56 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



employed by the Groverninent as a surveyor of Crown lands. But in those days 

 the provisions of the Act for the Independence of Parliament were not as rigid as 

 they are now. Col. Burwell had a family of seven sons, all but two of whom 

 were named after great soldiers, viz., Alexander, Hercules, Isaac Brock, Leonidas, 

 John Walpole, Hannibal and Edward. He had also two daughters, Louise and 

 Mary. Of these only Edward and Mary are now living. All except Alexander 

 and Louise are named in the will, which was executed eight days before Col. 

 Burwell' s death, and Alexander is no doubt the child referred to in a pathetic 

 note to the Surveyor General (Dec. 20th, 1817) written to explain delay in reporting 

 a survey in Westminster. " You would have received the report long since, had 

 it not been for a most dreadful circumstance which occurred in my Family in 

 October last, which deprived me of the use of my right hand for more than two 

 months — A little son of mine two and a half years old was scalded to death, and 

 in taking him out of the boiling water I scalded my Hands as related, but my 

 right hand the worst." One ambition of Col. Bvirw ell's life was to found a family, 

 and with this object he memorialized the Governor in Council in 1829 for permis- 

 sion to extinguish his claim for 10,000 acres of land held in small isolated areas 

 and receive in lieu thereof a block of 10,000 acres on lake Huron, adjoining the 

 southern boundary of the Canada Company's territory, wherewith to make an 

 entailed estate to his heirs forever. But no action appears to have been 

 taken in the matter, and the records do not even show that the memorial was 

 considered. But the idea possessed Col. Burwell' s mind to the end, and by the 

 terms of his will it was provided in the case of each of the sons that the lands 

 bequeathed should be held to himself and his male heirs forever, and in the 

 event of anyone of the sons dying without issue the lands should descend to the 

 next son and his male heirs. ' ' I have willed thus to fasten the before mentioned 

 freehold estates upon my children and their heirs forever because my own 

 experience, which has been extensive in this Province, and History have shewn 

 me that children place less value on that which is given them than that which 

 they acquire by their own care and industry ; and because I have acquired the 

 estates so willed and devised by a steady perseverance and laborious industry 

 in my profession as a surveyor of lands, of which my heirs can never be sensible : 

 I exercise this moral, legal and conservative right for their benefit : And when 

 advanced in age my heirs in all time to come if they be sensible persons will know 

 how to appreciate the soundness of my motives. ' ' Ermatinger, who has written 

 unjustly and unkindly of Col. Burwell (Life of Col. Talbot), says he was tall in 

 stature and dignified in appearance. 



