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REMINISCENCES OF CAPTAIN JAMES DITTRICK U.E. LOYALIST PENNED AT ST. CATHARINES, UPPER NIAGARA, IN FEB. 1860
[Welland-Port Colborne Evening Tribune, 24 February 1947]
The following reminiscences appear in the 1946 report of the Department of Public Archives, Ottawa, are reprinted as they appear in the original text:
REMINISCENCES OF CAPTAIN JAMES DITTRICK OF ST. CATHARIES, DISTRICT OF NIAGARA, UPPER CANADA
Our family are of High Dutch extraction. My Mother’s family immigrated to America in the reign of Queen Anne about the year 1705. The cause of their leaving their native Country, I am totally unacquainted with, but in all probability for some political motive, and to better their fortune in the New World.
Note, Louis the 14th over ran Holland and prosecuted the Protestants. 3,000 of whom came over to America under the protection of Queen Anne. They might probably have been among the number.
My Grandfather settled on the Mohawk River, about 30 miles from the present flourishing town Utica.
The Indian Chiefs who were in England, surrendered a large tract of land in the vicinity to Queen Anne.
It was a lovely Country-Splendid land, highly luxuriant and prolific, in producing some of the finest Wheat in the World. And after the forest had yielded to the axe-The meadows were beautiful, where the cattle grazed in quieted, affording an abundance of milk, and of which the richest cheese was made, and many farmers who were good judges pronounce it equal to the famous Cheshire Cheese of England.
The Indians who encamped around that vicinity were very friendly, and although they noticed the white people daily making encroachment, upon their hunting grounds, yet they were by no means hostile, but would allow them to enter their tents and partake of their venison, hospitality, when at times they ran short of provisions, which is frequently the case with new Settlers in the bush.
In process of time my Grandfather, by his industry and perseverance, acquired a very comfortable Homestead, and if there was an Acadia in the New World, the Mohawk River Settlement was the identical Spot. Free from the turmoil of large European Cities, Man had time and opportunity for thought and reflection, and by fulfilling the Duties of Life in his New Station, he was protected by his maker, in whom he daily trusted. Thus time quietly passed on until a change took place in the general aspect of affairs.
My Grandfather had left the world, and the property came into my father’s possession. Being a strict Loyalist, he took up arms in defence of his sovereign, which he maintained till the last.
It was a Momentous struggle, a frightful warfare, where two parties were fighting to obtain the Ascendency.
The farms were left to the care of the women, who seldom ate the bread of Idleness, the Dutch being proverbial for economy and all the useful requirements of domestic life.
They spun, they wove, they knit, prepared their own flax-made their own homespun gowns-the children’s dresses, they churned, made cheese, and performed all the various duties of domestic and social life.
Under such circumstances, my father’s mind was at ease about the affairs of the farm.
Joined Butler’s Rangers
He joined Butler’s Rangers and sailed forth on behalf of his Sovereign, hoping to quell all political discontents and to sit down after the war, once more under his own Vine and fig tree- but that was denied him-Although the Loyalists-had 30 Regiments-all regularly officered and controlled, in addition to the British regular Army, yet they finally had to succumb to the discontented, so powerful at times in a Revolutionary-struggle.
Thousands of Loyalists, rather than join the Republican Party, left the country some to England-some to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, whilst a great number came from Albany to Niagara, where they soon obtained grants of Land, in part remuneration for the loss of their estates which were confiscated.
“Newark” Name Introduced
My family and the Hainers, into which family my sister in succeeding years married, remained some time under the protection of the Garrison. The lands on each side of the river, which flows from the Falls into the broad expanse of Lake Ontario, were originally called Niagara, but when General Simcoe, who had a regiment called the Queen’s Rangers, arrived in that vicinity, he styled the point on the Canadian side, Newark.
My sister Hainer, who is now in the 79th year of her age, was born on the opposite side of the river in the year, 1781, her father was a Loyalist Soldier, and so were her Ancestors, who came over with the foreign regiments in the pay of Queen Anne.
My father, Jacob Dittrick, previous to his obtaining a Grant of lands for his services, went upon a farm belonging to a Captain McDonald, who had obtained the same at a very early period for his Services, and upon that farm situate, between Queenston and Newark, I was born in the year 1785.
The year previous, a family of the name of Gregory, who were Loyal Soldiers, had a grant of 400 acres in the present township of Grantham-and soon afterwards my father obtained the same. The Hainers also obtained a similar grant.
To all of these, according to the provisions of the Land Board, an addition was made for the benefit of the Children, so liberal was the Government in providing for those who had fought for the ascendency of the British Crown.
No one can tell the privations we all underwent in our first moving into the Bush.
The whole Country was a forest, a wilderness which had to be subdued by the axe and toil.
For a time we led a regular Robinson Crusoe life, and with a few poles and brushwood, formed our tents on the Indian Plan. As the clearances enlarged, we were supplied with some agricultural Implements, for we brought nothing with us but a few seeds prepared by the careful forethought of the Women.
My father who naturally had a mechanical turn, amused himself of an evening in making Spinning Wheels, a loom, and a variety of useful things for farming purposes.
Time passed on, and having grown some flax and obtained some sheep, My Mother set to work to prepare the same for some clothes in which we were greatly in need of.
She had not any thread, so my father which doubtless he learned from the Indians stripped off the Bass wood Bark, saturated it in fine strong and useful thread-Water like Flax, and obtained a Necessity has no law.
Had To Be Hardy
Consequently it was immaterial to us how the clothes were made, as long as the Material kept together. We none of us had any shoes or stockings winter or Summer, as those we brought us were soon worn out. At length any father tanned some leather, and I recalled the first pair of shoes he made, which fell to my lot. I greased, and putting them too near the fire, on returning to my grief found that my shoes were all shrivelled up, so that I could never wear them. It was twelve months before I received another pair, so many occurrences of life, having to be attended to.
I was singularly unfortunate for the first pair of trousers my mother made me from the proceeds of her flax, were burnt by putting them too near the fire; all that reminded of my old one, was similar to a pair of breeches, the leg part having been torn off, bit at a time, in going through the bush- so I was obliged to remain twelve months bare legged and barefooted through all the various changes of the Weather-but I grew up strong and hardy, being blessed with a remarkable good constitution fitted to undergo the various hardships of a forest life.
I am now in the 75th year of my age and I look back with astonishment, to think, how mercifully we were all preserved, through so many discouragements.
The most trying period of our lives, was the year 1788 called the year of scarcity-everything at that period seemed to conspire against the hardy industrious settlers.
All the crops failed, as the earth had temporarily ceased to yield its increase, either for Man or Beast-for several days we were without food, except for the various roots we procured and boiled down to nourish us.
We noticed what roots the pigs eat, and by that means avoided anything that had any poisonous qualities.
The officers in Command at the Military Officers did all in their power to mitigate the general distress, but the supplies were very limited, consequently only a small pittance was dealt out to each petitioner.
We obtained something and were on allowance until affairs assumed a more favorable aspect-our poor dog was killed to allay the pangs of hunger, the very idea brought on sickness to some but others devoured the flesh quite ravenous.
Dogs are a very common food around the Rocky Mountains, but the people became in time habituated to the taste. We next killed a horse which lasted us a long time and proved very profitable Eating; those poor animals were a serious loss to our farming appendages, but there was no help for it. People shipwrecked on desert Islands or lost in the Woods will take hold of anything almost to satisfy the cravings of hunger and to keep life together.
I have heard of a sailor wrecked on the Coast of South America, who had been a long time without food, knocked down an owl with a stick and devoured it raw, one of the toughest and most unpalatable of the bird Species, but to them it was savoury dinner.
Brighter Era
At length a brighter era dawn was upon us, and since then everything went on well and prospered.
The Mills or rude workmanship were thinly scattered about the Country-so that we had to content ourselves with a hollow stump to pound our grain in, which was done with a cannon ball fastened to a cord or bark of a Tree and affixed to a long pole which served as a lever-the bread or cakes thus made, were not particularly White, but were eaten with a good appetite and proved wholesome.
We none of us experienced much Sickness, but when any illness occurred we had recourse to Medical roots found in the woods the virtues of which we acquired by out intercourse with the Indians. In 1792 in consequence of Governor Simcoes proclamation offering lands to actual Loyalist settlers, a vast number located around the neighborhood and Country.
We visited one another, and all appeared like one family. There was no distinction as is the case nowadays-All were on an equality ready to do any kind acts and services for one another.
The happy meetings we often had, I look back to with much pleasure.
“Present Frivolities”
I am decidedly of opinion that true happiness, as far as human nature was the privilege of enjoying, was far more abundant than then the present frivolities of the age.
Dress was the last thing thought of. The women all wore their linsey Woolsey gowns, and the men and lads home spun clothes, far more suitable to the rude log house and rough Country, than those of a finer material.
Marriages were celebrated by Magistrates, thinly scattered around the country.
I think David Secord performed more ceremonials and united more happy young people, than anyone else.
I really believe when those events took place, they were the happiest people in the world. There were seldom any quarrels or bickerings-they pulled together, and their sole air appeared to be to contribute to each others comfort, and to improve their farm for the benefit of their children. The present appearance of the farms, thriving homesteads, well show what can be accomplished by perseverance and Industry. The owners are the bone and sinew of the Country, and when the war of 1812 was declared, they were loyal, and ready to stand forward in defence of their property, and to keep the British Flag untarnished.
No period of History furnishes a brighter record, than the Loyalty and devotedness, of the settlers, who rose in Mass when they found their Country invaded by a neighboring Nation and the war cruelly carried on by a party for Mercenary motives.
The same Spirit still exists, and although a few dissatisfied paltry demagogues who have no landed property at stake, may attempt to to shake the Loyalty of the old settlers, yet I am confident they will never succeed.
I have for years spent my life in comparative retirement –and in the 75th of my age, I have no wish to mix much with the world.
I content myself with a few Books and papers; in looking back at my early career of life, and hope that the few years allotted me, may be attended with the retention of my mental powers, until it shall please the All Wise disposer of events, to call me to another happy State of Existence.
(signed) JAMES DITTRICK
St. Catharines,
Feb. 7th, 1860