The annual report of
the Association of Ontario Land Surveyors recently published, contains
among much else, a series of short biographical sketches of early
surveyors in Upper Canada. These sketches are by Mr. Willis Chapman, the
well-known Toronto engineer. Included are two former Norfolk men, the
pioneer Thomas Welch, and his grandson, Thomas W. Walsh. With Mr.
Chapman's approval we republish these sketches:
The Walsh family of Norfolk
County is an off-shoot of one of the old noble families in Wales, and
was originally written Welch.
In 1740 Francis Welch emigrated
to America, settling in Philadelphia, where he married the daughter of
his Quaker employer. He was engaged in mercantile marine service during
the Seven Years War, was captured and taken to a French port, from which
he escaped to England.
Thomas, eldest son of Francis
Welch, was born on November 5th, 1742. He married Mary Mitchell, who was
born April 8th, 1752, and died June 19th, 1817.
During the Seven Years War he
volunteered in the land forces, and when peace was restored he became a
surveyor of lands in Pennsylvania, afterwards removing to Maryland,
where he was engaged in surveying when the Revolutionary War broke out.
He refused a colonelcy in the
American army and joined the loyalist army, receiving the appointment of
quartermaster of the Maryland loyalists on October 17, 1778. This
commission bears the signature of General Sir Henry Clinton,
"commander-in-chief of His Majesty's forces within the colonies
lying on the Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to West Florida."
He acted as engineer with
General Durnford in Florida, when he was captured by the Spaniards. At
the close of the war he was employed to survey lands for the U. E.
Loyalists in New Brunswick.
He returned to Maryland for a
short time, then removed to Upper Canada with his second wife and two
sons, Francis Leigh and Aquilla Mitchell.
On landing at Kingston on Nov.
2nd, 1793, he only remained there a short time, removing to what was
known as the Sugar Loaf on Chippewa Creek, Welland County. When residing
there he made the following surveys for the Provincial Government:
In 1794, townships of Wainfleet,
Humberstone, Thorold, Pelham and Castor.
In 1795 the remaining parts of
Crewland, Willoughby, Walsingham, Charlotteville, Woodhouse, Walpole and
Rainham.
In 1796 he removed to Long Point
settlement where he located on Lot No. 12, in the 5th Concession of
Charlotteville. In this year he was appointed Registrar of Deeds for
Norfolk County, which then included the Townships of Walpole and
Rainham, in addition to its present territory. Subsequently, he filled
other offices, and in 18[o2] became judge of the district and surrogate
courts.
In 1798 he made a survey of the
town plot of Turkey Point.
He died on November 5th, 1816,
and was buried in the family plot on the old homestead with his wife.
His eldest son, Francis Leigh,
who was born March 12, 1789, succeeded his father as Registrar at the
age of 21 years, which office he continued to fill until his death on
August 14th, 1884.
He was on active military
service in 1812-1814, and took part in the Battle of Lundy's Lane, and
in other encounters. When pensions were granted to the veterans of the
war he declined, stating that it was honor enough for him to have served his
country and to have had his services recognized, and preferred that his
share should go to those not more entitled to it, but who might be more
in need of it.
It is reported that he built the
first fire proof vault for records and introduced in the Registry Office
the system of keeping separate books for the townships.
The chirography of Francis L.
Walsh was remarkable. When an octogenarian he wrote the Lord's Prayer,
the words "God Save the Queen," his name and the date on a
circular space covered by a five-cent piece, which marvellous feat he
executed without the aid of magnifying glasses. From 1821 to 1828, and
again from 1835 to 1836, he represented Norfolk in the Provincial
Parliament.
The family of Francis L. Walsh
originally resided on Lot 12, Con. 3, Charlotteville, afterwards
removing to Simcoe [sic], about seven miles southwest of Simcoe.
Francis L. Walsh married Elsie
Fairchild, daughter of Noah Fairchild. They had five sons, Thomas,
William, Aquillia, Walter, Lewis Francis and Christopher Leigh, also six
daughters.
Aquilla Mitchell, the younger
son of Thomas Welch, Sr., born in Maryland, April 21st, 1794, married
Margaret McCall, daughter of Duncan McCall, and succeeded his father on
the homestead. There were three sons, Duncan, Thomas and Francis, also
two daughters. Aquilla died on May 3rd, 1873, and was buried in the
family plot.
It might also be stated here
that there is a post office called Walsh, near where Thomas Welch first
settled; also a station on the Simcoe and Port Rowan branch of the
G.T.R. ten miles from Simcoe, called Walsh, the station being about two
miles south of the old homestead of Thomas Welch.
Thomas W. Walsh, son of Francis
Leigh Walsh, and grandson of Thos. Welch, D.P.S., was born on May 5,
1819, and at an early age removed to Simcoe. He qualified as a deputy
provincial surveyor on April 25, 1842. For some time he was in
partnership with William Mercer, who passed his examinations in 1836,
the firm name being Walsh & Mercer. Some years after this
partnership was dissolved, he joined with James F. Wilson, civil
engineer, who had formerly been employed on the Intercolonial Railway,
the firm name being Walsh & Wilson. In the County of Norfolk he made
surveys and plans of all or part of the following: Town of Simcoe,
Villages of Port Dover, Waterford, Port Rowan, Delhi, Vittoria, Langton,
Lynedoch, Pt. Ryerse, St. Williams and many others.
Mr. T. W. Walsh received
instructions from the Provincial Government to verify survey of line
between Walpole and Woodhouse in 1845; fourth concession line of
Woodhouse, 1852; first concession line of Windham, 1853. He also made a
subdivision survey for the Dominion Government south of Yorkton, in
1881. His office stood on the site of the present Registry office, on
Court House Square. He was candidate for parliamentary honors in 1858,
but was defeated by Walter Powell.
For many years he was a member
of the town council and the county council, and in 1880 and 1881 was
warden of Norfolk County. An April 14th, 1885, he was appointed county
treasurer and held that position until his death. For some time he was
also in the Registry Office acting as deputy registrar for his father.
He died at Simcoe on November 14, 1895, and was buried at Oakwood
Cemetery.
Thomas W. Walsh was a
Conservative and an Anglican. He married Eliza Henshall, who was born at
Kensington, London, England. They had three children, Mary Deane, who
married Frank King, at the time deputy sheriff for Norfolk County;
Elizabeth Elsie, who married George Bruce Jackson, a lawyer in Simcoe;
and Francis, who was never married. All of these children are now dead.
Mrs. King died without children, but Mrs. Jackson had three; Leigh, of
Chicago; Mrs. (Dr.) Williams of Ingersoll, and Mrs. Frank Bain of
Hamilton.
Aquilla Walsh, second son of
Francis Leigh Walsh, resided at Simcoe, and was a prominent member of
the community. He was appointed chairman of the commission to construct
the Intercolonial Railway in 1868, which position he held for some
years. He represented the County of Norfolk in the Parliament of Canada
from 1861 until Confederation, and represented North Norfolk in the
House of Commons from 1867 until 1872, when he was defeated by John
Charlton. He was again a candidate for North Norfolk in 1878, but was
again defeated by John Charlton. In 1881 he was appointed Commission of
Dominion Lands, which office he held until his death at Winnipeg on
March 7th, 1885, as the result of a fall on the street. He was buried at
Simcoe.
