Oldal 142 [142]
education. From training, he had not the slightest
knowledge of civil engineering, and in after life,
when he had won his way to the front rank as a
contractor, his devices for overcoming obstacles
were out of the beaten track. In fact, his ideas
were original: he was born an engineer.
Virtually his career commenced as a day laborer
on the St. Lawrence Canals, which were in course of
construction. From the late Hon. George Craw¬
ford (after he had been employed by the day for
some time), lie obtained the job of filling a single
crib. In this case, he was both contractor and
workman, carrying all the stone with his own
hands, and completing the work to the satisfaction
of Mr. Crawford. A short time after, a large pump
which had been brought out from England, was set
up by the engineers, but would not work. After
several attempts had been made to remedy the
defect and had failed, it was finally decided that the
mechanic who had superintended its construction
in England would have to be brought out to Canada.
At this juacture, Weir, by chance, made his appear¬
ance on the scene, and was asked in a joking manner
by one of the engineers, whether fe could fix the
pump. Geordie at once replied, “Yes,” but, with
the caution peculiar to a Scotchman, enquired of
Mr. Crawford how much he would pay. The
prompt reply was, " One hundred pounds.” Order¬
ing the power to be applied, Geordie seized an axe,
and commenced his engineering career by demolish¬
ing every alternate bucket as it made its appearance.
In half an hour the job was completed, the pump
working to the satisfaction of all, the cash paid over
and from that hour the fortune of George Wier was
made. He had convinced the engineers that he had
brains which could be employed with profit to
himself and his country. Contracts and fortune
came to him. The following are among the con¬
tracts which he completed :—All the Bridges on the
st. Lawrence and Ottawa Railway; the Grand
Trunk Railway Pier at Prescott; and the line from
Edwardsburg to Conway’s Creek ; the Port Hope
Harbor Works ; the Toronto Esplanade: the Grand
Trunk Railway from St. Mary’s to London and St.
Mary’s to Sarnia.
CHAPTER XXV.
BIOGRAPHICAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.
THE LATE DUNHAM JONES.
four years. In his death there disappeared one of
the landmarks of the settlement of Upper Canada.
Descended from a Welsh gentleman, who more than
half a century before the revolution had settled at
Fort Edward, New York. The father of Mr. Jones was
one of seven brothers, two of whom, in the struggle
that ensued, "sealed their faith with their blood,” in
espousing the royal cause. Of the surviving five,
four subsequently came to Canada, literally pitching
their tents in the forest along the bank of the St.
Lawrence, betweer where the Towns of Brockville
and Prescott now stand. The fifth brother chose
for his place of asylum, Nova Scotia, where at
Badock, Cape Breton, his descendants still live.
Solomon Jones, one of the four brothers who
sought refuge on the banks of the St. Lawrence, and
father of the subject of this sketch, served with
Burgoyne’s army in the capacity of surgeon, to
which profession he had been educated, and, effect¬
ing his escape at the time of the surrender at Sara¬
toga, made his way to Canada, tendered his services
to the commander of the British forces, then having
headquarters at Three Rivers, and continued to
serve, in Lower Canada, until peace was declared.
He removed to the Upper Province, where he was
joined by his brothers Daniel, John and David.
They seem all to have selected their military grants
with consummate judgment, for there are no more
fertile, no more charmingly situated lands in Ontario
to-day than those located by the brothers Jones.
On the same lot on which Dr. Solomon Jones then
settled and in the house he built, his son died in the
fulness of years.
Dr. Jones was a man of note in his locality and
generation, and his memory is still cherished as that
of a gentleman of high worth and marked capacity.
His professional services were eagerly sought along
the sparse settlements, all the way from Kingston
to Cornwall. He was a member of the first Parlia¬
ment of Upper Canada and Judge of the Johnstown
District Court. He died in 1822.
His brother David has a niche, albeit a chance
one, in American history, in connection with a very
mournful tale, familiar to all interested readers of
the chronicles of the troublous times of the Revolu¬
tion. A " Kebels" daughter, Jean McRae, a young
girl, as the story is told, of tender nature and more.
than common beauty, was cruelly murdered by |
Indians, who carried her scalp to Fort Edward, then
Among
recounts
The young lieutenant was David Jones.
others, Irving, in his “ Life of Washington,”
the sad tale, and adds that young Jones is supposed
to have gone to Canada ; to have lived to old age a
single and melancholy life; and that from the day
of the terrible revelation at Fort Edward, he was
“never known to smile,” The latter part of the