Ordered Evicted
In 1794, Upper Canada Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe directed his Acting Surveyor General David W. Smith, to make inquiries as to unauthorized settlement between the Grand River and Long Point and then to issue notices to these settlers ordering them off the land. This Order, dated May 23, 1794 came in the form of a circular issued to those whose names appeared in the margin (Surveyor General's Letter Books, Book 1, P. 378, MS627, Reel 1)
Timy Murphy Circular Surveyr Genl Office,
John Triers Upper Canada 23 May 1794
Davd Secord (as to Margin)
Silas Secord
_____ Maybee Whereas Report has been made to me
Heny Stophler that you have usurped a Settlement
_____ Patterson on Crown Lands between Long Point
_____ Sanger & the Grand River without proper
Fredck Onstone Authority for so doing; I am
Pet.& Abrm Walker directed, and I do hereby give
Allan McDonald you notice to move off said Lands
John Dochstader without loss of time, so fail not-
Thos Dacres
(signed) D. W. Smith
Actg Surr General
______________________________________________________
The 1794 Surveyor
General's Report
Introduction
After the Eviction Order of May 23, 1794, most of the named settlers went to the Surveyor General's Office at Newark to give explanations of their settlement. As a result of those representations, Acting Surveyor General David W. Smith made out a report to Governor Simcoe dated December 23, 1794. (Archives of Ontario, Surveyor General's Letter Books, Book 2, Pp. 615-622, MS627, Reel 1). The record following is quoted as written by Smith.
The Report
John Tryers & his Brother Christian Tryers produced a Paper as follows-
“Whereas Encouragement has been given by the Land Board to John Tryer & others of his Persuasion to take up Lands at or near Long Point, He is therefore not to be molested or interupted in so doing, whoever may oppose him may expect to be disappointed and hereby required to cease any such Attempts. (Signed) John Warren
Fort Erie 6th Jany 1792”
Mr David Secord, Son of Mr. Peter Secord, a Loyalist
Could wish to be permitted to remain at or near to Turkey Point, or if he must remove, hopes that other Lands will be allowed to him.
Silas Secord, formerly in the Rangers Produced two Papers as follows
“Some years ago I heard Capt Gilbert Tice say that he had applied for, & obtained leave for Silas Secord to settle at or near Long Point. PS- I understand the leave was from the Land Board.
Certified by (signed) Nathl Pettit
2 Jul 1794”
“3 Jul 1794: I have known Silas Secord in the year 1777 till the year 1784, as a Soldier & a Serjeant in Colonel Butler's Rangers and He behaving as a good Soldier during that time. (signed) B. Pawling”
The Widow Maybee
From the Province of Nova Scotia
Henry Stuffle-
Mr Dochstader recommended to him to go there where he has been three years, about Twelve Miles above the Grand River, and has Eight Acres cleared- came from Holland to Philadelphia in 1785, has a wife & child & says he is ready at any and at all times to serve the King.
Abraham Smith
Says he has been in the Country nine years, that he applied to His Excellency the Lieut Governor for leave to settle near Long Point, who was pleased to say, if he was careful not to fix himself on any spot that might be fit for building works of defence, or a Town, he might settle there.
John Fourga, an old Soldier
Settled between Turkey Point & Long Point
Willm Cope, an old Soldier
Five years in this Country- says he has been & three years in Shirley’s old Corps, and in Major Littlehale's Company- was at the taking of Louisbourg & has a Certificate of his being a Loyalist & a Tory- lost his Eldest Son in the Service during the War & has now five Sons, two sons in Law & ten Grand Sons.
_______ [John] Stone, an old Soldier
Formerly of the Kings American Dragoons
_______ [John] West, an old Soldier
Says he was fifteen years [sic] in the Rangers.
Lucas Dedrick, an old Soldier
Says he was Six years in Col. Butlers Rangers and a Corporal, & that he was permitted by His Excellency the Lieut Governor to settle near Long Point.
Dederick Wies or White
Says he served during the War
John Stacey, native of SomersetShire
Says he served three years Carpenter in a Kings Sloop during the War, in the West Indies; two years in the Dockyard Detroit, of which he was Steward.
By the Encouragement of Major Tice, he began an improvement near to Long Point, about Two Miles above Turkey Point, where he has a House, 10 acres cleared, sown & under Fence.
About a year and a half ago, he with four others his neighbours, petitioned the Governor for leave to settle there, and the man who was appointed by them to present the Petition brought them word that the Governor said they might return thither and work on their improvements but not to extend them till the Land was surveyed.
Cornwall Ellis
Has been there about Eighteen Months & has made a good Improvement; says his Father was imprisoned with Judge Pettit, and lost about £500 of property on acct of his Loyalty- says he is willing at all times to come to the King.
John Parson
produced a paper as follows-
“This is to Certify that John Parson was a Subject to the Britons during the late American War, given under my Hand this 19th day of August 1794.”
(signed) John Prow
“NB. He has suffered Imprisonment likewise.”
He also left the Petition (which accompanies this) by which it appears he is Father in Law to Lucas Dederick an old Soldier, before mentioned.
George Walker & his Sons
Wish to settle & build a Mill on Pattersons Creek & say they have been encouraged so to do by His Excellency.
Frederick Onstone, Peter Walker & Abraham Walker
Produced your Excellencys Letter as follows-
“To Mr Chewett Dy Surveyor- Queens Town 11th July 1793- The Bearers Frederick Onstone and Peter Walker & Abraham Walker, wish to settle on Lake Erie near to Long Point, but as that Country is not yet Surveyed, I have recommended to them to seat themselves upon some Lots that may not interfere with any purpose that Government may have in View- Be pleased therefore to point out such a single Lot for these People as you might think answerable for that present purpose & in which it is most likely their Labours may not be thrown away, they have a large Stock of Cattle, for which they wish to provide Sustanance. (Signed) JGS”
Epilogue
At the end of his Report, Smith notes, “I understand that some other persons who did not chose [sic] to account for themselves, and who had usurped Settlements on the Crown Lands, between Long Point and the Grand River, without proper authority for so doing have abandoned their Improvements & moved off the Lands.”
One of whom we hear nothing more after the 1794 eviction order was Patterson, whose first name was not given. This may have been the man for whom Patterson’s Creek, now the Lynn River, was named. While writing The Long Point Settlers, I searched for records of all Pattersons in Ontario at an early date, but found none, only this one reference. Another named in the eviction order but not in the December 1794 report was Timothy Murphy who for a time lent his name to what afterwards became Big Creek in Walsingham Township. According to his land petitions, a blacksmith in the Indian Department, Murphy was on government service at Detroit and did not hear of the eviction until it was too late. Murphy's property was assigned to Cornwall Ellis, and, after several petitions, Murphy was compensated with land at Windsor.