Tweedsmuir History - Pickering Womans Institute, p. 53

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Mr. William Dunbar and the University of Toronto has contributed the following extracts and pictures: Extract from the Scottish American Journal, October 7th, 1869, New York, U.S.A. "William Dunbar, J. P., Dunbarton, Ont. Died 6th Sept, 1869, was a native of Lawrencekirk, Scotland. In his youth he learned the trade of carpenter and millwright. He carried on business in these trades at St. Andrews and Largo. He erected a suspension bridge over the river Levey. Desirous of bettering himself and his then rising family of six sons and one daughter, he emigrated to Canada in 1831, landing at Quebec after a tedious voyage of thirteen weeks. Proceeding to Toronto then Little York, he purchased in connection with another Scottish family, a piece of land on the northern shore of Lake Ontario about 20 miles east of Toronto. Here he established himself and drew around him a number of old acquaintances and others from Scotland, which gave the locality its Scottish character. About 1849, he laid out on his own land the Village of Dunbarton. He took an early and active interest in the religious and social welfare of the settlement. He was an elder in the Church (Scotch Presbyterian) for nearly 35 years, was Justice of the Peace for many years and a commissioner of common schools. "He was a chief mover in originating the Pickering Harbour Company, and one of the heaviest stockholders and superintendent of the work. He took a deep interest in the education of the young, and especially worthy men who were working their way to the ministry—making a Bursary grant to Knox College for this purpose." Extract from Deed to West ½ of Lot 25, Concession 1, Pickering, Upper Canada. "Whereas our Lieutenant Governor of our said Province hath, with the advice and consent of our said Executive Council contracted to sell, alienate and convey, the lands, tenements and hereditaments, hereinafter mentioned, being part of the said Clergy Reserves authorized to be sold by the said last in part recited Act unto William Dunbar His Heirs and assigns at and for the price of 125 Pounds, saving nevertheless, unto us Our Heirs and Successors all mines of gold and silver that shall or may here-after be found on any part of the said parcel or tract of land (Description follows:). Given under the Great Seal of our said Province of Upper Canada: Witness our trusty and well-beloved Sir George Arthur K.C.H. Lieutenant Governor of our said Province and Major General commanding our force therein at Toronto. 19th October, 1840. By Command of his Excellancy in Council. Cert. of Crown Lands. R.A. Tucker Com. No. 1113. The above difficulty in securing his Deed, until nine years after he had settled in Dunbarton, probably accounted for the fact that William Dunbar Sr. and his older sons were all strong members of the Reform Party. W. R. Wood, Past Years in Pickering, says on Page 27, "The scotch settlement in the first and second concession were generally known to be in sympathy with the party of Reform. When , toward the close of 1837, events were hastening to a crisis parties were sent from Toronto to apprehend any who might be suspected of intention to support Mackenzie. Mr. George White, Mr. Dunbar Sr., and his two sons, Alexander and William, were among those arrested and marched up the Kingston Road to the city." William Dunbar's children were as follows: James, William, John, Alex, David, Janet (died in infancy in Scotland), Robert (removed to Buffalo), and Elizabeth. William Dunbar Jr., inherited the property and carried on an extensive blacksmith business and iron working in the red brick building still remaining on the front corner of the lot. His son, William T., carried on business as a general merchant in Pickering from 1880-1905. Mrs. J. R. Dales, his daughter, married the local doctor and built a house on the property now the home of J. S. Mills and family. William T.'s son William, is Professor of Engineering, U. of T. and still owns the property and farm and resides here in summer. The farm has always been rented out from earliest times and is presently rented by the Wood family who ship milk still.

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