Gananoque

The founding and growth of Gananoque has been traditionally attributed to Joel Stone, a United Empire Loyalist. Stone received a large land grant on the west side of the Gananoque River and established a home there in 1789. A prosperous entrepreneur, Stone established a lumber business in the community and floated lumber down the Gananoque River. The Stone family also shipped flour from the community's mill. In 1820, a very large flour mill was built in Gananoque. Grain brought by schooners from the west was milled into flour before being transported down the river in Durham boats. In the following years, Gananoque grew into a manufacturing town with local factories making bolts, spoons, nails, steamboat fittings, rakes, shovels and carriages. In 1870 there was 49 mills and factories in the town. The name Gananoque, although it has a French ending, is obviously Native American in origin, likely either Six Nations -KA NO NO KE -land sloping into water, or Missisauga -KAH NOH NOH KWEN - the place where water run over rocks. Now a major tourist centre because of its location in the 1000 Islands, Gananoque has a population of 5000.

Joel Stone was born in Gilford, Connecticut, August 17^th, 1749. He lived and worked on a farm in Lichfield until he was 21. For three years, he was a Yankee peddler and managed to save enough money to enter into a partnership with Jabez Bacon in Woodbury in 1774. Joel fought on the British side during the American Revolution and was captured by American forces. He was held for high treason for several weeks until some friends helped him escape to British held New York City. There he married Leah Moore, a sea captain's daughter and, in 1781, they had a son, William Moore Stone. In 1785, he sailed with his family to Quebec. He later purchased land in the Upper Canada community of Cornwall where he operated a distillery for several years. In the spring of 1792, Stone settled with his family on a 500 acre tract of land granted to him by the British government for his service in the American Revolution. The property was at the mouth and on the west side of the Gananoque River. The Stone family is believed to have been among the first settlers in the community. A local entrepreneur, Stone was involved in the lumber industry and owned half of the available waterpower, a key element in early industry.

Joel's first wife died and in 1799 he married the widow of Abraham Dayton, nee Abigail Coyswell, who was born at Preston, Connecticut, August 13th, 1750 and settled in Burford Township near Brampton, ON.  

Joel Stone was a Captain in the Revolutionary War.  In 1809 he was appointed Colonel in command of the 2nd Leeds Militia and from that time was known and addressed as the Colonel.

 Stone was again called into military service during the War of 1812 when he commanded the militia forces in Gananoque. 

He remained in the community until his death in November of 1833.  He had lived a ripe old age of 84 years, 3 months and 3 days.

Abigail died at Gananoque, August 4th, 1843, aged 93 years.

References:

History of Leeds and Grenville-Thad. Leavitt

Our Living History, Leeds and Grenville-Editor, Roy Lewis

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