Oldal 134 [134]
Haskins was killed, while assisting in raising Mer¬
rick’s Mills. A child, the son of Jacob and Mary
Vandusen, wandered into the woods, on the farm
occupied by J. Louckes, and was never seen after,
the only trace being the discovery of his little sun¬
bonnet. A child, three years of age, the daughter
night. The next morning, all Wolford turned out
to search. The little wanderer was found by Asa
arms of her mother.
The first regular ordained minister to visit the
Township was Jesse McIntyre, a Baptist. He preached
occasionally, but never succeeded in organizing a
congregation. Then came the Rev. William Brown,
of the Methodist Church. The class which he
organized consisted of some five or six persons,
Mrs. Solomon Edmonds forming one of the number.
The Wolford Chapel was commenced in 1820, Cox’
Chapel being built some time after by Mr. Cox, but
deeded to the Methodists. Among the first itinerant
ministers were Coates, Losee,and Dr. Bangs. They
were followed by the venerable Case, Whitehead,
Jeffers, and, in 1822, by the respected Healey.
After the introduction of “fire water" among the
When they resolved upon having a “spree,” they
to one of the band, who would secret them; then
would follow a general carouse. Generally speak¬
ing, the Indians were very kind to the whites; and,
for several years, Colonel. Burritt, the first white
child born on the Rideau, had only dusky little
A GHOST STORY.
At an early date there lived in the vicinity of
Kilmarnock,.on the north side of the Rideau River, a
man by the name of Croutch, who claimed to have
the gift. of foresight. Many old and respected
settlers believed implicitly that he received warnings
in the settlement. According to the testimony of
his wife, who bore the reputation of being a christian
woman, Croutch would frequently retire to bed,
where in vain would he seek slumber; restless and
uneasy, he would toss from side to side, at times
groaning and muttering names of thedeparted. Do
what he would to shake off the mysterious spell, in
the end he was compelled to submit. Rising, he
would quickly dress himself, take his canoe and
rites and ceremonies would be performed. Croutch
having watched the ghostly mourners fade away
would then return home, retire to rest and sink into
a profound slumber. It was always withthe greatest
her husband the name of the party, whose death had
been heralded. It is related of the late Samuel Rose
that upon one occasion he was in the company of
Croutch, in crossing a common both saw a light
Croutch exclaimed, Did you hear that cry? ‘No,
replied Mr. Rose. Oh, said the fatalist, it was the
cry of a child, the name of which he gave. Ina few
days the child breathed its last. Upon another
Mcintyre. Colonel Hurd, of Burritt’s Rapids, in¬
forms us that he knew Croutch and that far and wide
he was. regarded with terror by the children, who
had learned from their parents his supposed power
of communing with the spirits of the departed.
In 1806, Joseph Haskins, one of the wealthiest
farmers in the Upper Settlement, erected a small
mill on the farm now owned by Mr. Omstead, near
the railway station. A few years after, a saw-mill
They were the second grist and saw mills on the
Rideau.
¢200 for constructing a bridge at Kilmarnock. The
people came forward and subscribed in a liberal
manner to the undertaking, which was completed
by Ezekiel Rose and Charles Vandusen. Unfor¬
tunately, it was swept away the next spring.
It is related, that, in the year 1804, the fever and
attacked, was the Rev. William Brown. . On one
service. The people assembled, when the minister
was attacked with the ague. Feeling that he was
not adequate for the performance of the duties
which devolved upon him, he said that he would
read a chapter and pray, and then dismiss the
congregation. The service commenced, and before
forgot all about the fever and ague, proceeding to
preach one of the best sermons which he ever
delivered. Strange to say, he was troubled no
more during that season with the ague.
The first blacksmith shop in the Upper Settlement
was kept by a man named Samuel Dow, a monument
to whose memory is now standing in the Wolford
churchyard, and upon which it is stated that he was
the first person buried there.
The first tannery was at Easton’s Corners, Joseph
Easton being the owner, The bark used in the
tannery was ground by a backwoodsman’s inven¬