Letter of Lieut. Charles Rubidge to Capt. Basil Hall, 1825

Letter of Lieut. Charles Rubidge to Capt. Basil Hall, 1825

Back to Rubidge Genealogy Page

From Hall, Basil, Travels in America in 1827 & 1828, Cadell, Edinburgh, 1829, reprinted Arno Press, New York, 1974. Vol I. p. 325-339.

Also in The Valley of the Trent. Edwin C. Guillet, 1957 F1056.c45v1. pp. 353-358.

Introductory paragraph in The Valley of the Trent:

Captain Rubidge, one of the early settlers of Otonabee Township, entered the Navy as a boy of nine in 1796 and served under Nelson and other commanders until 1815, narrowly escaping death in several engagements. Like many others in the Services, he was discharged at the end of the war. Finding no opportunity for further service he emigrated to Upper Canada in 1819, stayed in Cobourg over the winter with his old friend Captain Boswell, and on the 8th of May, 1820, took his wife and three children into 'the bush' of Otonabee, the second settler [footnote here: With reference to the first, George Kent, Caroline Rubidge Dunsford wrote this note in her copy of her father's Autobiographical Sketch: "who had a wife & one son & one daughter, John Kent & Sarah Kent." This copy of the rare booklet is in the possession of Mrs. Kathleen (Sibbald) Lloyd, Cobourg, whose husband was a great-grandson of Captain Rubidge.] in the township. 'During my long residence in Canada I have filled many honourable situations in the County', he wrote in An Autobiographical Sketch (Peterborough, 1870), and among them was his capable supervision of the settling of the Peter Robinson Irish in 1825, as well as thousands of subsequent settlers in 1831 and 1839. During this period he published A Plain Statement of the Advantages Attending Emigration to Upper Canada (London, 1838). He died in 1873. One of his daughters, Caroline Maud (Mrs. Gartley Dunsford) wrote a number of annotations in her copy of the Autobiographical Sketch, among them the following: 'Died Feb^ry 5th 1873 ... Had my Father lived four years longer he would have been an Admiral by Seniority'; 'Was married the 20th of Jan^ry 1810 to my dear Mother Margaret Clarke. ... My mother was the handsomest woman I ever saw--she was the belle of Kensington in her youth.'; 'My mother, two little brothers, & sister came to the log house when in this state & the ladder by which they got aloft had to be pulled up at night to keep the bears out--my dear Mother's experience was something truly wonderful, for an English lady--such hardships she had to endure. My loved Father helping her in every way possible. He was a man in ten thousand.--his daughter loved him dearly, C. M. Rubidge Dunsford.'

[Note: One of us has made a mistake: it's either Caroline Maud, Mrs. Gartley Dunsford or Catherine Mary, Mrs. Hartley Dunsford.]

Introductory paragraphs in Travels in North America

Nevertheless, although this be quite true, it is highly interesting to observe how much may be done under circumstances of great difficulty, even by a gentleman previously unaccustomed to manual labour, provided he be resolute, active, and cheerful, and especially if he has been trained by a course of naval discipline to regular habits of self-command and self-denial, and has acquired by practice that description of prompt resource, which a perpetual struggle with the elements renders almost indispensable to his success. This training teaches the mind to consider that every difficulty may be surmounted, the means to overcome which are not dishonourable.

The following picture of a half-pay officer settling in the back-woods, strikes me as being so like what De Foe would have drawn, had he sent his hero to Canada, instead of the South Seas, with the superadded interest of its being true to the very letter, that I shall insert the whole, verbatim as it came to my hands. Independently, too, of the lively and graphic fidelity of this narrative, it will be found to contain much practical advice, of which I can assure other settlers, they may avail themselves with confidence.

The letter itself:

When I was residing near Swansea in South Wales, I happened one day to be dining at the house of an esteemed friend, when the conversation commenced by some one, after dinner, speaking about the Canadas, the probable chance of mending our fortunes, providing for our families, and mode of proceeding. At the time, it appeared mere conversation. However, it made such a deep impression on us all, that from that day we never met without renewing the subject, reading every work we could procure, both on these Provinces, and the United States of America, and gaining what information we could from every person who had ever been in Canada. My brother shortly afterwards removed to Swansea, in order to accompany my friend, who had also made up his mind to emigrate; but a severe domestic loss prevented the former from going, and changed his views: but I had come to the determination to go to Canada; for I found that with a limited income of L.100 a-year, it was impossible to maintain, with proper respectability, that situation in life which my profession called for. My family consisted of a wife and three children, from seven to three years old.

Thus having made my mind up, in the winter of 1818, I began to make preparations, by disposing of my household furniture, reserving for myself beds, bedding, carpets, and such other things as were portable and likely to be useful. I also made arrangements for borrowing the sum of L.200. Arrived at Bristol, I procured a variety of tools, implements of husbandry, clothing, &c., to the amount of L.100, and laid in a good stock of provisions, and every thing likely to make the voyage comfortable across the Atlantic.

We sailed on the 3d of May, 1819, and after a tedious voyage to Quebec, and some detention afterwards in getting up the country, we arrived at the village of Cobourg, in the district of Newcastle, on the 19th of July. The whole of my expenses for voyage, provisions, and all other travelling charges, amounted to L.100, 8s., so that on my arrival, I had a very small sum left. However, my quarter's pay came round, I was in a cheap country, and, moreover, found a most warm and hospitable reception in the house of my old and esteemed friend. As a new township on the Rice Lake was about being surveyed, and I had not means to purchase a cleared farm near my friend, I determined to wait till the survey was finished, and try the Bush -- as the woods here are called.-- This was in the month of December of the same year. I then obtained the grant of land my rank in the naval service entitled me to. In February, 1820, I contracted with two men to put me up a log-house, 28 feet by 20; and thirteen logs, or as many feet high; to roof it with shingles, and to board up the gable ends; and to clear off one acre about the house, to prevent the trees from falling on it, for all which I paid them 100 dollars. This shell of a building had merely a doorway cut out of the middle; and when my friend and the clergyman of Hamilton drove out in a single sleigh with me, to see it, and we took our dinner at one end and our horse at the other, on a miserably cold day in the month of March, it looked wretched enough; but as it was the first but one, so it was the last in the township. Whilst the snow and ice were good, I moved all my effects, got boards sufficient to finish my house, and a six months' stock of provisions out; and on the 8th of May took my family into their pile of logs in a Canadian forest.

I will own, for a time our situation appalled me, and to my then unformed judgment in Bush matters, it seemed a hopeless struggle; but I was out with my family, and as I did not want for energy, I set to work in earnest. To two Americans I let a job to chop four acres and a half, at six dollars an acre; and at the same time, a man whom I had occasionally employed at home, followed me out, and came to hire. During the course of the summer, he felled and chopped up three acres more: my cleared acre I planted with potatoes, a little corn, and turnips: my stock consisted of a cow and yoke of steers three years old, with the management of which I was totally unacquainted when I bought them; but if a man will give his mind to any common thing of the kind, and not think it a hardship, it is surprising what he may do, as in this case after a few days I found no difficulty.

I was now anxious to get my house made habitable as soon as possible, and a carpenter being employed not far off, I endeavored to engage him to put in the windows and door; but finding that he wished to take advantage of my situation, I determined to do it myself, and thus was forced to learn the business of a carpenter. This I considered no hardship, as I had always been fond of the use of tools, and had, previous to my leaving England, taken several lessons in turning. During the summer, I got my house chinked, or filled the interstices between the logs with pieces of wood to make the inside flush or smooth, and to prevent the mud used as plaster on the outside from coming through. I then put in the windows and door, laid the floors, and partitioned off the lower part of the house into two good rooms, on wet days employing my man to dig a cellar under the house; in short, before the winter, I had made the log-house comfortable within, and, with the addition of some white-wash, smart without.

In August, we cut some coarse grass in a beaver meadow close by, sprinkling salt through the little stack as we made it; after this we logged up and cleared three acres of the land I had chopped, and by the latter end of September had it sown with wheat; the logging, though heavy, I did with my hired man and steers, and before the winter, had it fenced with rails. Here, it may be remarked, I did not get much land cleared, but by doing little, and that partly with my own hands, I gained experience; and would strongly advise gentlemen settling in Canada with small means, to commence clearing slowly, and with as little expense as possible.

In the fall, or autumn, I put up a log-kitchen, and a shed for my cattle; during the winter, I employed my man in chopping three acres more, in which I now and then assisted him, and soon became very expert in the use of the axe, felling the trees to the most advantage to assist their burning, and to save trouble in logging. With my beaver-meadow hay, and the fir tops of the fallen trees, my cattle were kept fat all the winter. In the spring, three acres more were cleared, fenced, and cropped with corn, potatoes, and turnips; and where log heaps had been burnt, the ashes were hoed off, and planted with melons and cucumbers; a small patch was fenced off for a nursery, and apple seeds sown, trees which are now ten and twelve feet high. I also put out several of the wild plum-trees of the country, which now bear abundance of fine fruit. From this time, about five acres yearly have been added to my farm, taking great care, in clearing off my land, never to destroy a log that would make rails, by which means the fence always came off the field cleared; and although they are small -- from four to six acres -- the fences are all six feet or nine rails high. Here I will remark, it is a great fault to split rails small, and error that most new settlers persist in. In the spring of 1822, my attention was turned to making a flower and kitchen garden. Round the latter I made a straight fence with cedar posts, and thirteen rails high, which is at this day stocked with every kind of fruit tree to be had in the neighborhood, which flourish beyond my expectation. My stock of animals has been gradually increasing, and to my other stock I have added horses and sheep, with poultry of all kinds.

In the year 1825, I had repaid the money I borrowed, by leaving back a small part of my half pay every quarter, and had received a deed for 600 acres of my land, on which I had performed the settlement duty, which cost me L.30. My farm is now increased to 36 acres. I have the deed for the remaining 200 acres of my land; also deeds for town and park lots in the rapidly-settling town of Peterborough; and, as my family have increased to six, and are growing up, I am just now about building a frame-house, 36 feet by 26 in the clear, two stories high, with a commodious kitchen behind, the timber and shingles for which I have bought by disposing of a mare, after using her for five years, and breeding a pair of horses from her. With my own exertions, -- being able to do most of the carpenter's work inside, -- and about L.100, I expect to get it finished.

Some of my first chopped land is now nearly clear of stumps. I am planting out an orchard of apple-trees, raised from the seed sown by myself; have a good barn and stable, with various other offices;-- in short, feel that I have surmounted every difficulty. A town is growing up near me, roads are improving, bridges are built; one of the best mills in the province is just finished at Peterborough, another within three miles of me. Boards, and all descriptions of lumber, and cheap -- about five dollars 1000 feet, four saw-mills being in operation. Stores, a tannery, distillery, and many other useful businesses, are established, or on the eve of being so, at Peterborough; on the road to which, through Otanabee, the Land Company, the clergy, and some private individuals, have some of the best land in the province for sale, at from 7s. 6d. to 10s. per acre. The price of land generally, except on the roads, is about 5s. per acre.

I was the first settler in the township, and almost before a tree was cut down; now there are nearly two thousand acres cleared, and 125 families, consisting of 500 souls. On parallel lines, at the distance of three quarters of a mile apart, roads, of from 33 to 66 feed wide, are cut and cleared out by the parties owning the land all through the township, which will ultimately be of the greatest benefit, and are so now to those settlers near them. They have been much cavilled at, and found fault with, by land speculators, and persons having large grants; but I never yet heard an actual settler complain of them. One great objection urged against them was, that a second growth of trees would spring up along these cleared avenues, or roads, and be worse than that removed; but, from strict observation, I find this fallacious, as the second growth is always a different wood, generally poplar, cherry, elder, &c., with sprouts from some of the old stumps, and so thick that they cannot come to any size; while every year there is destroying, by slow but sure means, stumps that will take 20 or 30 years to get rid of.

I have now given an indifferent sketch of my settlement in the woods, from which, I think, it will be seen, that even a person not brought up to labour, and under many disadvantageous circumstances -- such as going far back in a settlement, want of roads, bridges, mills, and society, and having a sum of money to repay -- still it will be seen that, with a good heart, and an industrious turn, a gentleman of small income may better his situation. And I certainly will say, that any person with the same means, and who will turn his hand to any thing he can that is not dishonourable, will do will to follow the same course; and I think that such will not injure their country by leaving it. For example, while in England, on half pay, nearly all my income went for food; here it nearly all goes for clothing of British manufacture. My family is supported with respectability and comfort, having abundance of all the necessaries of life within my farm, and my pay enabling me to supply all other requisites. Here we can keep the door of hospitality open, without inconvenience, and enjoy ourselves in a pleasant way, keeping a pair of good horses, sleighs, &c &c.

Persons with families, as they have the most urgent reasons to migrate, so they will always make the best settlers. Their children can assist materially in the mode of farming pursued on wild land, and may do so without its being looked upon as a degradation. If they are well educated, there is little doubt of their advancement in the professions; and if not, they will be always sure of a provision by farming, as their parents may, with a moderate outlay, acquire property for them. As British goods of almost every description are now brought down to a moderate price, gentlemen coming out will do well not to stock themselves with more than they want for their own use, as they will find their money more useful than superfluous articles of any description; and such, with an income of from L.50 to L.200 a-year, with prudence, may live in the most comfortable and respectable way here, being able, by means of a farm, to supply the table with abundance, and to enjoy themselves at their leisure in as good society as can be found in most country towns in England. Indeed, were it not for the differences of fences, occasional dissight of old stumps, or dead standing trees, and now and then 'I guess,' a person in this neighborhood can hardly fancy themselves in a foreign country.

It is a great error, and to be lamented, that most gentlemen from the old country -- as the United Kingdom is called -- bring too much of their native prejudices with them here, by which means they often expend much money uselessly, and frequently get into difficulties; and I have known some wholly fail from such imprudence. It is from such that unfavourable accounts of this country originate. I think it should be a rule for persons coming to a new country, always first to follow the customs of that country as closely as possible, reserving their improvements till they get firmly established, and see good reason to apply them. It should generally be an object for gentlemen, if they settle in new townships, to endeavour to get near another, or others, of character already settled; as by this means they will have a good chance to be set in the right way, and thereby saved from much imposition, besides the pleasure of having at hand a friend, and society suited to their taste. As land may be bought at very easy rates and price -- seven, and even ten years allowed to pay it in -- it will be preferable for a gentleman, or any person with small means, to purchase near settlements, or on main roads, as they will thereby avoid many difficulties I had to contend with.

Having been in the neighbourhood of the last emigrants brought out by the Honourable Peter Robinson, who deserves the highest praise for his humanity, consideration, and care in settling them, and having read some of the Reports of the Committee on Emigration, I beg leave to offer an idea that strikes me on this subject. From observation, I think the Government did too much for those already out, and still the Committee propose to do too much for any that may be sent out; they are not left to find resources from their own industry and energy. While the rations last, many of the emigrants make little exertion, and dispose of food they have not been used to, such as pork, for whisky, thereby injuring their constitutions and morals, and fixing for a time habits of idleness. Let the settlers be put on their land with a shanty up; give a family of five persons, five barrels of flour and one of pork, with two axes and two hoes, and, with this assistance, let them work their way. During the time Mr Robinson's last settlers were getting rations, labourers' wages were higher than they had ever been known except during the war. This certainly would not have been the case if they had been less lavishly supplied. An able-bodied man that is industrious, will never want for work in Upper Canada; and, if he will work, he will in a very short time get himself a cow, grain, potatoes, &c. &c.

Although this part of the province is very rapidly improving, still it would increase in population and riches in a tenfold degree, was the water communication opened with Lake Ontario by a canal on part of the River Trent. An immense extent of country from Peterborough, on the Otanabee River, to the Bay of Quint&eacute,--which is a part of Ontario,--comprising some of the richest land in the province, would then be settled and cultivated, having a decided advantage over the front; and the flour, gain, pork, lumber, potash, and staves, that would go down, must make this district greatly superior to any other in this province. It is not to be doubted that, independent of the tolls, the inhabitants, within a range likely to benefit by so desirable an outlet, would willingly consent to pay an assessment in proportion to the quantity of land they hold. This will readily be seen, when it is known that in the article of wheat, there is 3d. or 6d. a-bushel less given for it north of the Rice Lake, and the same in proportion for other produce, with an equal loss to the settler on every kind of goods he purchases.

That the Government are well aware of the great advantage, in a military point of view, in case of a war, of such a communication, I have no doubt; and I cannot be so presumptuous as to point out why it would be so, in stating that large quantities of produce, &c. will go down the Trent which now has to be taken by land to Lake Ontario; I will merely state, that this last winter very nearly 5000 bushels of wheat have been taken in by the store-keepers at Peterborough alone. Only three or four years ago flour was transported back there, so that no doubt can exist of the the increased quantity a few years will produce. Through the goodness and paternal consideration of his Excellency Sir Peregrin Maitland, an excellent mill has been erected at Peterborough, which is the greatest blessing to the settler and the country, and will be the means of the adjacent townships filling up rapidly. In the town itself, which less than three years ago had but one solitary house in it, now may be seen frame-houses in every direction, and this summer 20 additional ones will be erected.

Respectable yeomen, or small farmers, having sufficient to settle themselves and support their families, if they go on wild land for two years, will, with industry, always do well. Certainly, having L.100 clear when they have paid a seventh of the purchase money for 200 acres, they will, before that sum is expended, raise sufficient for their future maintenance; but in all cases, much of what is required depends on what persons have been used to, and the sacrifices they will make for a short time, to acquire property and become independent. Mechanics of all descriptions will do well, and indeed any one used to labour, or who will be industrious. Some of the best settlers in this township were at home weavers. But tradesmen, or shop-keepers of ruined fortune, if they do ill at home, will do worse here; and let all persons who will not put their hand to every thing, who feel discouraged at trifles, and who expect any thing like a life of idleness, beware how they make the trial of settling in a new country. My opinions are founded on observation and practical knowledge, and in giving them, though in a very homely and jumbled manner, still I have endeavoured to give the true statement, and, I trust, just recommendations; and I shall feed gratified and happy, if Captain Hall can cull any thing from what I have written that may benefit the public or a single individual, or be the means of doing even a small good to this happy and thriving province.

I remain, sir,

Yours most truly.