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History of the Township of North Dumfries
The Honourable James Young wrote about the North Dumfries area in "Reminiscences of the Early History of Galt and the Settlement of Dumfries," and it is from his work that the beginnings of this Township were recorded. In it he states that the land later known as North and South Dumfries was deeded to Mr. Philip Stedman on February 5, 1798 from Colonel Joseph Brant of the Six Nations. On the deed the land is described as Block No. 1, comprising 94,305 acres and Mr. Stedman bought it for 8841 Pounds. A few years later, Mr. Stedman passed away and his sister inherited the property, but she sold it in 1811 to Honourable Thomas Clarke. In 1816, unable to continue payments, the land was bought by Honourable William Dickson for 24,000 pounds.
Mr. Dickson came from Dumfries Scotland in 1792, and settled in Niagara or Newark. Mr. Dickson wanted to use this land and build a community, so he enlisted the help of Absalom Shade. In July 1816, Mr. Dickson and Mr. Shade went forth and searched for the perfect area to start a town, and they found it at the junction of the Grand River and Mill Creek. Mr. Dickson soon had the land surveyed, and it is at this point that he decided to call it Dumfries after his place of birth. The first industry in the Township was Shade's Grist Mill, but sawmills started by 1817.
In 1817 the Township had a population of 38 families, which constituted over 163 people.
In 1820, Mr. Dickson employed the services of Mr. John Telfer who went to Scotland to enlist people to buy land and to come live in Canada. From 1825 until early 1832, there was a steady stream of settlers to the area, resulting in a dominance of Scottish persons living in this Township. By 1832 every plot in Mr. Dickson's tract of land was filled, and most of the settlers were Scottish.
The first municipal meeting for the Township of Dumfries North was held in 1819, and these meetings continued until 1836 when the Provincial Legislature passed a new law which let taxpayers of Dumfries to elect three Township Commissioners. In 1842 two District Councillors were elected and their names were Alex Buchanan and Hiram Capron. In 1850 taxpayers were allowed the freedom of electing five councillors to manage the business of the township.
The current form of the Township of North Dumfries was established in the year 1973.
The Township of North Dumfries consists of:
| Ayr |
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The Village of Ayr had its beginnings in 1824 when Abel Mudge erected a saw mill at the junction of Smith and Cedar Creek. Originally, there were two small settlements, Jedburgh and Nithvale and the two constantly competed. This finally ended in 1840 when a post office was established at Mudges' Mill by Robert Wyllie and he renamed the settlements Ayr. Nithvale is in Canada' history books as the place where Mackenzie's followers met before heading off to York (Toronto) for the 1837 Rebellions. The first newspaper in Ayr was started by Mr. James Somerville in 1854, while the Ayr library was built in 1849-50 becoming the Mechanic's Institute in 1856. The Watson Foundry was started by John Watson in 1847, and although he only produced cast iron pots, he was soon able to grow his business and eventually would manufacture stoves and finally agricultural implements. Mr. Watson and all of the other businesses teamed their goods over to the Village of Paris where it was taken onto the train. This went on from 1854 until 1879 when the Credit Railway finally opened in Ayr. The Village of Ayr was incorporated in 1884 and John Watson was appointed Reeve. On January 1, 1973, Ayr was amalgamated with North Dumfries Township in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. |
| Branchton |
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This village took shape in August 1856 when James Pollock of Galt planned a subdivision. Mr. Rosebrugh became very interested in the project and he soon established a sawmill, flourmill and later a store, tavern and an inn were opened.
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| Roseville |
| The first settlers to the area called it "The Settlement", but it was soon decided that a new name should be chosen. The townsfolk got together and all of the people from Pennsylvania were firm that the name had to end in 'ville' and so they suggested Brickerville, Erbsville and Snyderville. It is said that an English shoemaker by the name of Rose suggested Roseville, and since everyone liked it, they decided to keep that name.
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| Black Horse Corners |
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Black Horse Corners is located at the corner of Cedar Creek Road and Northumberland Street. At one time this thriving settlement had a tannery, fulling mill, pump shop, shingle mill, wagon, shoemaker and a blacksmith shop.
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| Reidsville |
| This little settlement at the intersection of Reidsville Road and Alps Road was started on August 11, 1831 when John Reid bought 50 acres of land and built a sawmill. |
| Clyde |
| The small village was first settled in 1831 by a man named William Anderson, who with his wife lived in a sea of trees until the land was cleared and used for farming. In 1832 two other families moved into the area. On January 1, 1973 with the introduction of Regional Government Structure, the Township of North Dumfries got a portion of Beverly Township, including the Village of Clyde. |
The Crest of the Township of North Dumfries
The crest of the Township of North Dumfries was designed to represent three distinct characteristics of our community:
| Nature |
| The beaver and the graphic representation of wetlands. |
| Industry |
| The gears and cogs and the thistle representing the Village of Ayr where, until recently, most industry in the Township was located. |
| Agriculture |
| The water wheel and the plow representing the traditional agrarian focus of the community. |
Each of these elements are presented as being equal in importance, yet still interdependent on each other forming a coherent whole.
Indigenous Reconciliation
| Acknowledgement |
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The Township of North Dumfries is situated upon the traditional territories of the Neutral, Anishnaabe (pronounced Ah-nish-naw-bay) and Haudenosaunee (pronounced Ho-den-noh-show-nee) peoples. We are also on the Haldimand Tract Land. In 1784 the British Crown awarded all six Haudenosaunee nations (Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Onodaga, Seneca and Tuscarora) the Haldimand Tract, which encompasses six miles on either side of the Grand River, extending from the headwaters near Dundalk to Port Maitland at the mouth of the River on Lake Erie. This use of this land was promised to the Haudenosaunee Confederation on October 25, 1784 to compensate them for the loss of their lands in upstate New York when they allied with the British who were defeated in the American Revolutionary war. The Mohawk name for the Grand River is O:se Kenhionhata:tie, which means “Willow River”, named for the many willows in the watershed.
We extend our respect to all First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples for their past and present contributions to this land. We also recognize and respect the cultural diversity that First Nations, Métis and Inuit bring to the Township of North Dumfries. Our community is enriched by the enduring knowledge and deep-rooted traditions of the diverse First Nations, Métis and Inuit in North Dumfries today. |
| Local Indigenous Organizations |
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There are many local Indigenous organizations you can support. We encourage you to visit their websites, follow them, support them, and listen to their calls for help and donations. Many Indigenous community members and members of these organizations are working through a time of mourning. Some will be accepting donations, others will not, but it’s important to get familiar with local Indigenous groups, communities and organizations as part of our journey toward reconciliation. Relationship building is an important step toward that journey.
You may be interested in donating to the organizations listed below. Many of these are national-level organizations, many are youth-led or survivor-led. All are focused on protecting Indigenous peoples, Indigenous cultures and Indigenous histories.
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| History of Local Indigenous Peoples |
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Local Indigenous peoples of Waterloo Region include (but are not limited to) Anishinaabe Peoples, Neutral Peoples and Haudenosaunee Peoples.
Haudenosaunee Peoples (People of the Longhouse) is made up of the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, Senecas and the Tuscaroras, and was intended as a way to unite the nations and create a peaceful decision making. Haudenosaunee are united by a common goal to live in harmony.
Described as the oldest, participatory democracy on Earth, the Haudenosaunee constitution has inspired many forms of democracy across the world. Law, society and nature are equal partners & each play an important role. The largest reserve in North America is the Six Nations of the Grand River.
Anishinaabe people’s original ancestral home was located on the north shore of LakeHuron. During the 17th century, the Anishinaabe split, with groups migrating east of the Bay of Quinte and southern Ontario. During the 18th century, the Anishinaabe began losing land due to European settlement and the northern movement of the Haudenosaunee into southwestern Ontario. Today, Anishinaabe include the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Aamjiwnaang, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, and the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point.
The Neutral Confederacy was a political and cultural union of Iroquoian nations who lived in the Hamilton-Niagara district of southwestern Ontario and across the Niagara River to western New York before their dispersal by the Seneca in the mid-17th century. Some surviving Neutral migrated west and south, where they were absorbed by various Haudenosaunee communities. As a result of this scattering, information about pre-contact Neutral history comes mainly from Jesuit records and archaeological excavations.The Neutral were the largest Indigenous society in the Eastern Woodlands during the early 1600s, numbering about 40,000 people. They also had an army of approximately 4,000 to 6,000 warriors.
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| Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) |
| May 5 is National Day Of Awareness For Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women And Girls. This day is also known as Red Dress Day across Canada. Wear red on May 5 to create awareness of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Read the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. |
| National Indigenous History Month |
| In June, we commemorate National Indigenous History Month to recognize the history, heritage and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada. |
| National Indigenous Peoples Day |
| On June 21 we celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day. This is a day to celebrate the heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. |
| National Day for Truth and Reconciliation |
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The Government of Canada passed legislation to make September 30 a federal statutory holiday called the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This day is an important step in the reconciliation process. It provides an opportunity to recognize and commemorate the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools, and to honour their survivors, their families and communities. September 30 has also been known as Orange Shirt Day, in recognition of the harm the residential school system did to Indigenous children's sense of self-esteem and well being. Learn more about Orange Shirt Day by reading Phyllis' Story. If you, or someone you know, is experiencing pain or distress as a result from their past experiences with residential schools, we urge you to please call the Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419) provided by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and available 24 hours a day. You can also call the Crisis Line to get information on other health supports provided by the Health Canada Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program.
What Can You Do To Help?These are suggestions from Woodland Cultural Centre for you to take action! 1. Read the 94 Calls To Action provided by the Truth and Reconciliation CommissionYou can find the Calls to Action here and also visit the TRC website for many additional resources regarding the Truth and Reconciliation Report. Click Here for a child-friendly educational resource about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action provided by The First Nations Child & Family Caring Society.
2. Educate Yourself About Indigenous CultureResidential schools are part of Indigenous history but it is not part of Indigenous culture. Educate yourself on the peoples’ culture of the traditional territory you live on. Listen, watch, and read!
3. Educate Yourself About the History of Residential SchoolsWoodland Cultural Centre provides numerous resources about residential schools. They also recommend checking out the Witness Blanket, by artist Carey Newman, at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the documentary, Picking Up The Pieces, that Newman created to go along with the project.
4. Sharing The HistoryAs much as it’s important to educate yourself, what you do with that information is also important. Share the history with your family, friends, workplaces, service organizations, and faith groups. These conversations can be difficult to have but they are essential. We need to ensure that future generations of children are being properly educated on Indigenous history and culture. |