There seems to have been no little antagonism between the villages of Picton and Hallowell. While an effort was earnestly made to make the east side, the heart of the community, the inhabitants of Hallowell strove to fix the central point upon the west side. When Prince Edward was erected into a district, in 1831, and it became necessary to erect a jail and court house, it became a warm question as to the site of the building. The Hallowell Free Press became the channel of a sharp discussion.
In the Press of June 21, 1831, is a letter signed, “A farmer of Sophiasburgh,” one paragraph of which says, “Among all these advantages pointed out in the most striking colours, I have discerned none so great as the $200 so liberally offered by Mr. Macaulay, which $200 must otherwise be paid by the rateable inhabitants of the county.”
The year 1831 seems to have been an important one to the inhabitants, not only of Picton, but the peninsula. Enterprise was the order of the day, and improvements of a public character were in various ways proposed. The Free Press of 5th July, says, under the heading “Another Steamboat,” “We understand that a number of the enterprising inhabitants of this village, have it in contemplation to build a steamboat to ply between this place and Prescott, to perform their trips in a week. A number of merchants and capitalists have offered to take stock. We are of opinion that a boat built and owned by the inhabitants of this county, would be not only useful to the inhabitants of the Peninsula, but profitable to the stockholders. We would suggest to them the propriety of having the channel in the bay at the lower end of the village cleared, so as to allow steamboats to pass up as far as the bridge.”
The present English Church, standing on Church Street, was the first built in Picton. It was erected by the Rev. Wm. Macaulay, aided by a partial loan in 1825. Mr. Macaulay was the first minister; he came to the parish after seven years of officiating at Cobourg, and has remained as Rector ever since. The Roman Catholic chapel, now standing on Church Street, was the first erected, in 1828 or 9, the land having been given for that purpose by Mr. Macaulay. The new stone church was built in 1839. Rev. Mr. Frazer was first minister, in 1828; Rev. Mr. Brennan, occasionally from 1832 to 1836; the Rev. Mr. Lalor from 1836 to the present time.
CHAPTER LIV.
Contents—Eighth Township—Sidney—Name—Survey—Settlement, 1787—Letter from Ferguson—Trading—Barter—Potatoes—Building—Cows—No salt to spare—First settlers—Myers—Re-surveying—James Farley—Town Clerk at first meeting—William Ketcheson—Gilbert’s Cove—Coming to the front River Trent—Old names—Ferry—Bridge—Trenton—Its settlement—Squire Bleeker.
THE EIGHTH TOWNSHIP—SIDNEY—ITS SETTLEMENT.
No Royal name being available for this township, the noble one of Sidney was conferred. The name is derived from Lord Sidney, who, at the time of the Revolutionary War, was His Majesty’s Secretary for the Colonial Department.
A map in the Crown Lands Department, has written upon it “Sidney, in the District of Mecklenburgh, was surveyed in 1787, by Louis Kotte.” This was probably written by Kotte himself. It is most probable that the first lots only were then laid out. While Kotte was the chief surveyor to whom was entrusted the duty, it is gathered from different sources that he was not present to superintend the work. Mr. William Ketcheson, of the fifth concession, who came with his father to the place, in 1800, says that one McDonald was the surveyor, and laid out the land as far back as the 5th concession, when he died.
While the townships fronting upon the two shores of the Bay were being surveyed in the western portion, not a few were on the look out for a good location. These parties consisted of all classes, but it appears most likely that the majority of those who had the first choice were individuals connected with the surveyors, and who had influence with them. The officers, naturally, enjoyed greater privileges, and some of them sought suitable spots with the view of trading with the Indians, or streams of water to supply power for sawing and flouring-mills.