Pioneer Names on Early Maps

Introduction

In the early years of this Province, the Surveyor General’s Office drew maps with lot numbers naming the settlers given Crown Grants for those locations. The original maps are in the map collections of the National Archives of Canada. Copies of the maps were drawn by Maggie Parnell and included in her publication Mini Atlas of Niagara (privately published 1983)

In this article, the names of the settlers are extracted from the maps and alphabetized. The townships in Welland County included are: Bertie, Willoughby, Stamford, Humberstone, Crowland and Thorold. The townships in Welland County included are: Niagara and Grantham. More Niagara region townships will be included over time.

The following is a listing of the maps from which the settler names were extracted.

1783 Map of the west side of the Niagara River

Undated map titled “The New Settlement, Niagara” marking out lots along the west side of the Niagara River in present Niagara Township, Lincoln County and Stamford Township, Welland County. Possibly prepared by Allan MacDonell who was employed by Captain John Butler of Butler’s Rangers to establish the locations of the earliest settlers. This was prepared before 3 May 1783 when included in a letter from Butler to Robert Matthews. The original is in the Haldimand Papers Volume 85, pages 71-72.

1784 Map of Niagara Township, Lincoln County

Map of Township No. 1—Niagara in the Shubbal Walton Papers 1784. The original is in the map collection in the National Archives of Canada, Ottawa.

Undated Map of Niagara Township, Lincoln County

(Mid 1780’s)

An undated map of Niagara Township, Lincoln County in the Surveyor General’s Office, noting on it “Township No. 1 — Niagara (Nassau)” The map was probably prepared in the mid 1780’s. This map placed the lots in concessions. Other maps of the township assigned a unique number to each lot.

Map of Niagara Township, Lincoln County 1787

Map of Niagara Township, Lincoln County in the Surveyor General’s Office, noting on it “Township No. 1 Survey by Philip R. Fry 1787” and signed by Acting Surveyor General Augustus Jones.

Map of Stamford Township, Welland County

Mid to Late 1780’s

Undated map of Township No. 2—Stamford (Mount Dorchester) in the Surveyor General’s Office, probably drawn in the mid to late 1780’s.

Map of Grantham Township, Lincoln County

Late 1780’s

Undated map of Township No. 3 (Grantham) in the Surveyor General’s Office, probably drawn in the late 1780’s.

Map of Bertie Township, Welland County circa 1790

An undated map of Bertie Township in the Surveyor General’s Office, noting on it “Received this plan from the Clerk of the Council as having belonged to the Land Board. [signed] D. W. Smith, Augustus Jones, Witnessed by Thomas Ridout.” Jones was Acting Deputy Surveyor General from 1789 to 1792 and Smith from 1792 to 1800.

Map of Grantham Township, Lincoln County 1791

Map of Grantham Township No. 3, Nassau 25th October 1791. Signed by Acting Surveyor General Augustus Jones.

Map of Stamford Township, Welland County 1791

Map of Stamford Township No. 2, District of Nassau copied from Philip Frey map 1791

Map of Stamford Township, Welland County 1791

Map of Thorold Township No. 9 dated at Newark 22 January 1794. [Signed] Augustus Jones. Copied from the original by Saml. John Fredk. Holland, Sur. Gen. Copied by Lewis Grant, D. W. Smith.

Map of Crowland Township, Welland County 1791

Map of Crowland Township No. 2. This plan returned to Surveyor General’s Office by J. Small, Esquire, Clerk of the Executive Council on the 16th day of May, 1795, not before, as having belonged to the Land Board of Lincoln. D. W. Smith, Actg. Surveyor General. Witness: Thos. Ridout.

Map of Willoughby Township, Welland County 1795

Willoughby Township No. 1 above Chipawa. This plan returned to Surveyor General’s Office by J. Small, Esquire, Clerk of the Executive Council on the 16th day of May 1795, not before as having belonged to the Land Board of Lincoln. D. W. Smith, Actg. Surveyor General. Witness Thomas Ridout.

Map of Humberstone Township, Welland County 1811

Map of Humberstone Township. Examined with the descriptions September 21, 1811—Thomas Ridout, Surveyor General

Map of Niagara Township, Lincoln County 1811

Map of Newark (Niagara) Township by Surveyor General Thomas Ridout dated September 20, 1811

Map of Willoughby Township, Welland County 1811

Map of Willoughby Township, examined with the descriptions York, 24th September 1811. Thos Ridout, Sur. Genl. Copy by W. Chewett. “For lines not run in original survey see Rough Plan by Misener PLS 1802.”

Map of Thorold Township, Welland County 1812

Map of Thorold Township, Examined & compared with the descriptions and other plans. January 24, 1812. Thos. Ridout.

Map of Stamford Township, Welland County 1813

Map of Township of Stamford by Thos. Ridout, Surveyor, December 22, 1813.

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