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Documents dating pre-1840 and linked to the 1837 Upper Canada
Rebellion have come home to Bruce County.
Thanks to the determination and foresight of the Bruce County
Historical Society, family photographs and letters once
belonging to John Stewart, a prominent figure from the Upper
Canada Rebellion of 1837, have been returned.
"It's not often that documents relating to the history of a
Bruce County resident from pre-1840 surface," says Ann-Marie
Collins, Archivist for Bruce County, "and it's even more
extraordinary when those documents are deemed to be of
historical importance by the Archives of Ontario."
Stewart, a Scottish immigrant, befriended William Lyon Mackenzie
and joined the short-lived Upper Canada Rebellion that fought
for responsible government. Stewart and many others were
arrested for their involvement but he was able to escape from
prison and fled to the United States for a time.
The collection includes letters sent to Stewart, while he was a
fugitive. He was ultimately pardoned and returned to Canada
settling in Esquasing Township near Milton and then moving to
Paisley where he operated a farm implements foundry. Stewart is
buried at the Paisley Cemetery. The items were offered up for
sale in January in Aberfoyle at an auction. Members of the Bruce County
Historical Society approved funds to purchase the documents and attended
the auction.
"Our intention was, and still is, to donate the collection to the Bruce
County Museum & Cultural Centre in Southampton," said Karen Ribey,
President of the Society. (next column)
09/02/2009 10:17 PM
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They authorized Collins to bid on their behalf. Even
though she was the highest bidder, with a bid of $2,500, Collins was not
successful as the reserve bid wasn't met. Since that time however,
negotiations for the purchase have continued with auctioneer, Al Jones,
and Collins is now pleased to announce that, "The Historical Society
took delivery of the collection in Kincardine today (Feb. 9), after Al's
Auctions agreed to waive their fees to make the collection affordable
for purchase by the Society."
While the County does not have acquisitions budget for the Bruce County
Museum & Cultural Centre, its commitment to the preservation of County
history is evident when you tour the state of the art facility they
built and operate in Southampton. "Council wants to preserve documents
and artifacts for generations to come," said Barbara Ribey,
Director-Curator of the centre. Ribey also notes that, "Museum and
Archives staff are well-trained in preservation management and the
well-equipped Reading Room at the facility welcomes visitors and
researchers."
Collins points out that, "Many people in our county have documents and
artifacts relating to Bruce County history in their homes and businesses
that should be preserved. We are always happy to discuss donations, and
families and organizations who have made contributions to our collection
over the years, have done so knowing that their collectables are safe
here and the information is available."
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