GOODERHAM & AREA

NEWSLETTER NO. 8

APRIL/MAY, 2003

By Elva Bates

 

A NEW MUNICPALITY, CONT. FROM

NEWSLETTER NO. 3

When the Municipality of the United Townships of Glamorgan, Cardiff and Monmouth was formed in 1874, Philip Harding from the Township of Cardiff was the first Reeve. Municipal records do not indicate if he attained this position by election or by Provincial appointment. Since this was a new Municipality, it is probable that it was by Provincial appointment. Mr. Harding was obviously an educated man since he took Holy Orders* two years later. In 1874 the Township of Cardiff had more settlers than either the Township of Glamorgan or the Township of Monmouth (see 1873 statistics on Page 2). It seems reasonable to assume that these facts had a bearing on Mr. Harding’s election/appointment as the first Reeve of the United Townships.

Councillors for 1874 were John Ennis (Cardiff?), Robert Ritchie (Monmouth?), Samuel Whittaker (Glamorgan) and Walter Robertson Kidd (Cardiff). This information was provided by Dallyn Pickens from an album he created in the late 1980’s. The album contains the names of Reeves and members of Council from 1874 to 1986 along with pictures of many of them. With Dallyn’s permission this album may be displayed at the next Over 50’s Club History Display at some function at the Community Centre.

Alex Southworth, the first Clerk, also resided in the Township of Cardiff. The farm where he settled, known as the "Southworth Farm" is located in Con. XII, and if memory serves correctly, it was Lot 12.

*According to Pelham Mulveney’s "History of Peterborough County" published in 1884, Mr. Harding took Holy Orders in the English (Anglican) Church and officiated at Apsley.

 

 

 

Page 2

SOME STATISTICS FROM 1873

(the year before the United Townships of

Glamorgan, Cardiff and Monmouth was formed)

Excerpt from information taken from the assessment rolls by Pelham Mulvaney (1884)

Ratepayers Souls* Cattle Sheep Horses Hogs Dogs

Cardiff 31 115 68 36 18 24 14

Monmouth 7 16 11 .. .. .. ..

Glamorgan 27 54 12 4 3 7 ..

*"Souls" included women and children.

So who were the 27 Ratepayers? These are the names I have been able to identify so far (not in any particular order):

Samuel Whittaker – Councillor (Municipal records)

Solomon Orser – Pathmaster (Municipal records)

John Williams – Pathmaster "

Alexander Main – Pathmaster "

Charles Way – Hotel Proprietor and Postmaster (Mulvaney)

W. F. Ritchie "

Samuel Wiley "

Thomas White "

Hank Lake (Gordon Barr)

Chester Lake "

Arthur McColl "

John Monroe "

Lewis Monroe "

James MacDuff "

Joshua M. Pickens (Leona Mackie)

Sylvester Hadley (Edna Morgan)

Can anyone identify who the remaining 11 were? Call 447-2977.