1889-90.] NEWARK IN 1792. 73 



enquiry, and the Report to which I have referred. In that Report we 

 fiud the name of Secord, Servos, Ball, Lt.-Col. John Bntler, Mr. Bradt 

 and others, all of whom had lands just west of the Town Plot of Newark, 

 between the two-mile and the four-mile creek, or as called on the map, 

 between the two-mile and four-mile pond. It is not generally known that 

 Newark was at one time called Lennox. D. W. Smith, in 1794, about 

 the time that the public offices in Newark were being removed to York, 

 thought it proper that he should make a table of distances of places, and 

 other matters, for use in the Crown Land office. It s stated in this table 

 that " Newark, formerly called Lennox, is situated on the west side of the 

 entrance of Niagara River, opposite to the fortress at Niagara on Lake 

 Ontario. This town was laid out in the year 1791, and the buildings were 

 commenced upon the arrival of His Excellency Lt.-GovernorMajor-General 

 Simcoe in 1792. It contains now (1794) about 150 houses — the gaol and 

 Court House for the Home District were erected in this place by an Act 

 of the Provincial Legislature in their first session — the Courts of the 

 General Quarter Sessions of the Peace are holden here. The Court of 

 King's Bench sits here. The first Provincial Parliament met at this place, 

 and the public offices of Government have been held pro teTupore here. 

 Navy Hall, which is situated on the west bank of the river, a little above 

 the town, is the residence of the Lt.-Governor during his stay at this place. 

 The Council House is about half-way between the town and Navy Hall." 

 It will be noticed that Mr. Smith states that in 1794 there were 150 

 houses in Newark. Then how many were there in 1792 ? Dr. Withrow, in 

 his history, gives the number at that date to have been about one hundred. 

 Mr. Isaac Weld, in his travels in America, A. D. 1795-1797, gives a 

 very complete description of Newark as it appeared to him at that time, 

 and there is no reason to believe that it was different in 1792, except 

 as to the number of the people in the town, and the number and class of 

 buildings erected since 1792. Mr. Weld, after describing his trip across 

 Lake Ontario, says : — " The Town of Newark is built parallel to the river. 

 From the deck of our vessel anchored two miles out it could scarcely be 

 seen. Except a few shabby houses at the nearest end, it makes a very fine 

 appearance. We landed at Mississaga Point, from whence there is an 

 agreeable walk of one mile, partly through woods, to the Town of Niagara. 

 The Town of Niagara, contains about seventy houses, a Court House, 

 gaol aud building intended for the accommodation of the Legislative 

 bodies. The houses, with few exceptions, are of wood — those next the 

 lake are poor, but at the upper end of the town there are several very 

 excellent buildings, inhabited by the several principal officers of the 

 Government. Most of the gentlemen in official stations in Upper Canada 

 are Englishmen of education, which renders the society agreeable. Few 



