Petition for school, Sidney Township, 1830

Petition for a school

Sidney Township 1821 and 1830, over 100 names

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Background
In 1791, the Constitutional Act established Upper Canada and one of the edicts was that one seventh of all land was to be 'reserved' for protestant clergy. In practice reserves were also set aside for schools and other uses such as canals, defence, etc. In this case, Lot 19, including the Broken Front, Concession 1 in Sidney Township, Hastings County, had been set aside as a 'school reserve.' In 1821 a small group of inhabitants petition to have John Weaver removed from the lot and to acquire a deed for a school lot.

Nothing appears to have happened for a decade. Then, in
April 1830, a notice of a meeting for May 1830 is made and Resolutions are drawn up at the meeting. The resulting petition below is not dated but was circulated and signed at or following the May meeting. The petition is signed by 104 inhabitants asking to have this lot deeded to the community "to establish a school in a few years uppon more liberal principals that what we have yet had in this Township."

The well known Belden Atlas of Hastings and Prince Edward Counties, 1878, reprinted by Mika Pub., 1977, [p. 6] shows the full lot as "School Lands" and a school situated on the north side of the road which cuts across the lot. This old school site is today the site of Bayside Secondary School on the north east side of the intersection of Aikins Rd and Hwy 2. Much of the lot is still undeveloped.

Gerry Boyce, well known Belleville historian, published an article about this school site; 'The Bayside Property and School, 1784-1874` in Ontario History`Volume XLIV Number 4 (December 1972), pages 181-200.




The 1821 petition was transcribed by Peter Johnson and posted with permission on this web site in 2007. Five years later the 1831 petition was found and is now added to complete the story. Carm Foster did all the transcribing of the 1831 petition. Thanks to Peter and Carm. Signatures can be a challenge to transcribe. Let me know if you think names have been misread.
 

© Randy Saylor, Jan 2012
Source: Upper Canada Land Petitions, RG1 L3, V460a, 1821, bundle S 13,#21, film at AO, C-2813
Source: Upper Canada Land Petitions, RG1 L3, LAC, V 466, 1830, bundle S 16, #136, film at AO, C-2816



THE 1821 PETITION
23 Jan 1821
To his Excellency Sir Peregrun Maitland Knight Commander of the most
honorable Military order Leiutenant Governor of the Province of Upper Canada.
    &c &c &c  We your petitioners humbly preyeth that your Excellency will be graciously pleased to Issue an order to remove John Weaver off from Lot Number Nineteen in the first Concefsion of the Township of Sidney County of Hasting Midland District and province of Upper Canada as the said Lot Number Nineteen was reserved for a School Lot and we your petitioners are wishing to use it for the same, and we your petitioners humbly preyeth that your Excellency will be pleased to Issue a Grant of the said Lot Number Nineteen to Reuben White & Peter Stickle as trustees to the said School Lot Number Nineteen together with its broken front.
Dated at Sidney this twenty third of January in the Year of our Lord one Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty one.
Reuben White                                        Jacob Bonesteel
Jacob Rose                                            James H. Hinson (?)
Jacob Ford                                            Peter Simmons
Peter Stickle                                           Jonas Lott
Charles Bonisteel                                    Nicholas Simmons
John  his X mark Bonisteel                     Charles Simmons
George Smith                                         William Kelley
Henrey Bonesteel                                    George Finkle



NOTICE of a MEETING
Sidney April 12th  1830

Notice is hereby given that a public meting will be held on Saturday the 8th day of May next at 2 oclock in the after noon at the hous of Daniel Ostroms in Sidney for the purpose of chosing trustees - for the Lott of land reserved for the benefit of a public school in the 1st. Consesion of the Township of Sidney



RESOLUTIONS
Sidney the 8th  day of May 1830

At a public meeting held this day at the House of Daniel Ostroms the following resolutions ware proposed and agreed to.
Resolved 1st  
That it is our firm belief that Lott Number nineteen with its Broken front in the first Consession of the Township of Sidney was reservd by government for the benefit of a public school for this Township

Resolved 2
That it was the intention of government to grant a Deed to three Trustees and their successors Duly appointed when ever the same should be applied for in a proper manner

3d 
That it is highly necessary that we now obtain a Deed for the said Lott and we do appoint Daniel Ostrom - Elijah Ketcheson and Jacob Finkle Trustees in order to obtain a Deed for same

4th 
That by obtaining said Lott and appropiating the benefits arising from the same towards defraying the expences of a public school will be greatly beneficial to the inhabitants of this vicinity and will be likely to give encouragement for the inhabitants to establish a school in a few years uppon more liberal principals that what we have yet had in this Township



THE 1830 PETITION
[undated]
To
His Excellency Sir John Colborne K. C. B Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Upper Canada.  And Major General commanding His Majesty's Forces therein - in Council
           
The petition of the undersigned inhabitants of the County of Hastings humbly shewith -

           
That in the original Survey of the Township of Sidney lot number nineteen with the broken front in front of the same in the first concession of the said Township was reserved for the use and benefit of a School to be established in the Said Township

           
That a public meeting of the inhabitants of the said Township has been after due notice held at which several resolutions were passed a copy of which your petitioners hereunto annex with a view of furthering the benefiient instructions of the Government and for the purpose of carrying the object of the said meeting into effect.  Your petitioners humbly pray Your Excellency that the said lands so reserved may be granted to the Trustees in the said resolutions named, for the uses and trusts originally intended by the Crown.

           
And Your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray -
Elijah Ketcheson Solomon Hazelton J. P.
Daniel Ostrom William Bell J. P.
Jacob Finkle Thos.  Coleman Lt  Coll  Militia


[Second page 2]
Richard his X mark Simmons Alexandar Chisholm
Simeon Ostrom Gilbert G Ostrom
John Elliott Josia Crysdale?
Isaac Vanornam Benjamin Gilbert
Peter Lott Henry W Yager
Daniel W. Strohn John Young
John J Lott George McMullen
Sheldon Hawley
A. Manahan Philip Lott
Wm  Robertson
Avery Story Daniel Ostrum Jr?
Simon Westfall? Peter Davison
Benjamin Ostrum William Ketcheson
John F Flindall [smudged] John J. Lawrence
George Bradshaw Hiram? Young
Charles Avery Cornelius Lawrnce [Lawrence]
Mashlon Knight Peter Smith
Joseph N Lumley? Jacob Bonasteel
Samuel Alcomb? George Lott
Henry Bleecker George Belnap
John P Smith George Finkle
H C Sayler William Merrill?
John Dockstader Darius Macaulay
Hiram Howard Abner? Macaulay
Corn  Taylor Jacob McMasters


[Third page 3]
Reuben White William Smith
Edwd Fidlar Charles Bonisteel
Samuel B. Gilbert George Sherry?
Lawrence Degraff George Kerr? Sherr?
Sarah A? Case? Robert Jones
George Laurence
James Foster Gilbert Bonisteel
Thomas Jones Henry H Simoman?
Cornelius Davis John B. Lott
Shubael Foster Jones Lott
John Simmins John Gilbert
Samuel Simmins
John S. Huffman James Graham
G N Ridley Philip Jones
Benjamin Ketchesan James Chisolm
Jabez Kellogg R. Leavens
James A Carmon? William Ketcheson
Thomas Ketcheson John Mabee
Jacob Smith John Barnum
Henry Rose Gideon Turner
James Farley John Frederick Sr
Jonathan Traver H T Baldwin
Ruly Purdy F. McAnnany
Robt  Carnahan? Nicholas McMasters
Stephen G. Gilbert James McMasters
John Purdy John McMasters



NOTES on the PETITION FOLD
The Petition of Solomon Hazelton & others praying that Lot No. 19 with the Broken front in the 1st. Conc.  of Sidney reserved for the use of a School, may be granted to certain Trustees, for that purpose.
                                    Government House
                                    11th January 1831
Referred to the Surveyor General to report hereon for the information of the Honbl.  Executive Council
                                          By Command
                                                    JL. ?udse?
Lot No  19 in the first Concession and Broken front of the Township of Sidney containing 298 Acres is returned by the Quebec Plan and Deputy Surveyors Plan and Schedule as reserved for School
           
Under order of His Excellency Lieut Governor Gore of the 21st  November 1818 a description for a license of occupation issued from this office in the name of John Weaver

            GSO? 25 Jany 1831                                                       W Chewett
                                                                                                      Actg Survey Genl
 
In Council 5th  May 1831
 
Recommended that information be first obtained from John Weaver relative to any improvements made by him on said Lot, in order that his interests may be protected in any Deed of trust by giving him an opportunity to lease the same from the Trustees, on such terms as may be deemed just.  I B
            copy ???[to light to read] petition
and ??? [too light to read] Weaver?.        Sp-c n  ? C            See Petition from John Weaver
                                                                                            read in Council 12d  June 1831