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Colonel Hurd gives the following account of the
settlement of other sections :—
The first settlers of Kemptville were Thomas
McCarger, Asa Clothier, Truman Hurd, and David
Beech. Beachburg, on the Ottawa, is named after
the latter gentleman. Asa Clothier commenced the
settlement at Oxford Mills, by building a grist and
saw mill. Lyman Clothier and his son Asa built
four sons, viz.: Asa, Lyman, Henry, and John.
When Mr. Clothier commenced building the mill
at Kemptville, the spot on which the village now
stands was a wilderness, This was in the spring
of 1814, and at that time there was not a house
between Burritt’s Rapids and Kemptville.
The first settlers at Bishop’s Mills were Chauncy
and Ira Bishop, who built the mills about 1840.
William Soules taught the first school in Burritt’s
Rapids, in a small log house. The second school
was held in a stable, near the residence of Daniel H.
Burritt.
The locks on the Canal, at the Rapids, were built
by Philoman Wright & Sons.
The locks at Merrickville-were constructed by two
men by the name of Stephens. It is asserted that
after they had paid all expenses, it required a yoke
of oxen to draw the half dollars which they cleared
on the contract.
J. K. REID;
AND
THE REID FAMILY.
Obadiah Reid, father of James Kempt Reid, was a
U. E. Loyalist from Connecticut. He was among
the first settlers of Augusta, keeping at one time an
inn at North Augusta, then known as the “ Burnt
Lands." Mr. Reid at an early date purchased the
upper mills at Westport, which he sold to Robert
Rorison. Mr. Reid discovered the lead mines, located
a short distance west of Fermoy, which he subse¬
quently developed and sold to an English Company.
The mines were for several years worked extensively,
but were ultimately abandoned. Mr. Reid raised
the following family :—Charles, who resides at
Thunder Bay; Benjamin, Spencerville ; Obadiah,
Merrickville ; Hiram, Seeley’s Bay; Emery B.,
Frankville; James Kemp, who was named by Sir
James Kempt, at Smiths Falls; John L., Spences’
Bridge, British Columbia; Russell Henry, Port
Hope; Sarah, who married Henry Lake; Lydia
married Charles Dart,
James Kempt Reid was born June 24th, 1828, at
Reid settled at Burritt’s Rapids in 1857, where he
has since continued to reside. For two years he was
a member of the Council for Marlborough, since
which time he has been with few exceptions a member
of the Municipal Council for Oxford, for many years
representing the municipality in the Counties’
Council as Reeve. Mr. Reid is a Liberal Con¬
servative in politics, and has announced his intention
of contesting North Leeds and Grenville at the next
general election as a candidate for a seat in the
Legislative Assembly for Ontario.
THOMAS A. KIDD.
Mr. Kidd is the son of William Kidd, a wealthy
farmer of Marlborough. Thomas was born Decem¬
ber r4th, 1845, and married, January 2o9th, 1875,
Esther Ennis, daughter of James Ennis, of Ennis¬
ville, by whom he has had one child, Edith Eveline.
Mr. Kidd became a clerk in 1866, and in 1871 bought
out the mercantile business of John Meikle, at Bur¬
ritt’s Rapids, where he carries on an extensive general
store. In 1878, he was elected Reeve of Oxford.
Joining the militia in 1864, he secured a second
class military certificate, and became Lieutenant
of No. 3 Company, 56th Battalion, in 1868.
THE WALDO FAMILY.
This family is descended from Thomas Waldo,
of Lyons, France, he being one of the first who
renounced the doctrines of the Church of Rome
in that country; and he is supposed to have been
a brother of the celebrated Peter Waldo, who died
in 1179. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, one of
the descendants of Thomas Waldo came over from
the Netherlands, to escape the persecutions of the
Duke D’Alva, and settled in England. In a house
belonging to the family, situated in Surrey, Eng¬
land, is a wainscotting on which is cut the name,
“Peter Waldo, 1575,” or “3,” the last figure being
dificult to decipher. One of his descendants, Sir
Edwara Waldo, was born in 1632, and knighted in
his own house, 1677, by Charles II., on which occa¬
sion he entertained the King, the Princess, and the
Duchess of York. Many descendants have occupied
high positions in England, becoming dignitaries of
the church, warriors, and barristers. The coat of
arms of the family is entered in the College of Arms,
1687. (See view.)
A branch of the family settled in the United
States in the 17th Century, Cornelius, supposed to
be the first, settling at Ipsewich, Massachusetts, in
1644. Samuel Waldo, of Boston, was a Brigadier
General, who raised a regiment, and went to Louis¬
burgh in 1745, he being the third in command. He
had five children, one of whom Samuel, was Judge