James Cotter was an early settler, became the first Justice of the Peace, and, in 1813, was elected to Parliament, and served four years.

The township having been surveyed so that the lots might front upon both sides, there resulted a certain number of Gores, designated respectively by the letters B C D and G. The first of these Gores settled was by Philip Roblin, who was one of the first settlers of the township.

Demerestville.—​This village, which is situated upon lots 38 and 39, of the marsh front, is named after the original settler, Guillame Demerest. The old settlers called him “Demeray”. He was a native of Duchess County, N. Y., and was a boy during the rebellion. He was often engaged in carrying provision to the British army. He continued to live in Duchess County, until 1790, when he came to Canada. He failed to prove his right as a U. E. Loyalist, and consequently “lost a fine grant of land”. He died at Consecon, 1848, aged seventy-nine. The village sprung up from the mills, which were here erected. It was, for many a day, called Sodom. This name, it is stated, arose from the fact that when Mr. Demerest’s first wife was on her death-bed, a ball was given in the place, at which the inhabitants generally attended, and created some little noise, whereupon she said they were “as bad as the inhabitants of Sodom.” The village of Demerestville was incorporated in 1828.

We copy the following from the first record of the township of Sophiasburg, by which it will be seen that their mode of procedure was unlike that observed by other townships. All of the townships were acting by virtue of a common law, but seem to have given the law a widely varying interpretation.

“Passed, at Sophiasburg, at a regular town meeting, held on the 3 day of March, 1800.

“For the better ascertaining astrays, and knowing and describing horses and neat cattle, sheep or swine. Be it understood by this town meeting, that every inhabitant and householder shall, within six weeks from the passing of this Act, have their mark and brands recorded, according to law by the Town Clark.

“And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that any astrays, horses, neat cattle, sheep or swine, that shall be found on any open or improved lands from the twentieth of November to the first of April yearly, and every year the owner or owners of such improvement or cleared lands shall give in their natural mark, or artificial marks, and describe their age, as near as possible, to the Town Clark, who is hereby ordered to record the same in a book, to be kept for that purpose; for which such informer shall receive one shilling for each horse or neat cattle; and sixpence for each sheep or swine. Provided always, and be it so understood, that such astrays above mentioned, is not one of his near neighbors, which shall be left to the Town Clark to decide; and the Clark shall send word to the owner or owners, if he knows them, by the mark or brands; and, if unknown to the Town Clark, he is hereby ordered to advertise them in three different places in this township; for which he shall be entitled to receive from the owner, or owners, as followeth, viz: For sending word, or writing, or recording, or informing any way, one shilling and threepence; if advertised, one shilling and six-pence, for each horse or neat cattle; and for each sheep or swine, six-pence per head. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if any inhabitant or householder who shall leave any astrays, as above mentioned, on his or her cleared lands for eight days, from the 20th day of November to the first of April, and neglect to give notice thereof, as by the above Act mentioned, shall loose the reward for finding, or feeding such astrays, and pay the owner one shilling for each horse or neat cattle; and six-pence for each sheep or swine. And be it further enacted, by the authority, that if no owner or owners shall appear by the first Monday in April, to prove their property, then, and in that case, the Town Clark shall advertise for sale, all such astrays, in three townships, viz., Ameliasburg, Sophiasburg, and Hallowell, for the space of twenty days, describing the marks and brands, color and age, as near as possible; and if no owner or owners shall appear and prove their property, then the Town Clark shall proceed to the sale of such astrays, by appointing the day of sale, to the highest bidder; and, after deducting the expenses, to be adjudged by persons hereafter appointed by each parish, in this town, and the overplus shall be delivered into the hands of a Treasurer, hereafter to be appointed.

“And be it observed—​That all well regulated townships is divided into parishes. Be it enacted, by the majority of votes, that this town shall be divided into parishes, and described as followeth, that is to say: That from lot No. 45, west of Green Point to lot No. 19, shall be a parish by the name of St. John’s, and by the authority aforesaid, that including No. 19, to No. 6, in the Crown Lands, west of Green Point, shall be a parish by the name of St. Matthew. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, That including the tenants on the Crown Lands, and including lot No. 28, shall be a parish by the name of St. Giles; and from Nicholas Wessel’s, to Hallowell, shall be a parish by the name of Mount Pleasant.

“Whereas, all the fines and forfeitures that may incur within our limits, shall be appropriated to charitable uses; we, the inhabitants of Sophiasburg, in our town meetings, on the 3d day of March, 1800, do think it necessary to appoint our Treasurer, in this town, out of the most respectable of its inhabitants, to be Treasurer to this town, to receive all forfeitures and other sums of money that is, or shall be, ordered to be appropriated to charitable uses; which Treasurer is hereby ordered to serve in that connection during good behaviour, or till he shall wish a successor. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, that we do appoint and nominate Peter Valleu, who is appointed Treasurer, who is to keep a book and receive all the moneys coming into his hands, and enter by who received, and for what fined; and when a successor is appointed, he shall give up all the monies he has belonging to said town, with the book and receipts, to the successor, and deliver the same on oath, if required; and that each parish shall nominate one good and respectable inhabitant, who together with the Overseer of the Poor, shall be inspectors to inquire and see that all the fines and forfeitures of this town is regularly received and delivered to said Treasurer. And if any person who comes and proves of any astrays that had been within one year and a day, then the Treasurer and those Parish Inspectors, and the Overseers of the Poor, shall refund such moneys as was delivered to the Treasurer, deducting two shillings on the pound for its fees of said Treasurer. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, that when there is any money in the hands of the Treasurer, and a necessity to lay it out on the same charitable use—​this body corporate shall have the sole management and disposing of, who is to receipt to the Treasurer for the same end, have recorded in his book, and the use they had applied the same and the Treasurer, Overseers of the Poor, and the Parish Inspector may hold meetings and adjourn the same when and as often as they or the major part of them shall choose so to do and shall be a body corporate to sue and be sued on anything that may appertain to their several offices.”

We find no further record until the year 1820, which is as follows: “An Act passed at a town meeting, held at Sophiasburg, 3rd January, 1820, for the relief of the poor in the township of Sophiasburg.