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OUAKERS.
Canada was visited, in 1790, by two Quaker
preachers of note; they were David Sand and
Elijah Hick. One of the first regular preachers
settled in Canada was James Noxon, who resided
in Adolphustown. A meeting-house was built near
Jacob Cronks, in Sophiasburg, in 1829. From a
very early date, the Society flourished in the vicinity
of the Bay of Quinte, where, at the present time, it
has many members. In the Rear of Yonge a
meeting house was built at Farmersville, where the
Society at one time boasted a large number of
adherents; but of years, the sons and
daughters have fallen away from the faith of their
fathers.
late
CHAPTER X.
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE first white child born of English parents in
America, was the daughter of Mrs. Dore, of Virginia.
According to the Registrar of Quebec, the first white
child born in Canada was Eustache L’Anglois, born
October 24th, 1621.
ham, and from him the Plains of Abraham derived
The first white child born north of the
Rideau was Col. Edmund Burritt, yet alive, and a
resident of Thornbury, Ontario.
The father’s name was Abra¬
their name.
The first male child born in Leeds was James
Sherwood, son of Thomas Sherwood; the first
female child was borne by the wife of Joseph White
—born on lot No. 4, 2nd Concession of Elizabeth¬
town.
Among the pioneers, great difficulty was for many
years experienced in the consummation of courtship,
the Rev. Dr. Stuart being the only regular clergy¬
man from the Lower Province line to Kingston.
Sighing swains were compelled to wait for months,
and in some cases for years, before the golden op¬
portunity presented itself. To obviate this difficulty,
in many instances, magistrates, colonels, majors,
adjutants and surgeons consented to perform the
ceremony. By the Act of 1783, these irregular mar¬
riages were confirmed. The practice yet in vogue
in rural sections, of keeping intending marriages a
secret, no doubt, in a measure, grew out of the sys¬
tem of posting up notices of the intention of persons
t interested. Public opinion rapidly changed in
ers rs of all denominations, and in 1798 an Act was
passed, which made it lawful for the minister of any
congregation professing to be a member of the
Church of Scotland, the Lutheran Church, or a
Calvinist Church, to marry according to the rites of
such church. By a clause of this Act, the clergyman
was compelled to appear at the Quarter Sessions,
prove his office, and take the oath of allegiance. It
will be observed that, by this Act, the Methodists
and some other denominations were treated with
contempt by the authorities at that time ruling the
Province. An obvious right was withheld, and a
grave injustice done to a body well deserving of
recognition. In some instances the ministers were
not disposed to quietly submit to the unjust law.
Elder Ryan and the Rev. Mr. Smith, Ryan’s son-in¬
law, both performed the ceremony. Kyan was in
consequence banished from the Province, but was
pardoned. Smith stood his trial, acted as his own
lawyer, and got free. Justice was at last done by
the Act of 1831, which, in addition to the churches
before named, made it lawful for the remaining
orthodox denominations to solemnize matrimony,
after having obtained certificates from the Quarter
Sessions.
In May, 1814, the Government appointed five
persons in the Province to issue marriage licenses,
the point in Eastern Canada being Cornwall.
The ladies of ye olden time, and particularly
the brides, were dressed in a style essentially dif¬
ferent from those shown in the fashion plates of the
Bazar tor 1878. Fancy bonnets, kid gloves, and
silk dresses were never dreamed of. The most
complete wardrobe consisted of a home-spun dress,
deer-skin petticoats, dyed blue from the bark of the
soft maple, and a squirrel-skin bonnet. In many
instances, bride and bridegroom mounted the same
horse, and rode away to the nearest magistrate, a
happy couple.
Mr. Hiel Sliter informs us that, in the rear of
Lansdowne. the first wheeled vehicle was made by
sawing the wheels from the end of a very large log,
putting an axle in, and building a rough box above.
No doubt, on such state occasions as a wedding,
this unique vehicle was in request for the bridal
tour.
On the ioth day of June, 1828, Doctor Peter
Schofield delivered a temperance address to the
inhabitants of Bastard. The address was published
at the time, and a copy remains in the hands of his
son, W. A. Schofield, Esq., of Brockville. The ad¬
dress is remarkable in more than one particular.
It was the frst temperance address delivered in
Canada, and led to the formation of the first tem¬
perance society. It also contains an account of
“spontaneous combustion,” which came under the
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