We have a copy of the Upper Canada Herald before us, dated June 27, 1832, vol. xiv. which gives us the period at which it was started.
Barker’s Canadian Magazine, published at Kingston, by Edward John Barker, M. D., commenced May, 1846.
——The Victoria Magazine, a monthly periodical, was issued first in September, 1841, by Joseph Wilson, of Belleville, formerly of the Hallowell Free Press. Like many a one subsequently commenced, the Magazine had but a brief existence. It continued just one year.
The editors were Sheriff Moodie, and his accomplished wife, whose writings have gained for her a European reputation of no ordinary standing. Mrs. Moodie may be regarded as the pioneer of Canadian literature, and, as a long standing inhabitant of the Bay, she claims a brief notice in these pages, to give which affords the writer but a meagre opportunity to express his own high estimation of, and gratitude to a personal friend, whose kind words of encouragement has so frequently been a stimulus to action, when his energies flagged in this undertaking.
Morgan, in his Bibliotheca Canadensis, a most useful compilation, says: Mrs. Moodie is “well known in Canada and Great Britain for her works, and as an extensive contributor to the periodical literature of both countries. Born at Bungay, County of Suffolk, England, sixth December, 1803. She is a member of the talented Strickland family, of Beydon Hall, in the above County; four of her sisters, Elizabeth, Agnes, (the best known), Jane, and Mrs. Trail, have each contributed to the literature of the day. Both Mrs. Moodie and her sisters were educated by their father, who is represented to have been a gentleman of education, refined taste, and some wealth. Mrs. M. was only in her thirteenth year, when her father died. As early as her fifteenth year, she began to write for the press generally, for annuals and for periodicals, contributing short poems and tales for children. About 1820, she produced her first work of any pretension—a juvenile tale, which was well received by the public and the press. In the following year she married Mr. Moodie, a half-pay officer from the 21st Fusileers, and, in 1832, emigrated with her husband, to Canada. They bought a farm near Port Hope, which, however, they only held for a short time, removing to the back woods, ten miles north of Peterborough, where they settled. There they remained for a period of eight years, experiencing all the trials, mishaps and troubles incident to early settlers, and which are so graphically narrated and depicted by Mrs. M. in her “Roughing it in the Bush.” In 1839, Mr. Moodie was appointed Sheriff of Hastings, (an office from which he retired a few years since,) and, with his wife, took up his residence at Belleville, where they have since lived. During the existence of the Literary Garland, (Montreal), Mrs. M. was the principal contributor of fiction to its pages. For some years she edited the Victoria Magazine, (Belleville). Her contributions to these and other annuals, magazines, and newspapers, would fill many volumes.”
The work for which Mrs. Moodie became more especially famous, was “Roughing it in the Bush;” but other volumes are exceedingly interesting, as “Flora Lindsay,” “Mark Hurdlestone,” “Geoffry Moreton,” or the “Faithless Guardian,” and “Life in the Clearings.”
“John Wedderburn Dunbar Moodie, formerly Lieutenant in the 21st Reg. of Fusileers,” saw action in Holland, where he was wounded; he was a writer for the United Service Journal, Literary Garland, (Montreal), and author of “Ten Years in Africa,” and “Scenes and Adventures as a Soldier and Settler, during half a Century.”
The Victoria Magazine was succeeded by the Eclectic Magazine, Joseph Wilson being Editor and Proprietor. This monthly was also continued only one year. Mr. Wilson now commenced a “family paper called Wilson’s Experiment,” and soon after, in connection with it, Wilson’s Canada Casket. These were issued alternately every two weeks, and were continued for two years. They had a large circulation, as Mr. Wilson avers, at the last about 6,000. The subscribers were not only in Canada, but in the Lower Provinces. The journals were discontinued, not because they did not pay; but in consequence of embarrassment from other causes.
The Bee was the first newspaper published in Napanee, in 1851, by the Rev. G. D. Greenleaf, Editor and Proprietor. It was a small sheet, and semi-political, at one dollar per year. It was printed on a press of the owner’s own construction, and continued two years, when it was succeeded by the Emporium, published by the same person, at the same office. It was somewhat larger than the Bee, and was two dollars a year. Its existence extended but little over a year.
The Standard was the third journal established at Napanee, 1853, by a joint-stock company. It was in the interest of the Conservatives. Its first editor was Dr. McLean, formerly of Kingston. Subsequently, the paper came under the management of Alexander Campbell, Esq., and continued for a few years. It then passed into the hands of Mr. A. Henry. It is still published by Henry and Brother.