down in Clarke in 1819. He had what was then considered a nice little capital to begin with - $1900 in gold. He bought 600 acres of land, at $2 per acre, (worth up to $100 an acre in 1880), and lived on the old place at Newcastle up to his death in 1860, at an age of 78 years. He had many anecdotes of encounters with the Indians, and of adventures by flood and field on his first settlement. Asa Wallbridge had three sons and one daughter. Of the sons, two survived in 1880, Asa Forbes and John, both residing in Newcastle. The third son, Elijah died, but was survived by his son, Asa H. Wallbridge, the postmaster at Newcastle in 1880, and a daughter, Mrs. J.K. Allan, of the Standard Bank. A daughter of Asa Wallbridge married Leonard Thompson, another very old settler. Quite a large portion of the town of Newcastle was built on land owned by the Wallbridges.
The Bellwoods settled on Lot 30, in the 1st Concession, around 1840. They came from England, and were the first to introduce the improved breed of short-horn cattle.
The Renwickswere a numerous and wealthy family, of Scotch descent, and very well-known old settlers in Clarke.
George Jacobs, another of the old stock, took an active part in promoting the growth and prosperity of the township. He put up the first brick block in Newcastle, (burned in the late 1870's), and has been actively engaged in farming and the mercantile business.
Hiram Hodges, of Lot 17, 2nd Concession, has been settled in his farmstead for a great many years, and ranks with the oldest settlers of Clarke.
Rowland Norton, who came from the Eastern States, settled in the 1830's in Clarke township.
Francis Coulter, an Irishman, settled on Lot 5, 2nd Concession, around the same time.
Henry Middleton, of Lot 27, in the 3rd Concession, an English yeoman, is another of the prosperous old farmers of Clarke, who has been settled since the 1830's on his homestead. In 1880, he was President of the county Agricultural Society of West Durham.
Bradford Bowen, is another early settler of Clarke, who came from the States. In his prime, he was considered the strongest man in the township, and was still hale and hearty in 1878. He had a numerous family of children and grandchildren.
The Rolands, of Lot 23, on the Lakeshore, were a respectable Irish family, long settled in Clarke.
Ezra Gifford and Gaspard Scott, relatives by marriage, are amongst the old standard families of the place.
The Reddicks settled on the 6th Concession, back of Orono, in the late 1820's. John L. Tucker, postmaster of Orono, settled on the 5th Concession about the same time. Eldad Johns, a wealthy citizen of Orono, born ~ 1800, built the first saw mill at that place, around 1830. The first school-house was built by subscription in 1825, at Newcastle; it was long used also as a church by the different congregations of that day. It was pulled down in the late 1870's and a lock-up built upon the old site.
The Averys at one time owned all Bond Head, where Col. Cozens is said to have cleared the first two acres of land in Clarke township. The father, John, was of an old English family. Richard, the son, sold 480 acres to Charles Clarke, in 1838. Mr. Clarke expended 25000 pounds in building a wharf and constructing a harbour. He also erected grist and saw mills, and put up some dwellings - the place being named by him Bond head, in honour of the well-known Canadian Governor of that time. Mr. Clarke had as partners Mr. G.S. Boulton and Mr. Manvers in the speculation. He subsequently sold out to W.B. Robinson and John B. Robinson, of Toronto, who after carrying on the milling business for a short time, transferred their interests to William McIntosh, the owner of the mill in 1878. In 1857 a new charter was obtained, and the name changed from Bond Head to Port Newcastle. Mr. John J. Robson succeeded Mr. Boulton, as president of the harbour and company, and was still president in 1878. The directors are : Messrs. McIntosh, Lovekin, Wellington Foster, and Thomas Tamblyn, with Mr. Francis Nicholson, who has been harbour master for many years, as secretary. The capital in 1878 was $22000. Mr. Francombe is collector of Customs. Both Mr. Robson and Mr. Francombe are North of England gentleman, and relatives, who settled in Clarke in 1848. The port has lost much of its former trade since the extension of railways, east and west.
The McChesneys, an Irish family, from the County Down, are old settlers. William keeps the Albion hotel in the village, and has also the farm cleared in the late 1820's by his father. George Cowan is another old North of Ireland settler, on the 4th Concession, who came to Clarke about the same time as the McChesneys. Mr. J.E. MacNachtan (brother of the County Treasurer), has been Reeve of the township for many years, and also Warden of the United Counties. He settled in Clarke in 1842.
The first church built in the township was the old Church of England building, erected in 1840. It was never used, on account of some dissensions between members of the congregation on account of the location. A Congregational church building followed shortly afterwards, and was the first religious edifice regularly occupied. The present Presbyterian church (1878) was completed in 1846, and the Methodist church the year following. The Masseys, who commenced the foundry business at Newcastle about that time, found the congregation poor and neglected, and to their liberality the Methodists are indebted for the early completion of their church. In 1857 the Church of England people put up another building - Rev. Mr. Fiddler being the first pastor. The next incumbent was Rev. Mr. Kennedy, who died of the small-pox in Toronto. After him came the Rev. Canon Brent M.A., who has now been in the mission for nearly a quarter of a century.
The first Presbyterian minister was Rev. Mr. Lawrence; after him came the celebrated Dr. Ormiston, now of New York, who remained two years; and then successively, Rev. Mr. Young, Rev. Mr. Riddle, Rev. Mr. Cross, and the minister in 1878, Rev. Mr. Drummond.
Rev. Mr. English was the first Methodist minister in the township - sent on circuit in 1853.
There was an early Indian settlement along the lake-shore in Clarke - most of whom, according to report, died victims of small-pox. At Bond Head numbers of Indian graves have been found, and many relics picked up from time to time.
The principal villages in Clarke are : Newtonville, Newcastle, Orono, Kirby, Liskard, and Kendal.
Search the Ontario (Upper Canada) Genealogy Website - Make sure to use all known variations of a family name in your search!
Historical Visits to Ontario Villages and Towns Take a trip back in time to the late 19th century and explore the towns and villages where your ancestors lived, loved, laboured, laughed and played.
Ontario Images of the Past Thousands of Images of City, Town, Village and Country Life
Ontario Land Registry Records Research Thousands of your ancestors and where they lived in Ontario
Upper Canada (Ontario) Newspaper Notices Database
Ontario Genealogy Newspaper Notices Database
Ontario (Upper Canada) History and Pioneer Family Research
Queen's Own Rifles - Old Photos of Members
Upper Canada District Maps (Circa 1800)
Upper Canada (Ontario) History Books On-Line Index
Ontario County Directories Victoria, Haliburton, Hastings, Peterborough, Durham, Northumberland, Muskoka, and Old Ontario County
Central Upper Canada (Ontario) Marriage Database 22650 Marriage Records Indexed
Central Upper Canada Baptism Database 25000 Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic and Church of Scotland Marriages indexed
Upper Canada (Central Ontario) Burial Database 4500 Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist and Church of Scotland Burials indexed
Eastern Upper Canada Marriage Database Anglican, Roman Catholic and Church of Scotland Marriages indexed
Eastern Upper Canada Baptism Database Anglican, Roman Catholic and Church of Scotland Baptisms indexed
Eastern Upper Canada Burial Database
Upper Canada (Western Ontario) Marriage Database
Upper Canada (Western Ontario) Baptism Database
Upper Canada (Western Ontario) Burial Database
Upper Canada Land Petitions 51000 Records Indexed
Upper Canada Land Leases and Miscellaneous Petitions 10000 Records Indexed
Upper Canada (Ontario) Sundries Database
Upper Canada (Ontario) Toronto Insane Asylum Database
Upper Canada (Ontario) Kingston Insane Asylum Database
Upper Canada (Ontario) London Insane Asylum Database
Upper Canada (Ontario) Malden Insane Asylum Database
Upper Canada (Ontario) Hamilton Insane Asylum Database
Ontario Genealogy Historical Newspaper Collection Historical Newspaper Files from various regions of Ontario
Newspaper Genealogical and Historical Records - Thousands of entries
Ontario (Upper Canada) Map Collection Great site for locating your ancestors in Ontario
Ontario Genealogy Postcard Site - Great old-time landscape views
Upper Canada and Ontario CRIMINAL Database
Ontario Genealogy Database Index Site 500000 Genealogy Records Indexed
Need HELP With Your Family Research?
Northumberland County Genealogy and History
Victoria County Genealogy and History
Durham County Genealogy and History
Haliburton County Genealogy and History
Peterborough County History and Genealogy
Newcastle District (Upper Canada) History and Genealogy
Ontario County History and Genealogy
Upper Canada History and Genealogy
Echoes of the Past - Ontario Genealogy Home
Search the Ontario (Upper Canada) Genealogy Website - Make sure to use all known variations of a family name in your search!
index
sitemap
advanced
site search by
freefind
20th Century Ontario Genealogy Newspaper Notices Index New March 2020
Upper Canada Ontario Surrogate Court Estate Files and Will Database New March 2019
Ontario Canada Historical Map Site New December 2018
Ontario Place Locator - 19th Century Ontario Town and Village Locations and Inhabitants
Upper Canada (Ontario) Pioneer Settler Land Locations, Census Records and Property Descriptions
index
sitemap
advanced
site search by
freefind