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Forwarded with permission. Thanks Marcie.
Date: Thu, 05 Apr 2001 21:09:45 -0400
From: Marcie <marcie.lawrence(a)3web.net>
Excerpted from Nick and Helma Mika's "Places in Ontario", volume 2, pages
355-359
Iroquois, village, Matilda Township, Dundas County:
"Iroquois, a pretty village on the north bank of the St. Lawrence River, east of
Prescott, was relocated in its entirety in the late 1950s due to the
construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Its former site on the mainland,
about one mile to the south, across the Galop Canal from Iroquois Point, is now
submerged in the new waterway. The village, incorporated in 1857, was named
after the tribe of Indians who were the region's original
inhabitants. Prior to that time, the community was known as Cathcart after Lord
Cathcart who had commanded the British forces in Canada.
Point Iroquois, converted by the canal construction into a small island, was
well known to the early explorers of Upper Canada as it was a favourite Iroquois
Indian camping ground. The St. Lawrence once flowing around the
point formed a picturesque Bay beside it and it was here that the first white
settlers took up their land in 1784. These pioneers were Michael Carman and his
son, Captain Martin Walter, Jacob Coons, Captain Ault, and
Peter Brouse, all United Empire Loyalists who came to Canada from the United
States after the American Revolution.
A mill was built on the river front in 1788by Messrs. Coons and Shaver and about
1804 George Brouse became the first storekeeper. A small grist mill was erected
by Mr. Krause at about this time. Dan CARMAN constructed a wharf to supply the
river steamers with wood and gradually a community began to develop at the
site. The British Goverment erected a fort during the War of 1812, using timber
bought from CARMAN. Another fort was also built on the land of Mr. Shaver, but
was never used. It became known as Fort Needless. The last traces of the old
building were removed in the 1950's.
The years following the War of 1812 were ones of slow but steady growth. A
second store was opened by George Brouse and in 1827 the township post office
was moved to this building. In the 1830's Point Iroquois became a regular
steamboat landing, with the Iroquois being the first ship to provide service to
the community.
It was the building of the Point Iroquois Canal from 1842 to 1847 that really
stimulated Iroquois' growth. William Elliot, a contractor on the canal, gained
water privileges on the new route and erected grist and flouring mills. The
community grew up around the mills. Before 1842 much of the settlement had been
on Point Iroquois, but now many residents moved north to be beside the new
canal. Among the early merchants who established businesses at the new location
were Daniel CARMAN, W.J. Marsh & Son, furniture dealers; Robert Lowery, boot and
shoe seller; and Lawrence Burns, baker and grocer.
In 1854 the Grand Trunk Railway was built through the community, establishing a
station adn telegraph office at Iroquois, further encouraging its growth, as it
was the only trade centre between Morrisburg and Edwardsburg.
Iroquois was the first village in the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and
Glengarry to be incorporated and its status was the result of a municipal
dispute rather than its growth in size. In the early 1850's John Laing, the
township reeve had detached a portion of land from School Section 3, Iroquois,
and attached it to his section, No. 2. The people of Iroquois wished to regain
the property and asked that their community be incorporated so that they could
include the disputed land within the village limits. Special legislation was
necessary as Iroquois did not yet have the required population of 750.
Incorporation was granted in 1857. George Brouse became the first reeve and
Rufus CARMAN the first clerk. On the Council were Philip CARMAN, John S. Ross,
William Elliot, and James Grier. .............
.................... The Methodist Church, one of the first in Upper Canada,
was built on Point Iroquois in 1823, the result of the work of William Losee, a
travelling missionary. The first resident preacher was Joseph Sawyer. In 1825
a larger stone church was built just to the east of the first church. The
Reverend Marmaduke L. Pearson was a minister at the new Methodist Church built
in 1877. His grandson, Lester B. Pearson, was guest speaker when the church
celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1952. he was Foreign Minister in the Ottawa
Cabinet at the time and later became Prime Minister of Canada. The church
itself became the United Church in 1925, the year of church union. The first
missionary society in Canada was organized in 1832 with Mrs. Waldron, wife of
the minister, as president. A Sunday School established in 1839 had Albert
CARMAN, Principal of the Grammar School, as its Superintendent from 1855 to
1857. He later became Principal of Belleville Academy, now Albert
College................"
Best wishes for success in your searches!
Marcie