AUGUSTUS JONES

BY REPORT OF COMMITTEES (Reprinted from the 1923 Annual Report)

Every Land Surveyor who has prac­ father’s death occurred in October, tised in Toronto, Hamilton and the 1791. during the last Augustus secured about 300 acres of hundred years has had occasion to refer land on the South shore of Lake On­ to the field notes and plans of Augustus tario and immediately West of Stoney Jones. He came to Creek. The names Ebenezer Jones and before it was set apart as a separate Joseph Jones also appear on early Province, performed surveys for the maps of the Township of Saltfleet. Government for years and continuous­ Mary Jones, sister of Augustus ly resided in the vicinity of his labours, Jones, married John Gage, a Royalist throughout his long and busy life. No officer, who lost his life in the War. She surveyor in his time did more work of and her two children, James (b. 1774) an important character than he. Not­ and Elizabeth (b. 1776) made their way withstanding the prominent position to Stoney Creek by canoe via the he held in the community and his wide Mohawk and Oswego Rivers. Upon the experience, no attempt has apparently farm of James Gage, the battle of been made to prepare a sketch of his Stoney Creek was fought in 1813. career. For years a diligent search has Those who had supported the been made for a portrait of Augustus Royalist cause in the Revolution were Jones, but without success. It appears treated harshly by the victors. As a rule impossible to now unravel some of the their lands were confiscated and they contradicting statements collected were subjected to such indignities they from different sources. desired to emigrate and start life again. The Jones’ family is doubtless of Great Britain generously offered free Welsh descent. They were settled in lands to those who chose to come to Duchess County, State, when Canada, and as a result thousands the Revolution occurred, and being crossed into Upper Canada, Lower Loyalists, they removed to Upper Canada and the Maritime Provinces Canada after the War. between 1783 and 1792, all seeking The date of birth of lands upon which to make homes for has not yet been definitely ascertained, themselves and families. but it was probably about 1763. Settlers pressed on beyond the sur­ The late Judge Stephen Jones of veyed townships to select lands and no stated that Augustus ar­ doubt the surveyors, the government rived in Canada a year or two before his officials and the military authorities brother Stephen, who was the Judge’s experienced a busy and exasperating grandfather. period from 1783 to 1792. Surveyors As Augustus was then unmarried, it were rushed here and there as is probably that he was sent in advance demands arose and disputes between to select lands. Stephen’s family com­ claimants had to be settled. prised himself and wife, three sons, Upper Canada had not at that time David, Ebenezer and Peter, also one been separated from the Lower daughter, Betsey. Another son, Province. Quebec was the capital, and Stephen, the father of the late Judge from there Surveyor General Holland Stephen, was bom in Canada in 1790. directed the surveys that were made They settled at Stoney Creek about after 1764. It would appear, however, seven miles to the East of the City of that the military officers exercised the Hamilton. Quite recently the old house power of appointing deputy surveyors built by the pioneer was standing. to meet the requirements of the situa­ The father of Augustus and Stephen tion. The U.E. Loyalists were granted probably came to Upper Canada with lands as shown on a projected plan and Stephen, as Augustus states that his the military authorities undertook to

52 The Ontario Land Surveyor, Spring 1991 AUGUSTUS JONES cont’d

locate them. Many officers were ap­ Niagara, 15th January, 1788. 1796 - Newark, Flamborough, pointed as Deputy Surveyors: Steg- Sir:- Grimsby, Saltfleet, Beverley, Town of mann, two Macdonells, Frey, Chewitt, In consequence of a discretionary York, Coots Paradise. DePencier, Fortune, Grant, Ridout and power given me by the Commander-in- 1797 - Pickering, Glanford, Oxford, many others. Generally they had chief and upon your representation Blenheim. served in the war as officers in the that Messrs. Jesse Pawling and Augus­ 1798 - Burford, Lake Shore Road, Engineers, or in the Navy, but some few tus Jones are properly qualified to as­ Humber to head Lake, , were surveyors before the war. sist in surveying the tps. of the Uxbridge, Gwillumbury, Yonge St. lots In 1784 Wm. Chewitt, Patrick Mc- settlement under inspection, I do ap­ for French Immigrants. Niff, Jas. Macdonell, Hugh Macdonell point them to that service from this 1799 - Examined settlements in and Alex. Aitkin were making surveys date at the salary of two shillings and Hope and Haldimand. Surveyed Hum­ along the Upper St. Lawrence and the sixpence sterling per day, and without ber Mill Reserve, Yarmouth, Gore, Lower Ottawa, and Philip R. Frey was any other expense whatever being in­ Newark and Stamford. sent to Niagara and Detroit. A few curred from this apptmt. After the Fort at Niagara had been years later we find Chewitt in charge surrendered to the Americans, Gover­ at Williamsburg, Frey at Detroit and I am Sir, nor Simcoe decided that Newark was Aitkin at Kingston. McNiff was trans­ Yours, &c., not a safe site for the capital of the ferred to Detroit in 1789. JAMES WATSON, Province. At first he favored the Forks In 1789 a Land Board was formed Capt. Commdg. Upper Posts. of the Thames, where London now for each of the four districts of Lunen- stands, but eventually decided on York, burgh, Mecklenburgh, Nassau and Mr. Philip Frey, to which place he removed the capital Hesse. Johnstown was the most impor­ D. Surveyor. in 1794. tant point in Lunenburgh; Kingston in Augustus Jones, as the leading sur­ Jones made Newark his head­ Mecklenburgh; Newark (afterwards veyor in the district, was immediately quarters when the Government offices Niagara) in Nassau and Detroit in consulted by the new Governor and it were located there, but moved to York Hesse. These Land Boards had control would appear that Jones gained his with the government. He was, however, of the surveying operations and the entire confidence, as during his term of the greater part of the time out in the locating of the settlers. When Upper office, Jones was constantly employed bush with his men, many of whom were Canada became a separate Province, on the many works that this energetic Indians. the names of the four districts were Governor undertook for the develop­ In a letter from Augustus Jones to changed to Eastern, Midland, Home ment of the Province. Thomas Ridout, dated January 20th, and Western, and the Land Boards con­ Jones knew the country, the settlers 1825, Mr. Jones gives a summary of the tinued until 1794, when they were and the Indians and became, at once, surveys performed by him prior to abolished. the Governor s right-hand-man. It was 1792, as follows:- In the Autumn of 1792, John Graves he who surveyed that Townships of Niagara and Stamford Simcoe as Lt.-Governor of the New connected with the in 1787; , Pelham, Saltfleet and Province of Upper Canada, arrived at Detroit frontier; Yonge St. from Lake parts of Clinton, Grimsby and Bertie in Niagara. He decided to make this place Ontario to Lake Simcoe; and the 1788. If these Townships were "all run the capital of the Province and named Townsite of York. He also explored the out into 100 acre lots" as stated by Mr. it Newark. Thames and the Grand Rivers. Jones, he must have had a busy season He assembled there the First From the records in the Crown in 1788. In this same year D. Hazen Provincial Parliament and there were Lands Office, we find that instructions surveyed Grantham, and J. Pawling located offices, including that of the were given to Augustus Jones for the surveyed Louth. Jones surveyed Bar­ Surveyor General, Mr. D. W. Smith, a following surveys: ton in 1789. man of wealth and influence, but with In Dec., 1792, to survey Dundas St., On June 20th, also Oct. 27th, 1829, no qualifications as a surveyor. Wm. and to explore the sources of the Jones wrote to Wm. Chewitt giving a Chewitt had charge of the office. (See Thames. summary of the work done by him in Report. 1894 for sketch of D. W. Smith). 1793 - Townships of Flamborough, his early career. It would appear that Augustus Jones acted as chain- Beverley, Ancaster, York. Chewitt could not find the field notes bearer on surveys being made along the 1794 - Yonge St., Flamborough, on record of some of the Township sur­ Niagara frontier and may have made Glanford, Binbrook, Delaware, Oxford, veys made by Jones and had written certain surveys, but it was not until Dorchester, Burford, Grimsby, him about the matter. Jones states in 1788 that he was appointed a Deputy Windham. his reply that he was so driven at the Surveyor by the military officer com­ 1795 - Ancaster, Thorold, Gran­ time that he could not prepare copies of manding the Upper Posts. tham, Beverley, Southwold, Whitby, his notes, but offers to do so, if he were The letter of appointment reads as York, Scarboro, Pickering, Capt. paid for doing the work. He states that follows:- Brants land, Lake Simcoe. he began the survey of the Township of

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Niagara on June 11th, 1787. This was From 1787 to 1799 inclusive, no sur­ years. The Township of Saltfleet ob­ then Township No. 1. He then mentions veyor in Upper Canada surveyed and tained its name from these noted having surveyed Stamford No. 2; Ber­ subdivided as large and important an Springs. tie; Saltfleet No. 7; Barton No. 8; area of land as Augustus Jones. For At this time lived at Thorold; Clinton; the shore of Lake On­ some years after 1800 he continued to Wellington Square, at the north end of tario from Niagara to Burlington Bay reside at Stoney Creek, but he made no the beach. His original house is now and around the circumference of said surveys after 1799 for the Provincial incorporated in the annex at the West Bay; shore line Lake Erie from Fort Government. end of the Brant House Hotel, now a Erie to mouth of Grand River; Indian It would be interesting to know the Military Hospital. Augustus Jones and lands six miles on each side Grand reason for this abrupt change in Joseph Brant were intimate friends. River from Lake Erie to Dundas Street; governmental action, or perhaps Jones The main road from York to Niagara North shore Lake Ontario, Toronto Old preferred to settle down on his farm, passed the doors of both. Where this Fort to River Trent; laid out a row of make private surveys and give atten­ road branched at the South end of the eleven Townships on this lake front; tion to his land interests. beach for Ancaster, the Governor had surveyed the first concession lines and In 1825 he was requested by the erected a stopping place known as the extended the side lines of the said Government to resurvey the line of "King’s Head Inn," described and Townships from the Lake running back Dundas Street between the Townships sketched by Mrs. Simcoe, who fre­ one mile of said concession. of Ancaster and West Flamborough as quently stopped there. Jones in another letter of 1829 to Mr. surveyed originally by him in 1793 and Mrs. Simcoe in her interesting diary, Chewitt states that he made the follow­ 1795. No further instructions appear to mentions Augustus Jones several ing surveys under instructions from have been given him after 1825. times and refers to his residence and the Surveyor Generals office: Yonge St. The following notice appeared in the the pond beside it. He was probably from York Bay to the landing on a creek Upper Canada Gazette of May 12th, baching it, as he was not married until that flowed to Lake Simcoe and down 1798: 1798. this Creek to the Lake; greater part of About 1818 he acquired a tract of the Township of York; new part of the Married - At the Grand River land at Cold Springs, between St. Towns ite of York, containing one acre about three weeks since, A. George and Paris, about five miles lots; Townships of Scarboro, Pickering, Jones, Esq., Deputy Surveyor, to North of Brantford and made this his Delaware, Oxford and Yarmouth, also a young lady of that place, home thereafter. parts of Vaughan, King, Markham, daughter to the noted Mohawk There is a tradition in the family Whitchurch, Burford, Beverley, Flam- Chief Tettihogah. that Augustus lived in state at Cold borough W., greater part of Ancaster. Springs, maintaining his carriage with He surveyed the "Purchase Line" from The official Gazette also contributed coachman, footman, valet and ser­ outlet of Burlington Bay, N. 45 degrees the following poetical effusion: vants. W. for fifty miles, then south-westerly He no doubt was a landed proprietor forty-five miles to River Thames near 'At each fond glance may their and held the patents for many the Upper Forks; River Thames from souls unite Township lots throughout the district, Delaware to Forks and Grand River "While loves soft sympathy im­ but apparently he did not acquire main branch to the "Purchase Line." parts, wealth. (The "Purchase Line" became the West "The tender transport of delight The children of Augustus Jones boundary of Halton and extended from "Which beats an undivided were as follows as given by Dr. D.E. Burlington to Arthur). heart." Russell of Brantford, a great-great- The foregoing surveys were made grandson of Augustus Jones: under instructions of the Surveyor The notice in the Gazette is probably General at Quebec, or the commanding incorrect, as his son, Peter, states in his (1) John - who studied surveying with officers at , or the memoirs that his father married his father, married Christina, authority of the Land Board. Tubbe-nah-nee-quay, daughter of Wah- daughter of Jacob Brant, son of That Augustus Jones possessed an banosay, a chief of the . Joseph Brant. Sometime after 1826 iron constitution and an uncommon They took up their residence in his he removed from the Grand River capacity for work is evident from the house at the West side of the outlet of and assimilated with the whites. surveys he performed. Stoney Creek, where they remained for Two or three children, names now He was appointed as Surveyor for many years. unknown. the Niagara District, but probably had Green’s Mill on Stoney Creek was several assistant surveyors under him, about two miles South of his home, and (2) Peter - born at Saltfleet Jan. 1st, as no man could alone have performed about three miles to the South 1802. He was baptized in the all the surveys credited to Augustus Westward existed Salt Springs, where Anglican Mohawk Church below Jones. salt works were operated for many Brantford in 1820, but three years

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later he joined the Methodists and daughters and Henry, Jr., who mar­ William, the youngest, who died became a Missionary. For some time ried Clara Ormond and died in about Feb. 7th, 1923, the last of the he appears to have made Port 1861. family. Credit his headquarters. Henry, Jr., had two sons and two Dr. D.E. Russell of Brantford, is With his knowledge of Indian life daughters. The widow married Gil­ a son of Archibald, Jr. Geo. Doolittle and character, he became a power­ lespie. of Hagersville, is a son of Katharine ful influence for good among them. One daughter, Ella M. Benson, is Russell and John Doolittle. He prepared a spelling book and living at Seattle. A. Henry Jones of dictionary, translated hymns and Port Dalhousie, born 1860, is a son (8) Lucretia - died without issue. the Scriptures. He also taught an of Henry, Jr. Indian school for some years. He (9) Sarah or Sally, who died in 1832. travelled East, West and North in (4) Joseph - fourth son of Augustus, had the Province, preaching at the In­ one daughter who survived her Wilson Jones attended Upper dian Reserves and became their father for a few days only. Canada College in 1832, and may trusted plenipotentiary in business possibly have been a son of Augus­ matters. In 1829 he visited the (5) Augustus Jr., was bom in 1818. He tus, Sen., but it is more probable , and in 1831 went to was a carpenter and builder. During that he was a nephew. England, returning in 1832. When his father’s life time he acted as his In 1826 Augustus, Sen., wrote there he was introduced at Court. assistant and acquired a knowledge from Cold Springs to his son Peter The hardships he had endured of practical surveying. the following letter, at the same brought on illness in England from He inherited his father’s instru­ time sending him a horse:- which he never fully recovered. In ments and made surveys on the 1837, he was in and Reserve as required. It is also "Please give our true love to John again left for England, when he saw reported that he used the old com­ and Christina and all the rest of our . He returned in pass to locate "bee-trees" and he friends at the Credit. We expect to 1838. He was in England a third may have made a professional meet you and them at the camp- time in 1844-1846. In 1847 he charge for this service. He died in meeting. I think a good many of our removed from Port Credit to the February, 1892. Indians will come down at that Munsey Reserve below London. In He had but one child, a daughter, time. I will send you Jack, and hope 1849 he removed to Brantford, who predeceased him. the Lord will preserve both you and where he continued to reside until the best. He is quiet and hardy. The his death on June 29th, 1856. This old compass was in existence a only fault I know, is he stumbles He married an English lady few years ago, and unless lost or sometimes, and if you find he does named Eliza Field about 1833, who destroyed subsequently, it should be not suit you as a riding horse, you after his death married Rev. Carey acquired by the Association and can change him for some other, but and lived in Brantford. Dr. Peter E. deposited in our Repository with other always tell your reasons. May the had nine children, of whom five died instruments. Lord bless you. Pray for your un­ in infancy. Those that attained worthy father, Augustus Jones." maturity were the following:- (6) Mary - There is some confusion Charles Augustus, bom 1839, respecting the daughters of Augus­ Augustus, Sen., died at Cold Springs served in American Civil War. Died tus, Sen. By one statement Mary on Wednesday, Nov. 16th, 1836, and June 19th, 1882. No children. married John Doolittle. By another was buried there. After the death of his John Frederick, bom 1851, died statement, however, she married son, Rev. Peter, his body was removed March 18th, 1876. No children. Jacob Brant, Jr., son of Jacob, Sen., to Greenwood Cemetery, Brantford, Peter Edmund, practised and grandson of Joseph Brant, and and re-interred beside his son. medicine at Hagersville until his there can be no doubt about this. It A suitable monument was erected to death. He died on Reserve July 1st, is possible, however, that she was the memory of Rev. by the 1919. His widow was living at Ver­ twice married. Chippewa Indians on the Reserve and non, B.C., in 1921. He had a fine there is also a tablet to his memory in collection of curios and relics. (7) Katharine - married Archibald Rus­ the Methodist Church at New Credit. George Dunlop, died about 1885. sell. Their children were:- Amos; There are headstones and inscriptions Two sons - Peter A.F. and Charles Lucretia, bom about 1831, married to the memory of the family, but the A.F. Peter A.F. now living at D. Jamieson, died 1921; Susan, grave of Augustus Jones, the surveyor, Brantford. married Chief Geo. King; Sarah, lies unmarked. married Geo. Halbert; Archibald, The portrait that accompanies this (3) Henry - third son of Augustus, had died 1917; John; Katharine, mar­ sketch is that of Augustus Jones, Jr., the following children: two ried John Doolittle; Joseph; and the youngest son of Augustus, Sen. ©Is

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