14. EARLY HISTORY OF SETTLERS. 
sion. Mr. Wilmot served his time with him, as a surveyor, al 
after a time, rnarried his daughter. He then engaged with hi 
as a chain bearer. They were employed by the Government 
survey the main road leading from Kingston to York. This ro: 
was cut four rods wide, and grubbed two rods, it was construct 
by Captain Danforth, and though being the main post road, w 
a very indifferent one ; during summer, after very heavy rains, 
was almost impassable. The first mail carried over this road w 
taken on a mule, and arrived every two weeks, from Kingston 
Darlington. 
On the 3rd of April, 1816, Mr. S.S. Wilmot moved from Yon 
Street, Toronto, to the Township of Clarke, having purchas: 
400 acres of land, now known as the Wilmot Homestead, fro 
Yohn Hartwell. At the time Mr. Wilmot moved to Clarke, t 
Danforth road was impassable through Clarke and Darlington, 
the fall and spring, and good travelling was only found during t 
winter by sleighs. 
~ In a diary kept by him at the time, the settlers then living | 
the main road in Darlington, (this does not include persons w. 
lived on the lake shore) were as follows, commencing from t 
west : Stevens, Thos. Powers, Solomon Tyler, David Steve 
John Burk, Squire Fletcher, and John Borland ; in the Townst 
of Clark, were R. Lovekin, J. P., Avery, Bates, Blair, and Ha 
well. There were no settlers north of the main road, in Clar 
or Darlington. It was a dense, unbroken forest, inhabited o1 
by Indians and wild animals. 
The land known as the late Bowman Estate, and which cc 
prises the principal site of the town of Bowmanville, was fi 
drawn from Government by Mr. John Burk, who, after havi 
built a grist and saw mill upon it, sold it to a Mr. Purdy ; but 
ter a time, it again came into the possession of Mr. Burk, w 
sold it to Mr. Lewis Lewis, who, in connection with the milli 
business, opened a store. This was the first store opened in D 
lington. Mr. Lewis remained in business for four years ; he th 
sold out to Mr. Charles Bowman. ‘This appears to have be 
about the year 1824. The Post Office was located at Blac 
Hill, (the late Youal Homestead, now occupied by A. Sco 
