Jones to Newboro - Township of Rideau Lakes

A Fall Tribute to
The Township of
Rideau Lakes
by Maggie Fleming
Copyright 2013
Throughout the 710.25 square kilometres of
the Township of Rideau Lakes are 21
communities whose anchors are deeply set in
the bedrock of early Ontario history. The
10,000 people that live in our township thrive
on the lands, by the lakes, and by the locks.
Six locks admit the passage of people through
the township to more than 21 lakes. This
section of the Rideau Waterway whose
honours include, a “National Historic Site of
Canada”, a "Canadian Heritage River", and a
“UNESCO World Heritage Site”, is arguably
one of the most beautiful in the whole system.
Our Mayor Ron Holman, and his nine council
members protect our past, provide for our
present, and plan for our future. They
contribute to making this township a privilege
to live in.
Section One: The Six Locks
Jones Falls was first called Long Falls
and was later named Jones Falls after
Charles Jones of Brockville who owned
the land through which water coursed its
way. Prior to the construction of Jones
Falls, Sand Lake drained through a
series of rapids and shallows, over a
distance of 1,676 metres. A drop of 18
metres connected Sand Lake to the precanal mill dams at Morton and the foot of
Cranberry Lake.
The first lockmaster at Jones Falls was
Peter Sweeney.
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Jones Falls Dam
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Jones Falls: Blacksmith Shop
Jones Falls: view from Blockhouse
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To Davis Lock
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John Purcell was the rst lockmaster at Davis Lock. Once Davis Mills, Walter Davis Jr.,
son of a United Empire loyalist, built a saw mill in 1818 or 1820 at the rapids between
Opinicon and Sand Lakes. The mill and his home were torn down to build the lock.
Because stone would have to be hauled 10 kilometers from Elgin Ontario, a rubble
stone dam was constructed consisting of 2 rough stone walls, about 0.9 metres apart,
clay puddle rammed between them made the dam watertight. Earth and stone from the
lock excavation was then dumped on top. Davis Lock was also known as Foster’s Lock
after Alfred Foster who served there from 1871 to 1897. The lift at Davis Lock is 2.7
metres.
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Davis Lock: Lockhouse
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To Chaffey’s Lock
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The rapids between Indian and Opinicon Lakes were 304 metres long and descended about 4 metres.
There was a portage located on the west side of the rapids. The locale boasted of a grist and carding
mill on one bank of the river, and a sawmill and distillery on the other. Constructed by Samuel Chaffey
between 1820 and 1826, Chaffey controlled the water levels of Indian, Clear and Mud (Newboro) Lakes
by his mill dam upstream from his mills. The first lockmaster there was William Fleming, retired from the
7th regiment of the Royal Sappers and Miners.
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Chaffey's Lock Waterway
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Chaffey's Lock Mill
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Chaffey's Lock Structures
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Chaffey's Lock: Celtic Cross
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Chaffey's Lock Cemetery
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To
Newboro Lock
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Lock 37 known as the Isthmus,
separated the Rideau and
Gananoque watersheds. On
the north, water ran down the
Rideau Lakes and River to
Ottawa. On the south, water
flowed through lakes and
rapids to White Fish Creek,
thence to the Gananoque
River. In 1831 a canal water
control weir constructed at
Morton, switched the flow from
the Gananoque River to the
Cataraqui River. Rideau Lake
was about 1.5 metres higher
than Mud Lake.
The first lockmaster at
Newboro was Daniel
McDonald, a retired corporal
from the 7th company of the
Royal Sappers and Miners.
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To
The Narrows Lock
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Once the Upper Rideau and the Big Rideau were one lake which spanned from Westport to Poonamalie.
Colonel John By planned to build a dam across the Upper Narrows with a lift of 1.47metres. The dam
would divide the waters into Upper and Big Rideau Lakes. The height of the lift was changed to the .8
metres that it is today due to the elevation of the weir at Poonamalie in 1971. There was insuf cient
navigational depth in the Rideau River which prompted this change. A swing bridge connects the road
leading to the Narrows with the one leading north to Perth.
The rst lockmaster was Archibald Sands, retired from the 15th regiment of the Royal Sappers and Miners.
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To Poonamalie
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Poonamalie, known once as “First Rapids”, is an
enchanting lock sequestered amongst cedars in solitude
from noisy traf c on Highway 15 to its immediate south.
The lift at Poonamalie is 1.9 metres. Colonel By had a
cut excavated between Rideau Lake to connect with the
Rideau River. Here, on this cut, is Poonamalie.
James Rutly was the rst lockmaster at Poonamalie but
was replaced in 1837 by Thomas Richey who stayed until
his transfer in 1844.
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Section Two: The Five Wards
From the high lands of
North Crosby, to the lower
lands of South Crosby,
Newboro, Bastard and
South Burgess and South
Elmsley wards, the beauty
of the land, the life, and
the architecture, found in
this township are nothing
less than stunning. In this
section I have tried to
capture some of the
essence of the township
wards however I
apologise if I have
unwittingly neglected to
include a favourite haunt
or much loved dwelling.
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North Crosby Ward
Between 1795 and 1806 a survey was conducted of Crosby Township.
Subsequently the Township was divided into North and South Crosby
Townships, thought to be named after Brass Crosby, at one time the Lord
Mayor of London, and a Member of the British Parliament.
The rugged beauty of Foley mountain now belies the struggle of early
settlers, however stone fences show the harsh reality that faced people as
they pried a living from the land. There was some good farmland in North
Crosby but enjoyed by only a few.
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Newboro Ward
Building the Rideau Canal gave birth to the village of Newboro.
Known as “Isthmus”, Newboro lies between the Rideau Watershed
and the Gananoque and Cataraqui Rivers. The canal connecting the
Upper Rideau to Newboro Lock also connected people in grief:
Eighty-four people died of malaria in Newboro and approximately half
of the twenty two men who died of injury while building the canal died
here. Newboro at one time, straddled both North and South Crosby
which caused such administrative nightmares that Dr. R.H. Preston
M.P.P. had, by special act of parliament , a bill passed February
10th,1876, which incorporated the village of slightly over three
hundred people. The beautiful homes and parks in Newboro Ward
speak to her colourful past and the charm of her present.
The Old Presbyterian Cemetery, once the Military and Civilian Cemetery
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St. Mary's Anglican Church
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South Crosby Ward
South Crosby lays claim to four of the six locks in the Township of Rideau Lakes. As a result, tourist industries flourish
in this ward. The first three concessions South Crosby Ward had fertile soil and these were settled early. Walter Davis
settled on the second concession in 1800 and was its first landowner. The other concessions lay on the Frontenac axis
which yielded little.
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Bastard and
South Burgess Ward
The land is mixed in this ward, some very good and some rocky and swampy.
Just as in other wards farmers who had good land prospered.
Bastard and South Burgess ward
is the central ward of our
township and houses our
township office. Though the
reason for the name Bastard is
unclear, it is thought that Lt.
Governor John Graves Simcoe
named the township after an old
and prominent family (the
Bastards - pronounced
Bah stahrd) in Devonshire,
England, where the Simcoe’s had
their estate. Bastard was
surveyed in 1826 and was settled
by a number of families from
Vermont, the first of whom was
Abel Stevens. South Burgess is
like a tiny jewel in the township of
the Rideau Lakes. To the north
the indisputably magnificent Big
Rideau Lake. Upper and Lower
Beverly Lakes bring tourists from
afar.
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The Old Stone Mill, Delta
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Harmony Masonic Lodge - Philipsville
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Denny Cemetery - County Rd 8
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South Elmsley Ward
The township of Elmsley was named after John Elmsley, Chief Justice of Upper Canada from 1796 to 1802 and Chief
Justice of Lower Canada from 1802 until his death in 1805. Once, it contained both North and South Elmsley. South
Elmsley was incoroporated as a township in 1851.
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The Lombardy Agricultural Society Fairgrounds - since 1816
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“Dedicated to my grandsons, Benjamin and Caleb, who are the beautiful sunrises of my days.”
Maggie Fleming