Stranica 86 [86]
OCR
tide of travel to the St. Lawrenee increased. Among and the Centennial Hall. Among the causes, which in a marked degree have contributed towards making the scenery of the St. Lawrence known, none deservedly holds a more prominent place than the beautiful stereoscopic views of Mr. A. C. McIntyre, a well-known Canadian artist. CHAPTER XxX. BioGRAPHICAL— SKETCH BY JOHN KILBORN, OF NEWBORO’, AND OTHER RESIDENTS. THOMAS KILBORN, the progenitor of all the Kilborns in America, emigrated with his family from Cambridge, England, in the year 1635, and settled in the County of Litchfield, Colony of Connecticut. They multiplied and spread to all parts of the then Colony of Great Britain, United States, and Canada. Benjamin Kilborn, my grandfather, was born at Litchfield, in the Colony of Connecticut, and remained there during the Revolutionary War: but, retaining his love for British rule, he emigrated with his family to Canada, in the year 1780, and settled.on the bank of the St. Lawrance, in Elizabethtown, where he lived, and died in the year 1805, being between 80 and go years of age. My father, David Kilborn, his third son, settled near him, about two miles below the present town of Brockville; married Hannah White, daughter of Joseph White, a U. E. Loyalist, who, at the breaking out of the Revolution, espoused the cause of his King, and, with his eldest son, Joseph, a young man, left his family, a large farm and property in the Colony of New: Hampshire, where he resided, and joined the Royal standard. He did much and hard duty with the English forces, until the close of the Revolution, when he returned to his former home, and, collecting what had not been destroyed or confiscated of his large property, at once left with his family for a new home in the wilderness of Canada. He settled, as before mentioned, on the first lot of Elizabethtown, adjoining Augusta, on the St. Lawrence. He died at the age of 9s, about the year 1820, In his early life, he was a lieutenant in a Provincial Regiment, raised in the Colony of New Hampshire, to join the British army under Sir Guy Carleton, in his expedition and conquest of Canada, from the French, in the year 1759. The army marched through the then almost wilderness from Albany to Detroit, after capturing which, followed the lines and posts east, comprising Niagara and Oswego. The latter fort, my grandfather, Benjamin Kilborn, was placed in charge and com mand of, with a force of thirty men, while General | Carleton, pursued the French on down the St. Lawrence, taking Carleton Island, Oswegatchie, (now Ogdensburg), and Coteau-due-Lac forts, when the conquest of Canada was completed by the I am the third son of David Kilborn, born 27th of June, 1794; remained at home, working on when I was placed in the store, at Brockville, of the late Roderick Easton, Esq., the father of George Easton, Esq., the present Collector of Customs of the Port of Brockville, whose grandfather, the late Joseph Easton, of the Township of Wolford. was also with Sir Guy Carleton, in his expedition in the conquest of Canada from the French. In June, 1812, the United States declared war against Great Britain and her dependencies, and I, with other young men, volunteered to serve in the first flank company of the County of Leeds, under Captain John Stuart, late Sheriff of the Johnstown District, for six months’ service, and I happened to be the first man placed on sentry, by Lieutenant William Morris (late Hon. William Morris), to guard the Kingston road, near the bridge at the west end of Brockville. I continued on duty with the company, being drilled daily by Lieutenant Morris, then the most competent officer available for that duty, until September, when an attempt was made to capture Ogdensburg, it having a strong fort, and a considerable force of riflemen, by whom we were daily annoyed. The expedition was under Colonel Lethbridge, of the British army, commanding our garrison at Prescott. Assistance from the Brockville men was asked for, and, with about forty others, I volunteered, and marched to Prescott during the night, under Captain Reuben Sherwood and Lieutenant William Morris. Boats, etc., were procured, and early in the morning, led by Colonel Lethbridge, with part of a company of regulars, the attack was made. The boat I was in was commanded by Lieutenant Morris. After getting near their batteries (which they plied continually) and in front of the town, we failed to. make a landing, and returned to Prescott, with a loss, in our boat, of one killed (Mott, a cousin of Henry Mott, of Delta), and eight wounded. No: other attempt was made on Ogdensburg that year. I continued my duty in the company as sergeant, was sent to Johnstown on duty in the autumn, and lodged in the old Court House until February, 1813, when another attack was to be made on Ogdensburg, by crossing on the ice, Captain Jonas Jones (late Chief-Justice Jones) having command of the company, This attempt proved suc
