THE TOWNSHIP OF PELHAM

[Mute Words, Living Voices-The Letters of Henry Giles

Pelham Historical Society September 1992]

The migration of Henry Giles and family to Canada took place at a very significant time in Canada history. The Rebellions of Upper and Lower Canada had taken place only a few years earlier, and an effective form of government was still being sought. The year 1841 marked the first legislative assembly of the newly united areas of Upper and Lower Canada. However, as mentioned earlier, while many immigrants at this time became intensely involved in seeking political position or petitioning the government, the Quaker communities tended to form their own compact colonies and to devote their efforts to farming or the development of small businesses.

In 1840, Henry Giles knew that he was immigrating to an area that had already undergone fairly extensive settlement. As early as 1786, Quakers from the American colonies began clearing the lands of Pelham. By 1790, residents of Pelham included names such as John Crow, Jacob Reece, George Hansler, and Samuel Beckett, The land was well suited to the farming needs of these early Quaker settlers. It was able to be cleared without a great deal of difficulty, and the rolling landscape made elaborate drainage systems unnecessary. Peaches, apples,, and corn are just a few of the numerous crops grown on the early farms.

The availability of this quality farmland and the well-established Quaker community in Pelham continued to attract settlers throughout the 19^th century. By 1817, the population had increased to 776, and when the Giles family came to Pelham, the town was home to 1,522 settlers, while Fonthill had a population of approximately 150.

At the time of the arrival of Henry Giles, Fonthill was known as “Osborne’s Corners.”

In 1842, the name of the village was changed to Temperanceville, but shortly thereafter, Fonthill was the chosen name. It is widely believed that Fonthill was named after Fonthill Abbey in England, where the landscape was very similar to that of the village in Pelham, and which was well known to many of our early settlers. Thomas Canby, an early settler who owned a great deal of land in Fonthill, and Dexter D’Everardo, a popular public servant, are often credited with the selection of this name.

However, in one of the letters that you are about to read, dated July 15, 1843, Henry Giles tells his brother in England that he has taken opposition to the name “Temperanceville” and that he has suggested the name “Fonthill”. It is unknown whether the name had been suggested to him at an earlier

date, but nevertheless, the role of Henry Giles must be considered when determining the origins of the name of Fonthill.

Although the town of Pelham was still in its early stages of development at the time of Henry Giles’ arrival, a number of services and institutions had already sprung up in the small farming community. Post offices had been established previously at St John’s(in 1832) and at Riceville(in 1836). In 1841, the Pelham post office was moved down the hill from Riceville, presumably to serve the growing community in the village that became Fonthill. A local post office greatly assisted Henry Giles and other early residents who wanted more convenient mail service in order to communicate with their friends and relatives in England.

Although Henry Giles educated his children at home, a number of schools were in operation at this time. The Ridgeville Public School, St John’s School (U.S.S.4) Law’s School on Effingham Road, Hansler School(located between Effingham and Fonthill) and the North Pelham School (S.S.7) were all established prior to 1840. A number of churches in Pelham were erected prior to 1840 as well. Aside from the Quaker meeting houses which have already been mentioned, the North Pelham Presbyterian Church was founded in 1828 by Rev. D.W. Eastman and an Episcopal Methodist Church was erected around the year 1835.

Small businesses also began to develop around this time. There were a number of blacksmith shops, grist mills, and inns in the area, and it is known that Henry Giles merchandising business was in competition with at least two general stores. By 1840 the Niagara region had developed a considerable network of roads, many of which were former Indian trails.Early settlers travelled these roads by horse-back or by foot in the summer, while horse-drawn sleighs were often used in the winter. It is also known that there was early stage coach service along the Pelham and Canboro Roads. A number of establishments in Pelham such as the Corman Inn, Ebor Rice’s Tavern, Diffin’s Inn, and the Temperance Hotel were set up in order to accommodate the passengers.

Obviously, by the time Henry Giles arrived in Pelham, the town had already established a number of key institutions, and had provided a basis for the rapid development which occurred over the latter part of the nineteenth century. The community was already expanding by 1840. However, it was expanding at a very slow rate and it certainly lacked the culture and development of England, to which Henry was accustomed.