l8 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS 



J. C. Hamilton, LL. B., in a paper which he recently read 

 before the Canadian Institute, stated that in the year 1791 there 

 were some three hundred negroes and a few Pawnee Indian slaves 

 in Upper Canada, mostly in and around Niagara, and that Sir Adam 

 Wilson informed him of having met, about 1830, two young slaves, 

 "Hank" and "Sukey," at the residence of a lady in the County of 

 Halton, mother of a distinguished resident of this city, who died a 

 few months ago. These took their freedom under the Act of 1833, 

 and were perhaps the last slaves in the Province. Since that date, 

 however, for half a century, Canada afforded such a refuge and a 

 home to the fleeing sons of Africa as to have effectually wiped out 

 the dark stain. 



In the old burying ground attached to the Christ Church 

 Cathedral stands a tombstone bearing the following inscription : " In 

 memory of Richard Beasley, who departed this life on the 1 6th day 

 of February, 1842, aged eighty years and seven months. The 

 first settler at the head of the lake." The honor of being the first 

 settler here is claimed also by Col. Robert Land. 



It is quite probable that a few settlers might be located here 

 before the arrival of Governor Simcoe's surveyors, by whom the site 

 of Hamilton was divided into farm lots east and west by Main street 

 — King street being established upon an Indian trail and not suffi- 

 ciently straight for a dividing line. At a very early date, south of 

 Main street, James Mills, father of the late Hon. Samuel Mills, owned 

 all lying west of Queen street ; Peter Hamilton, between Queen and 

 James; George Hamilton, between James and the line of Mary 

 street ; Richard Springer, from Mary to Wellington ; and Ephraim 

 Land, from Wellington to Wentworth. On the north of Main street, 

 Peter Hess owned all west of Bay street ; Samuel Kirkendall, from 

 Bay to James ; Nathaniel Hughson, from James to Mary ; Archibald 

 Ferguson, from Mary to Wellington ; Robert Land, from Wellington 

 to Emerald ; and Abel Land, from Emerald to Wentworth. 



Previous to 1832, Hamilton extended no further west than 

 Queen, nor east than Wellington street. The latter was known as 

 Lover's lane, at the foot of which stood the only wharf. 



The site of Hamilton was very broken, being traversed by 

 numerous creeks, which took their rise at the foot of the mountain, 

 thence winding their way to the bay. There are those now living 

 who remember speckled trout being caught in a creek at the rear of 



