Pioneers of Hastings County

Exerpts from the Illustrated Historical Atlas of the

Counties of Hastings and Prince Edward

1878

Prepared by Linda Herman

Thurlow Township

The Township of Thurlow or the ninth town is bounded on the south by the Bay Of Quinte, on the west by the township of Sidney, on the north by Huntingdon and on the east by Tyendinaga. The Moira River, named after the Earl of Moira, afterward Marquis of Hastings, or Sagottaska, its original Indian name, runs through the township in a south-westerly direction. Though not certain, it is believed the name of the township was derived from some titled nobleman who had held an office under the British Government.

During the year 1787, Louis Kotte surveyed and laid out the front concession of Thurlow which was taken up by the families of Capt. John Singleton, Lieut. Ferguson, an Indian Trader, David Vanderhyden, John and Alex Chisholm and probably Capt. John Walter Myers, who it is said, located upon the front of Thurlow previous to his removal to Sidney.

In 1789 a large number of loyalists from the United States arrived. Among these we find the names of Russell Pitman, Archibald McKenzie, Solomon Hazelton, ____ McMichael, William Cook, Sedic Thrasher, Asa Turner, Stephen and Laurence Bagley, John Taylor, William Reed, and his sons, Samuel, William, John and Solomon, Richard Smith, John Longwell, Conelly, and Sherard. These were followed a few years afterward by the families of Richard Canniff and Robert Thompson.

In 1790 Capt. Myers built a saw mill and afterwards a grist mill on the east bank of the Moira River, which was in all probability the foundation of the present day city of Belleville, then known as Myers Creek. The names of Edward and J. Carscallion, Fairman, Bidwell, Wm. Johnson, Samuel Sherwood, Coon Frederick, and Crawford are inscribed upon an old map of Thurlow on file in the Crown Lands office as having settled about 1792-3 upon the front and first concession.

The records of the Township of Thurlow previous to 1862 are not in the possesion of the Township Clerk and have probably been destroyed. However in Dr. Canniff’s "History of the Settlement of Upper Canada" we find the following;

"fifth day of March 1798…the following persons were chosen town officers:"

John McIntosh, Town Clerk; John Chisholm and William Reid, Assessors; Joseph Walker, Collector; Samuel B. Gilbert, John Reid, and William Johnston, Pathmasters; John Cook and Daniel Lawrence, Town Wardens; John Taylor, Pound-Keeper; John Fairman, Constable; John McIntosh, Jabez Davis, Caleb Benedict, Roswell Levens, John Frederick, Daniel Canniff, James McDonald, D.B. Sole, Dr. Hayden, who is reported to have taken sides with the Rebels in 1837 and escaped-his wife refusing to hand over the township records- all held the office of town clerk.

It is believed that J.J. Farley was the first Reeve of Thurlow. From 1860 J.J. Farley, Daniel Clapp, Alex Wilson, Philip Clapp, S. Chrysler, John Canniff, John Vandwater, John Thompson, Simon Chrysdale. Wm Stevens, Archiblad Ross, Wm H. Sills, D.D. Cheesboro, Wm McDavitt, , P.R. Daley, J. N. Diamond and S. H. Fairman have served in the Township Council.

In 1878 there were 1,334 ratepayers with a population of about 6,750. The Belleville and Grand Junction R.R. runs through the township, while macadamized roads lead in every direction.

There are several small villages in the township, the principal of which is Cannifton about four miles from Belleville. It was first settled, about 1806, by the family of John Canniff. In 1812 Mr Canniff erected a flouring mill there on the banks of the Moira River. The progress of the village was slow for some years probably due to its close proximity to Belleville. During the last ten years several new building have been added to the village, mills, schools and churches built and enlarged. There are flouring, saw and woollen mills, tanneries and other manufacturing establishments. A short distance down the river are paper mills and about a mile and a quarter up the river is located Corby’s flouring mill and distillery, one of the largest institutions in the country. In 1878, it has a population of 1.000.

Plainsfield, a small post village is situated at a point on the Moira, a short distance above Corby’s distillery. There are flouring and saw mills, an hotel and store. Still further up the river are located Latta’s mills comprising three saw and one flouring mill.

Thrasher’s Corners is situated upon the Roslin and Tweed macadamized road about eight miles from Belleville and is principally interesting as having been the scene of an exraordinary combat between old Mr Thrasher, the father of the clerk of the township and two full grown bears, both of which he killed with a club. There is a tavern at the corners.

The post village of Roslin is situated in the north east corner of the township. There are several stores, the extensive carriage manufactory of Wm. Hudson, the 1^st Deputy Reeve of Thurlow, and an hotel. Considerable business is done here on account of its being on the principal road to Belleville 15 miles distant.

The post village of Foxboro, formerly Smithville, is situated upon the elbow of the river Moira in the western part of the township of Thurlow, about eight miles from Belleville and founded by Wm. Ashley, who purchased Lot 2 in the 5^th concession in 1824. In 1835 he commenced the manufacture of waggons which formed the nucleus of the present village. There is also a cheese factory, other manufactories, several stores, schools, churches and a number of beautiful private dwelling houses. Population about 150.

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