[herrington] first LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO 235 



live question. Concerning the advisability of a separation there was 

 but one opinion throughout Lennox and Addington, and the only 

 question upon which all parties could not agree was the selection of a 

 county town. At one time Bath would have been an easy winner 

 but the course of the Grand Trunk Railway which was chosen several 

 miles north of the village placed it out of the running. Newburgh 

 and Napanee each sought the coveted prize and left nothing unsaid or 

 undone to defeat the ambitious aims of the other. The county was 

 divided into two opposing forces and at their respective heads were the 

 former partners Stevenson and Ham. They were first drawn into the 

 fight from a purely business standpoint; but finally they both entered 

 the arena of municipal politics and studied the question of separation 

 at close range from their places as members of the council of the 

 united counties, the one having been elected Reeve of Napanee and 

 the other, Reeve of Newburgh. The struggle was a long and bitter 

 one, which for nine years defeated the main object they had in view; 

 but in the end the Stevenson forces were victorious, the separation 

 became an accomplished fact and the fighting Reeve of Napanee was 

 elected the first warden of Lennox and Addington in 1863, held the 

 position for three successive terms and was followed in the warden's 

 chair by his old partner and opponent who held the office for two years. 

 To the credit of both men it can be said that when the decisive step 

 was taken and the county town finally selected, they laid aside their 

 differences and worked together, shoulder to shoulder, for the good of 

 the county.^ 



Stevenson seemed to recognize the fact, which many men have 

 learned at great expense and often to their great sorrow, that politics 

 is not a very good stepping stone for a young man just embarking upon 

 a business career, and, while he closely observed what was going on in 

 the political world and formed his own opinions upon the issues be- 

 fore the people from time to time, he steadfastly declined to be drawn 

 into the fighting lines. It was not until he had established himself in 

 several business enterprises and had begun to install his sons as man- 

 agers of them that he allowed his name to be placed in nomination even 

 for municipal honors, and then only at the request of the business men 

 of the village of Napanee who believed him to be the strongest man to 

 handle the question of separation, and so he proved to be. 



During his term of wardenship, all of the difficult problems arising 

 out of the separation were disposed of in a most satisfactory manner. 

 The apportionment of the debts of the former united counties, the 



1 Lennox and Addington is the only example in the province of a double name for 

 one county as the true name is "The County of Lennox and Addington." The sepa- 

 ration from Frontenac was finally effected in 1863. 



