Prescott Before 1849  

Picture courtesy of Donald Shaver

Collected by Theodore Shaver

On March 6, 1834, Prescott was proclaimed a Police Village, the document stating "Whereas from the great increase of population in the Town of Prescott, it is necessary to make further provision than by law exists, for the internal regulations". Thus it severed its link with the Township of Augusta. In 1849, it became a separated town, with duly elected Mayor and Council, an administrative arrangement  which exists to this day.  

The town of Prescott was named in honour of Robert Prescott, Governor-in-Chief of Canada, 1797-1807.

Col. Edward Jessup caused the boundaries of Prescott to be laid out in 1810, all of Concession 1, Lot 1, Augusta, one square mile in extent. Other members of Jessup's Corps obtained land nearby, and had a great influence on the growth of the township.

Fort Wellington was Ordnance Land, controlled by the military, and was not considered a part of either town or township. When the last British soldiers left the fort, the land was then subdivided into town lots and sold or granted to settlers. In 1812, the fort was a mud fort, with very crude block-house, and rough conditions for troops stationed there. The story of events there is well documented, and Augusta militiamen had their part in fending off American invaders. They were called to action in 1838 when the Americans again attempted to liberate Canada at the Battle of the Windmill. Lieut. John Dulmage, 2nd Regiment, Grenville Militia, fell in action there, fighting against the "Rebels and Brigands" on the 13th day of November 1838, at age 37 years. He has been known since as the "Hero of the Windmill", and lies buried in Maynard Cemetery amidst his kinfolk.

Prescott and Johnstown were the points of entry of most of the immigrants who came to settle in Augusta, and the main business centre for them, once established on their land grants. This was because of its location at the head of the rapids in the St. Lawrence River, and its proximity to Ogdensburg in New York State. Traffic across the river was always brisk, with much trading back and forth by individuals in small boats in summer, and in sleighs over the winter ice. Until the construction of the Seaway Bridge, the two communities were linked by ferry service, and there was much traffic in both directions, both business and social.

 Although Col. Jessup surveyed and laid out the town lots in 1810, there were settlers landing there as early as 1784, when the Loyalist contingent arrived. The whole settlement was called New Oswegatchie, a name derived from the Indian tribe which lived on the south side of the river. A village was laid out in Augusta at Blue Church, where deep water was found at Blakey's Point. However, this village did not materialize, as Prescott had the better harbour.

Prescott's growth came on the waterfront, her industry and trade being dependent on the river. Once an Indian trail, hugging the river bank, Water Street was the first main thoroughfare, at that time, a narrow, winding, muddy road, with flagstones set in sand, as was the custom. Along the footpath was an open trench where housewives could throw the water from their household chores. Oxen were tied to the hitching posts along the street, both sides of which were flanked with log cabins and shanties. These were later replaced by stone buildings with Elizabethan archways.

The shop fronts had high steps, small windowpanes, covered with shutters that could be closed at nightfall. There were shops which sold hides, with pelts of beaver, fox and bear hanging on wooden pegs or tacked to the front door to dry. The blows of the blacksmith could be heard as he prepared the little, half- round shoes for the oxen. At times, he would be making axes for the bushmen or tools and implements for the pioneer farmers.

Jack A Morris, in his book "Prescott, 1810-1867" has given a good account of conditions in the village, and others like Lee McKnight have researched and told of those times. Early newspapers and diaries add to our knowledge, as do letters and documents which have been preserved.

 We know that there were many taverns on the street, serving the boatmen, the travelling public, men in the village for business reasons, the military, as well as the local citizens. These grog shops had Old Country names, for example, The Dog and Duck; The Dolphin; Duffy's Tavern, The Pigeon Hole and The Black Bull. At night this was not the place for discreet citizens! There is no doubt that this old Water Street could tell tales of those early riotous days, but still it was the centre of all commercial industry, serving the itinerant public as well as the inhabitants of the village and the townships. In the modern vernacular - "This is where the action was".  

Water Street was a constant battle with poverty, disease and violence.  Fresh bear, fox and beaver pelts were hung on the front doors of shops to dry and the owner of Buckley's General Store always kept a keg of beer in stock for the customers.  Anyone could walk into the store, fill the wooden mug to the brim with beer, and drink to their hearts content.  Residents of Water Street were so poor, that many could not afford candles to light their homes.  When the first oil lamp appeared on the street, several children were so unaccustomed to the sight that they feared the lamp might explode.  Cholera, Diphtheria, and Typhoid swept through the residences on a regular basis, causing the average life span to be around 30 years.  

The importance of the St. Lawrence route was keenly felt throughout the War of 1812, and shipbuilding took on even greater importance. Prescott was one of the centres where ships were built. Before and after the introduction of steam navigation, it became a principal trans-shipping port, where goods were transferred from river boats to lake boats. In 1816, a regular stage ran between Montreal and Kingston, and Prescott became a major stopping-place. Travellers could leave Montreal by stage and travel as far as Prescott, there they could transfer to a steamer bound for Kingston and the western settlements. War activity also attracted merchants to the town, most involved in the trans-shipment of goods, but some established small shops or industries in the village. By 1835, the population was about 500, and the place was described as one of considerable commercial importance. There were shipyards, wholesale and retail businesses, a foundry for building steam engines, a distillery, pottery and other small firms.  The most active was the forwarding trade.  

Immigration

0ne hundred and fifty years ago, Prescott was one of the leading immigration centres of Upper Canada. Many of the forebears of present day residents of Prescott and the surrounding townships landed at that town after a long, dreary journey over the Atlantic Ocean from the Old Land, in frail over-crowded, filthy ships. There were few, if any, sanitary conveniences on those vessels. Food was salted, brackish, and, towards the end of the voyage, simply inedible. Water became contaminated. Under these conditions, it was only natural that all sorts of sickness broke out on board, thriving on the appalling conditions, typhus, typhoid, and, most killing of them all, the dreaded Asiatic cholera. Scores of people were dead before the ships touched port, or died after being put ashore, and found last resting places in burial plots in many parts of the district. Despite all attempts to regain control of a desperate situation by the Prescott Board of Police governors, the epidemic became of such proportions that it was found imperative to appeal for help to the Governor- General, Lord Elgin. Authorization was given for arrangements to be made for furnishings, provisions, medicines, and medical attention for these unfortunate people. The Immigration Agent supplied such needs as could be found for their succor, and reports were sent weekly to the government.

Dr. W. J. Scott was appointed attendant physician for the sick. S. B. Bencroft was named to bury the dead, to coffin them, take them to the burying ground and bury them when, and in such manner as might be done at 5 shillings a body. Boats touching port were given a short time in which to procure coffins and have the dead buried, a matter of 2 or 3 hours, and boats refusing to comply were given an hour to get out of port. By-laws were put into effect covering sanitation in every phase, not only for the immigrants, but for living conditions in the town itself.

By the time that Mayor Bartholemew, White and his councillors took over the administration of civic affairs on Jan.1, 1850, the epidemic of cholera had been nearly conquered, living conditions in the town had been vastly improved, and the need for government aid had passed. One of the blackest chapters in the history of Prescott had been closed.

Prescott-Ogdensburg Ferry Service

The first ferry service between Prescott and Ogdensburg started with a sailing vessel, the River Girl circa 1775 and by 1815 a horse and treadmill ferry service was established by  Mr. Plumb.  Several ferries came into being the Steamer The Lady of the lake, Str. Howard, Str. New York, Str. Baptiste and by 1874 the Henry Plumb was in service until 1909 when it burned at the dock in Ogdensburg.  In 1909 the Prescott-Ogdensburg Co. Ltd. was formed which operated until 1960 when the International Bridge was opened.

Rails Into Ottawa

In 1854 the first train steamed into Bytown (Ottawa) into the newly erected station at the corner of Sussex and McTaggart Streets.  Soon a regular service was inaugurated between Ottawa and Prescott on the St. Lawrence River.  Chartered in 1850 as the Bytown and Prescott Railway, it was later renamed the Ottawa and Prescott Railway.

The first passenger train over the partially completed line ran on June 21st, 1854 between Prescott and Spencerville.

By 1871, Prescott Junction was quite a thriving community with it's Beaufort Inn, the Ottawa Hotel, Grand Trunk Railway Station, Canadian Express Co. Office, Montreal Telegraph Co. Office and there was housing for 50 people.

In 1884 the Grand Trunk Railway closed its station at Prescott Junction and returned to Prescott.  The Canadian Pacific Railway eventually controlled all access to Prescott's waterfront and expanded its coal operation there to include storage yards at Prescott Junction.  These storage yards were closed in the 1960's.

Prescott, with its Railway Junction and its Ferry Service was a very busy and important place.

Click on the thumbnail prints of Prescott.

Pictures courtesy of Donald Shaver

Collected by Theodore Shaver

Pictures courtesy of Donald Shaver

Collected by Theodore Shaver

References:

 Augusta Royal Township Number 7 by Goldie Connell  

 Prescott's Walking Tour Booklet

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