Report of the Committee on Public Expenditures on the memorial and accounts of Colonel James Thomas, Quarter-master General

U.S. 14th congress, 2nd session, 1816-1817. House. Doc. 85

Grant of Permission for lease of military lands from Sir Robert Prescott to Thomas Clark, 1798-1801.

Transcript (original spelling and grammar retained): By His Excellency Robert Prescott Esquire, Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over His Majestys Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, General and Commander in Chief of all His Majesty’s forces in the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and their several Dependencies and in the Island of Newfoundland &ca. &ca. &ca. I do hereby authorise and permit Thomas Clark of Queenstown in the County of Lincoln in the Province of Upper Canada merchant to take possession of all that Lot, piece and parcel of Land (being part of the land reserved by his Majesty for Military purposes) situate, lying and being at Queenstown in the Township of Newark, in the Home District in the said Province of Upper Canada, bounded and abutted as follows, that is to say beginning at the Distance of two Chains and ninety links from the South East End of his Majesty’s Store House, the said distance being measured along the Bank up Stream, thence South thirty nine degrees and an half West one Chain and fifty links thence south fifty degrees and an half East one Chain and thirty links thence North thirty nine degrees and an half East to the Edge of the Bank and from thence along the Bank to the place of beginning, containing thirty one perches and one hundred and twenty five square links and to occupy and hold the said Lot, piece and parcel of Land during pleasure subject nevertheless to the provisoes and Conditions herein after contained, that is to say. First on condition that it shall and may be lawful to and for His Majesty his Heirs and Successors and to and for the Commander in Chief of His Majesty Forces for the time being and to and for the Officer commanding his Majesty’s Forces in Upper Canada for the time being and to and for either of them to determine and make void this present permission to occupy during pleasure the said Lot, Piece or Parcel of Land above described at any time hereafter whenever he or they shall see fit so to do without any compensation or indemnification to the said Thomas Clark or any other Person or Persons whosoever for any Loss Injury or Damage which he the said Thomas Clark or any other Person or Persons whosoever may thereby sustain. Secondly on this further Condition that it shall and may be lawful to and for His Majesty his Heirs and Successors and to and for his and their Officers, Soldiers and Servants at any time hereafter by order of the Commander in Chief of His Majesty’s Forces for the time being or by order of the Officer commanding his Majesty’s forces in Upper Canada for the time being or by order of the Officer of His Majesty’s Corps of Royal Engineers commanding in the said Province of Upper Canada for the time being to enter upon the said Lot Piece and parcel of Land which the said Thomas Clark is hereby permitted to occupy during pleasure or upon any part thereof and to take down and from the said Lot piece and parcel of Land or from any part thereof to remove any dwelling House Store or other Buildings on the said Lot, piece or Parcel of Land or any part thereof erected and to remove any goods or Chattels on the said Lot piece and parcel of Land or on any part thereof or on any such dwelling House Store or other building found or being and that His Majesty his Heirs and Successors or any other Person or Persons whosoever shall not be liable or responsible to the said Thomas Clark or to any other Person or Persons whosoever for any Loss, Injury or Damage which he or they shall or may in such case sustain. Thirdly on this further Condition that the said Thomas Clark shall not erect on the said Lot Piece or Parcel of Land which the said Thomas Clark is hereby permitted to occupy during pleasure or upon any part thereof at any time or times hereafter any dwelling House store or other Building whatsoever of Stone or brick or of any other materials wood only exccepted and that if any dwelling House or Store or other building of Stone or brick or of any other materials except wood shall at any time be erected on the said Lot, piece or parcel of Land or upon any part thereof, then and in such case, this present permission and every Clause and Article thereof shall from thenceforth cease and determine and be absolutely and entirely null and void. And lastly on this further Condition that the said Thomas Clark or any other Person whosoever shall not assign this permission to occupy the said Lot, Piece or Parcel of Land above described to any Person of Persons whosoever, and if any such assignment shall be made by the said Thomas Clark or by any other Person in his right, or on his behalf, that then and in such case such assignment and this permission to occupy during pleasure the said Lot piece and parcel of Land above described, and every Clause and Article thereof shall from thenceforth cease and determine and be absolutely and entirely null and void. Given under my hand at the Castle of St. Lewis in the City of Quebec in the Province of Lower Canada this Ninth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety eight and in the thirty eighth year of His Majesty’s Reign. [Signed here by Robert Prescott] By Order of the Commander in Chief [Signed here by James Green (Illegible signature)] I the said Thomas Clark above named do hereby accept the above written Permission to occupy during pleasure the said Lot piece and parcel of Land above described upon and subject to the several Provisioes and Conditions above written and each and every of them severally and respectively. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the Sixteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety eight and in the thirty eighth year of His Majesty’s Reign. [Signed here by Thomas Clark] Signed in the presence of [Illegible signature – looks like J. M Donell Lt. Col.] [Illegible – looks like 2d. Battn R. C. Sm?] [Signed here by C. Anderson] Whereas Inconveniences did arise from the peculiar situation of the Ground contiguous to the above described Lot of Land and the occupation thereof, if estimated by the above Limits would prove highly disadvantageous to Mr. Thomas Clark be it known that in consideration thereof we do permit the above Lot to extend one half Chain more in length up stream so as to comprehend the space allowed for the Road between Lots Two + Three, and we do hereby appropriate the said additional space wholly to the use of the said Thomas Clark. In witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed this Thirteenth Day of October in the Year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred and one. [Signed here by J. M’Donell Lt. Col] 2d. Battn. R. C. [in?] Com of Fort George + Dependencies Robt. Pilkington Captain Royal Engineers

Letters to Secretary General Drummond from Thomas Scott, July 1814

Thomas Scott (1746-1824) was a politician and judge originally from Scotland. He came to Canada in 1800 after accepting the appointment of Attorney General of Upper Canada, and in 1806 was promoted to Chief Justice of Upper Canada. The declaration of war in 1812 brought into question the loyalty of the colony’s population, who were largely born in America. As concerns over allegiance intensified, the government sought out traitors in an attempt to make an example of them and deter others. The subsequent trials of citizens accused of treason resulted in 15 convictions, including Jacob Overholser. These trials were intended to assert the authority of the state, but also to demonstrate clemency. Only 8 of the convicts were executed, with the rest being banished from the colony. Scott supported these measures, although they were largely initiated by Attorney General John Beverly Robinson. Thomas Scott retired in 1816 and died in 1824.

Martin Walsh fonds

Martin “Bud” Walsh served in the Canadian Merchant Navy during the Second World War as a fireman stoking boilers. He continued to serve in the Navy after the war, until December 1948. In 1949, he joined the Crowland Police Department as a constable. He subsequently worked as a constable with the Welland Police Department and was promoted several times, eventually to deputy chief in 1969. In 1971, he became superintendent of the St. Catharines detachment of the regional force. He has been the recipient of several prestigious awards honouring his contributions to his country, including the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977) and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).

Educating for Community Resilience: How the Work of Thomas Homer-Dixon and JohnDewey's Pattern of Inquiry Can Help Us Prepare for the Ecological and Social Challenges of the 21st Century

Scientists have overwhelmingly concluded that global warming occurs as a consequence of human activities and that climate change, combined with the depletion of resources, could have catastrophic consequences for the human civilization later this century. However, in political circles and in the public sphere these conclusions are not taken seriously, or they are laid aside for future generations to deal with; at the same time, significant efforts are being deployed to discredit the scientific evidence. In this thesis I have studied the positions of climate scientists as well as those of climate change deniers, and I also examined how their points of view are likely to impact the interests and habits of corporations and citizens. The work of Thomas Homer-Dixon was used as an important source for analyzing the complex interaction between our natural, economic, and social systems, and John Dewey's pattern of inquiry provided the theoretical foundation for an analysis of the current crisis and its possible solutions. No concerted action to deal with climate change has yet been taken by the leaders of the Western world; I corroborated data from four reliable sources (Hansen, 2009; IPCC, 2007; Lynas, 2007; Steffen, 2011) regarding several development scenarios and their likely consequences on greenhouse gas emissions, and I concluded that a future temperature increase of more than 2°C appears now as unavoidable. In the light of this conclusion I argue that education for increasing the resilience of smaller communities is a realistic alternative that can offer some hope in dealing with the challenges ahead.

Letter to Mr. Walsh, Registrar Office, 1836

The man to whom the letter is addressed is Francis Leigh Walsh who was a land surveyor and registrar. Mr. Walsh was born on March 12, 1789 in Harford County, Maryland to Thomas Welsh, a United Empire Loyalist. In 1793, his family moved to Norfolk County and in 1810, Francis succeeded his father as registrar for Norfolk County. During the War of 1812 he served in the local militia and became a captain in 1824. He was the representative for Norfolk in the legislative assembly of Upper Canada from 1820 to 1828 and 1834 to 1836. He became justice of the peace in the London district in 1821 and 1838 in the Talbot district. He died in Simcoe on Oct. 14th, 1884. His son, Aquila Walsh served in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada and in the Canadian House of Commons. Benjamin Hardison was born in Berwick in the Thirteen Colonies (British colonies on the Atlantic Coast of North America) on April 2, 1757 to Thomas Hardison and Mary Chadbourne. He was a farmer, miller and political figure. He was the representative for 4th Lincoln and Norfolk in the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada from 1797-1800. On January 21, 1800 he married Jane Warren. He served with the American forces during the American Revolution at which time he was taken prisoner and sent to Canada. Later, he settled in Fort Erie where he was a captain in the militia and a justice of the peace for the Niagara district. He operated mills and a distillery in Fort Erie and died there on July 26, 1823. Source: http://en.vionto.com/show/me/Francis+Leigh+Walsh http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Hardison

H.A.S. Dearborn letter, May 29, 1812

H.A.S. (Henry Alexander Scammell) Dearborn (1783-1851) was the son of Henry Dearborn, the American politician and veteran of the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. In the War of 1812, H.A.S Dearborn served as Brigadier General of the volunteer forces, responsible for the defence of Boston Harbour. From 1812-1829 he was collector of customs in Boston, from 1831-1833 he served as a representative from Massachusetts in the United States Congress, was adjutant general of Massachusetts from 1834-1843 and mayor of Roxbury from 1847-1851. Letter transcription: Dear Sir, My success in the line of recruiting has exceeded my most sanguine expectations. I have enlisted 24 1st Lt. 30—my 2nd Lt. 13, and my Ensign 9—Total 76. All very [ablebodied] men. In all probability my company will be full before the last day of June. I shall be in Boston on the 10th of June. I have not yet had the pleasure to hear of the arrival of your father at Boston. Please to offer my respects to your family, and to all my friends in the [office]. In haste, Yours, A.M. Clary.

Thomas's Massachusetts spy, or, Worcester Gazette, 1 March 1815 (vol. 44, no. 2186) - Newspaper

Volumes of interest were published between 1812 and 1815 with articles about the War of 1812. Issue for Mar. 1, 1815: The front page of this issue has the: "TREATY Of Peace And Amity, Between his Britannick Majesty and the United States of America." Hereafter, and concluding on pg. 2, are the eleven articles of the treaty, signed in type: John Q. Adams, James A. Bayard, Henry Clay, Albert Gallatin, and several others. Page 2 also has the message from the President that he forwarded a copy of the treaty to Congress, signed in type: James Madison.

The American Naval and Patriotic Songster: As Sung at Various Places of Amusement, in Honour of Hull, Jones, Decatur, Perry, Bainbridge, Lawrence, Etc. Etc. Etc. (1834)

Volume of songs sung in praise of celebrated American War of 1812 heroes.

A Brief Statement of the Transactions and Accounts of Qr. M. Gen. James Thomas, attached to the Army on the Niagara Frontier, in the year 1812-1813 (1815)

A principle cause of the failure of the campaign on the Niagara Frontier in 1812 was the deficiency of subsistence for the troops; as quartermaster general, Thomas received much of the blame. His defense is offered here.

Letter from Thomas Tudor Tucker, treasurer of the United States: transmitting his accounts for 1816, February 25, 1817

Bound with: Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury transmitting statements of the importations of goods, wares and merchandise... (60 p.).

Obituary of Dr. Cyrus Sumner, 1834

An obituary for Dr. Cyrus Sumner, dated October 1834. Details include a move from his native state of Connecticut to "this province in the year 1802" and describes his time as a studying and practicing as a Doctor and his return to his farm after the war.

Thomas Millard - Captain's Appointment 1814

Document appointing Thomas Millard, Esquire to as "Captain of a Troop in the North Somerset Regiment Cavalry". The appointment is signed and declared "By the Right Honourable John Earl Poulett, Viscount, and Baron of Hinton Saint George of the most Ancient Order of the Thistle and Lord Lieutenant of the County of Somerset". Dated 1814

Certificate of Acceptance and Initiation to Canadian Order Chosen Friends - Thomas Cowan

A certificate of initiation and acceptance to the Canadian Order Chosen Friends, Thomas Cowan. The certificate reads "This certifies that evidence has been received that Thomas Cowan has been accepted and initiated by the Council name below, and has thus become a member of the Canadian Order of Chosen Friends, and entitled to all the rights and privileges of membership and a benefit of not exceeding one thousand dollars from the relief fund of said order, which shall in case of death be paid to Annie Cowan his wife in the manner and subject to the conditions set forth in the laws governing said relief fund and in the application for membership. This certificate to be in force and binding when accepted in writing by the said member, with the acceptance attested by the Councilor and Recorder and the seal of the Subordinate Council affixed, so long as said member shall comply with the requirements of the Constitution, Laws and Regulations now in force or hereafter adopted for the government of the Order: otherwise, and also in the case of granting of a new certificate, to be null and void. In witness whereof, we have hereunto attached our signatures, and affixed the seal of the Grand Council of the Canadian Order of Chosen Friends. Dated the Twenty Seventh day of July, A.D. 1891." The front and back of the certificate are available for viewing.

Marriage Certificate - Thomas Cowan & Annie Easling, 1884

A marriage certificate for Thomas Cowan of Thorold and Annie Easling of St. Catharines. The certificate is dated October 8, 1884 and is witnessed by W. Ross and Jennie McElroy.