in the province, closely settled on each side by the most prosperous families within its bounds, who owe all they possess to his judgment, enthusiasm, and perseverance, and who are grateful to him in proportion to the benefits he has bestowed upon them, though in many instances sorely against their will at the time.’ The original grant must have been much extended; for the territory now under Colonel Talbot’s management, and bearing the general name of the Talbot country, contains, according to the list I have in his own hand-writing, twenty-eight townships, and about 650,000 acres of land, of which 98,700 are cleared and cultivated. The inhabitants, including the population of the towns, amounted to about 50,000. ‘You see,’ said he, gaily, ‘I may boast, like the Irishman in the farce, of having peopled a whole country with my own hands.’ He has built his tower, like the eagle his eyry, on a bold cliff overhanging the lake. It is a long wooden building, chiefly of rough logs, with a covered porch running along the south side. Here I found suspended, among sundry implements of husbandry, one of those ferocious animals of the feline kind, called here the cat-a-mountain, and by some the American tiger, or panther, which it more resembles. This one, which had been killed in its attack on the fold or poultry-yard, was at least four feet in length, and glared at me from the rafters above ghastly and horrible. The farm consists of six hundred acres. He has sixteen acres of orchard-ground, and has a garden of more than two acres, very neatly laid out and enclosed, and in which he evidently took exceeding pride and pleasure. He described the appearance of the spot when he first came here as contrasted with its present appearance. I told him of the surmises of the people relative to his early life and his motives for emigrating, at which he laughed. ‘Charlevoix,’ said he, ‘was, I believe, the true cause of my coming to this place. You know he calls this the “Paradise of the Hurons.” Now I was resolved to get to paradise by hook or by crook, and so I came here.’ He added more seriously, ‘I have accomplished what I resolved to do—it is done; but I would not, if any one was to offer me the universe, go through again the horrors I have undergone in forming this settlement. But do not imagine I repent it; I like my retirement.’ ” He lived long enough to see the prosperity of his settlement fully assured. For many years prior to his death it appears to have been his cherished desire to bequeath his large estate to one of the male descendants of the Talbot family, and with this view he invited one of his sister’s sons, Julius Airey, to come over from England and reside with him at Port Talbot, which he did, but rusticating without companions or equals in either birth or education did not suit him, so he returned to England. Some years later a younger brother of Julius’, Colonel Airey, military secretary at the Horse Guards, came out with his family to reside at Port Talbot. The uncle and nephew could not get on together, so the uncle determined to leave Canada, and to end his days in the old world. He transferred the Port Talbot estate, valued at £10,000, together with 13,000 acres of land in the adjoining township of Aldborough, to Colonel Airey. Acting on his determination to leave Canada, he started, in his eightieth year, for Europe. He was accompanied on the voyage by George McBeth. Colonel Talbot remained in London somewhat more than a year, but finding London life somewhat distasteful to him, he once more bade adieu to society, and repaired to Canada, where he died on the 6th, and was buried on the 9th of February, 1853, leaving his estate, valued at £50,000, to George McBeth, and an annuity of £20 to Jeffrey Hunter’s widow. He was interred in the churchyard at Tyrconnel. A plate on the oaken coffin bore the simple inscription:
THOMAS TALBOT,
FOUNDER OF THE TALBOT SETTLEMENT,
Died 6th February, 1853.
We take leave of our worthy hero, in the words of an English song-writer:—
“God speed the stalwart pioneer!
Give strength to thy strong right hand!
And aid thee in thy brave intent
To clear and till the land.
’Tis men like thee that make us proud
Of the stubborn Saxon race:
And while old England bears such fruit
We’ll pluck up heart of grace.”
Barrett, M., B.A., M.D.—The late Dr. Barrett, who died on the 26th February, 1887, at Toronto, was the son of an English barrister, and was born in London, England, on 16th May, 1816. He was educated at Caen, Normandy, France. Coming to Canada in 1833 he engaged in the fishery business in the Georgian Bay, where he owned a fishing station and a vessel. In the spring of 1837 he accepted a position in a school at Newmarket. On the breaking out of the rebellion he joined the Queen’s Rangers, in which he filled the post of quartermaster of the regiment. Shortly after this he was married to Ellen McCallum, a sister of C. McCallum, of London. When the Queen’s Rangers disbanded he went to the Southern States, where he remained for three years. Returning to Toronto he was offered and accepted the position of second English master in the Upper Canada College, and was afterwards promoted to the position of first English master in the same institution. While pursuing his important duties in connection with the college, Dr. Barrett took a double course in the University of Toronto, and succeeding in obtaining the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Medicine. He was after this added to the professoriate of Rolph’s Medical School, which was subsequently merged into the Toronto School of Medicine. After being connected with the college for over thirty years, he was pensioned by the government. Up to the time of his death he was a lecturer in the Toronto School of Medicine, the Veterinary College, and the Women’s Medical School. His name is prominently connected with the latter school as one of the principal promoters of its institution and most ardent and active workers for its success. Dr. Barrett was a man of exceptional intellectual attainments and occupied an eminent and enviable position in his profession. He was highly esteemed by the members of the medical profession, and loved and respected by many friends.
Nettleton, John, Mayor of Collingwood, Simcoe county, Ontario, was born at Lofthouse, Yorkshire, England, on the 12th of November, 1832, his father, William Nettleton, and grandfather before him, carrying on the business of merchant tailors in that village. After learning the business with his father, Mr. Nettleton, jr., worked at the trade in the following places, viz.: Leeds, London, Manchester and Liverpool, and at the latter place he was married to Elizabeth Boardman Womersley, on the 9th May, 1853, in St. Peter’s Church. On the 4th of April, 1857, he and his wife and one child emigrated to Canada, arriving in Toronto on the 23rd of the same month. After staying there and at Markham village for a short time, he finally settled down in Collingwood, then a town only in its infancy. In 1859 he commenced business for himself, and has lived there continuously ever since. In 1867 he was elected by acclamation as town councillor for the Centre ward, and for sixteen years he has held the position of either councillor or deputy reeve. He was elected to the mayoralty in 1886, and re-elected in 1887. He has been connected with and has taken an active part in almost everything that has been advanced for the improvement of the town since the time he took up his abode in it. In February, 1862, he was initiated into Free Masonry, in Manitou lodge, No. 90, G.R.C., and after having passed through all the subordinate offices, he was elected Master in 1867, which position he held for two years. After being out for a short time, he subsequently was re-elected, and held the office for three years more. In 1870 he was appointed by the Grand Lodge of Canada a grand steward; in 1873 he was elected grand registrar, and in 1879 district deputy grand master for the Georgian district, which position he held for two years. He was also the means of instituting Caledonia lodge, No. 249, Angus, and Granite lodge, No. 352, Parry Sound. In both instances he was elected their first master, and now holds the position of honorary member in each lodge. He was also presented by these lodges with a full set of Grand Lodge regalia, in recognition of his services. In Royal Arch masonry he has taken the same interest as in the Blue lodge, having been elected first principal Z in Manitou chapter, No. 27, which office he has held for several years. He is also past eminent commander of Hurontario Encampment of Knights Templars, and was elected honorary member of Mount Calvary Preceptory, No. 12, G.R.C., Barrie. He has also taken an active part in other benevolent societies as well as Masonic, and was mainly instrumental in organizing the Ancient
