Last Heritage Paper recounted part of the story of an early East Flamborough Township pioneer family that had come to light as a result of a genealogical query that had been forwarded to the Society. The wonderful part of this request was that is also provided history to others, namely the Mountsberg Women’s Institute and Mr. Cecil Hamilton and his ongoing research into the Strabane community.
In 1854 the Darling family of Lot 10, Concession 14 in the Township of East Flamborough received the news that they had all been hoping for, namely that Bruce County was being opened up for settlement.
Adam Darling at the age of 45 years and his eldest son James, aged 15 years walked to the area that is today known as Carrick Township. They spent several days travelling around in the bush before they selected 400 acres that Adam considered suitable. From here they walked to the Land Office at Southampton to enter their claim with as little delay as possible, hoping that their choice of land had not been requested by other newcomers. They were partially successful as Adam obtained 200 acres at Stoney Creek (now Formosa) and almost immediately managed to trade it for Lots 7 and 8, Concession B, Carrick Township. James also made an application and although he was rather young to be entitled to any property, he managed to impress the agent with the fact that he was sincere and was put down for Lot 5, Concession A, Carrick Township and Lot 5, Concession A, Culross Township.
Adam and James returned to Carrick Township and built a simple family dwelling so that they could move the family during the approaching winter months. This first shanty was built near the creek on Lot 8, Concession B. There were other newcomers in the area and by helping one another they managed to put up several shanties that were suitable for winter habitation. After an absence of two months, Adam and James and several others returned to their families and prepared for the big move.
On 1 February 1855 the Darling family began the long move from East Flamborough to Bruce County. Travelling by way of Fergus, Mount Forest, Durham and Walkerton they took with them a yoke of oxen, a cow, a few sheep and a tortoiseshell cat.
The trip took five days to reach Anthony Batte’s home in the northern part of Carrick, and at this point the horse team could go no further. Mrs. Darling and the babies, Robert and John remained at the Battes for a few days while Adam and the older boys chopped out a road through the bush to their new neighbourhood. Then using sleighs pulled by the oxen they completed the trip almost two weeks from the time they had left their Flamboro’ home.
Even though it was winter, the men immediately began to clear the land. Huge hardwood trees were sacrificed by being piled up in huge heaps and burnt and the ashes manufactured into potash. During the Fall of 1855, a larger log house and a log barn were built. On 3 October 1855, another child was born to Adam and Helen Darling, named Mary Jean, she was always proud to tell people that her cradle was a sap trough.
© The Waterdown-East Flamborough Heritage Society 1997, 2023.
