Early Days in Moore Township 



By MR. ROBERT FLECK 



In undertaking tc sketch a brief article of this township, now an 

 important s-ection of our Province, from memory, and extending to a 

 period of three score and tem years, it may be peri.lexing to write 

 just what is of most interest tc a reader of to-day of the many in- 

 cidents and marvellous changes which in that knig period iiave 

 taken plate. To now pass over this beautiful township, it would be 

 hard indeed to realize the inconvenience, hardship, and discomfort 

 of E.n early pi:.neer. The township was serveyed in the early 

 thirties, fronting on St. Clair River, which maintains .an almost 

 straight southerly flow, a distance of ten miles alou?; its western 

 boundary. The greatest length of the township ea.^terly from the 

 river is at concessions twc, and three, and its shortest is at ten and 

 eleven, and excluding the highways it has an area of about one 

 hundred and fourteen square miles. The river lots number from 

 the south northerly, and extend to seventy-two, are uniformly 

 eleven chains wide on the river, which is called the Front Concession 

 and each lot is about one mile and eighth in length and supposed 

 to be one hundred acres. The rest of the lots number from the 

 east, and each lot is supposed to contain two hundred acres, except 

 a few gores caused by bends in the river. The Front road follows 

 the River for about six miles; the other four miles had to be located 

 a short distance away owing to difficulties of the ground. Alo-if; 

 the concessions every third lot has a side or cross-road, and all 

 the roads four rods in width. The only village in the original sur- 

 vey was Corunna, which may be said td occupy four hundred acres 

 of land. Tradition has it that at the time of survey it wa-s in- 

 tended for a city. Those in authority, well remembering the ev- 

 ents of 1812 with our Southern neighbors, nlanned to erect a 

 portecting fort on the Island cipposite and not only defend the city 

 to be, but control the River. Well, if such was the design those 

 who planned failed to anticipate the evolution of modern gunnery 

 or the protecting shield of the. steel clad battle ships. However, 

 these things may be, the village was well laid out — several of 

 the main streets six rods in width, a plot on the River bank reserve 

 for fish market and near the village centre a great Reserve called 

 "St. George's Square," The situation was certainly beautiful, the 

 land very fertile and forty or fifty feet above the river. 



At one time it was a great market for cordwood, and the added 

 call of boats made considerable business ; but Sarnia, only six or 

 seven miles distant, got the lead and ever after has maintained it. 



At an early date a nee little commencement of a village began 



