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-, - 6- Oronê WekIy Timeýs Wedýnesd a y,Au gu st 2199$ 11'5 RECYCLE YOUR MEDICALEQUIPMENT, Roxy Bamnes, left, of Claxi-ington Community Care, stands with Jo Harris, a voluntefr, Jim Conneil, past presidenti of the Bowmanville Legion, and Fran Harseil, Red Cross Co-ordinator of VolunIers and some of ti medic-alequipment Uhat CLarington Community Care has managed to recycle and save. The mirdical equiPment wi be available to those who need it. The program is unique, as no other known hospitals hàve a similar progran This programn not only allows people access to much needed medical equipment that they ottberwise may flot hav, been able to obtain for financial reasons, but helps dhe heaithcare system save money and the enivironment by reqy dling equipmenit that stili bas some use left in it. Anyone willing to donate some equipmeni Pr is in need Of som contact the Red Cross at 723-2933. FROrJM THE OAK PLAIN TO THE LAKÈFRONT Prom the ime of the first grants of land in Upper Canada, grantees had to performn military duties and provide military service up) to and including al thos e men who were 60 years of age. For the first few years of seulement, those grantees who lîved in Clarke Township reported once a year to the garrison at York for their annual muster, but in 1804, Robert Baldwin was appointed Colonel of the militia for tue County of Durham and muster was held at the home of Richard Lovekin, who was magistrate, and in charge of isting ail settlers on the militia rolîs, and making sure they attended muster. According to Capt. C.M. Chandler, writîng for the Canadian Statesman in 1948. "18 25 is an important date for the Durham Militfia. Up until then there was only the lst Regiment active in Hope, Clarke and Darlington Townships in the south of the county, but in 1825 the 2nd Regiment was authorized and was localized in Cavan, Manvers, Cartwright and Emily Townships in the north of the County. At thîs point it is interesting to note there were twelve townships in Durhanm until 1851. In addition to the six at present, there were also the six townships at the south end of Victoria, County: Emily, Ops, Mariposa, Verulam, Fenelon and Eldon.. Captain Chandler goes on to list the officers in the lst Regiment, many of whom are Clarke residents,.. Officers of the 1lst Durhams in 1827: Colonel - James Black; Lieut.-Col. - Thomas Ward; Captains - John Burn, John Taylor, Jermiah Briton, M. P. Whitehead, David Smart, George Shaw, John Fletcher, John Burke, Erasmus Fowke; Lieutenants - Gardner Gifford, Myndart Harris, Ebenezer Beebee, David Bedford, Cornelius Webster, John L. Taylor, James Trull' Ensigns - Allan Wilmot, Andreww Fletcher, Job Powke, Samuel Welby, James Hawkins, James Strickland, Robert Pairbairn;, Adjutant was Captain William H. Draper (1826) and the Quartermaster was William Beard". In the above list we find the name, Allan Wilmot. This was bis introduction to the local militia in which hie later became Lieulenant Colonel and officer, commanding the 2nd Batttalion in Clarke Township in 1847. Heý lived at Lot 35, Conc. 2 in Clarke, was a J.P. and the eldest sorte of S.: S. Wilmot of whom we have read so much. Por those of you who are not familiar with the military designation of Ensign, 1 will explain. Ensign was formerl y the name and ranlc given in the British army to the junior grade of commissioned officer. t was derived from tue fact that these lower grades were often, told to carry the Colours. 'Me name was abolished in 187 1. John Squair wrotea small section in, bis book, 'The Townships of Darlington and Clarke', about the military affairs in this area. In 1927, information about the milîtary in Durham county was scarce, and records were few, just as they are today. But he did draw on earlier writings, especially that of J.T. Coleman, who in 1875 wrote a small booklet, 'History of the' Early Settlement of Bowmanville lind Vicinity'. Witb thé original Ist Regiment, çpnsisting1 of men from the 'front' townships, were: Colonel - Robert Baldwin; Lt. Colonel - William Warren Baldwin (Who received his commission op~ 26 June, 1812). 0f the Flânk Company, the Captain was john Bumn, recelving bis commission' il July, 1812; the Lieutenant was John Carr,, commissioned 25 October, 1812; and the EnsiglP was John Taylor. Young Mr. Taylor was put up to Lieutenant on the 25th of October, 1813. 0f the Baitaliofi Companies, the Captain for Darlington was Alexander fletcher; for Port Hope was John D. Smithî; and for Clarke was John Hartwell, son- in-law to Richard Lovekin Sr. The Lieutenant for Clarke Company Was James Bates, another of the early settiers to this township. Not a lot is known about the militia in-thdse early years, and very little wâs written about the involvement pf local men in the affairs of ugper Canada. This holds true right up to and including the Jebellion of 1837 According to John Squair, bis friend Henry L. Powers told him that John Bitçh and others went Up to Toronto during that time, but whether they went with the local militia unit, or as spectators, it is not knoWn. However, there is mention in the history portion of Belden's Atlas of Northumberland- and Durham Counties, 1878, of the 1812 role call. This list of names is also reprinted in John Squair's, 'The Townships of Darlington and Clarke'. According to Belden, somle of these early settiers were stili living, and up until 1877 were collecting the Government pension of $20 allowed to 1812 veterans. Even though littie mention is made in available records of local men serving in any 1812 conflict, having their namnes on the local muster roll must have qualified them for the pension, afterall, had they heen called upon tbey would have had to serve. But local militia unîts were mostly held in reserve incase the Americans mounted an 'all-out' campaign. Then they would bc needed at home to protect their various communities. _ In the book, 'Loyal She Remains', P.C.T. White writes.. "She (the United States) could strike Britain at her most vulnerable point - Canada. And the taking of that jewel in the imperial Crown would compel Britain to address Amerîcan grievances sympathetically..The taking of Canada, Jefferson insisted that he could take Canada t- with a file of Kentucky militia. e To Americans, then, Canada dl would be theirs by merely n. strollhng across the border". e P.C.T, White goes on to y- say.. ."At the outbreak of war e Congress had provided for the raising of an army of some -35,000 soldiers, but by the end of June 1812, there were only 7,000 men in, service. President Madison was furtiier- authorized by Congress to enlist a force of 50,000 volunteers and 50,000 militia..Opposed- to this potentially buge force was an army of 6,000 British regulars scattered across ail of British North America. Only 1,600 of these men were stationed in Upper Canada. They were assisted, or course, by a local militia and a force of Indians led by Tecumseh. But the fact that the militia was drawn not only from Loyalists but also from recent American settiers created doubt in the minds of some as to its trustworthiness and reliability. Thes e doubts proved without real foundation. t is true that some recent settiers joined- the American forces and that somne militiamen deserted, but the great majority of' the population remained loyal to the Crown and the rate of desertion from the militia proved to be far lower in Canada than it was in the United States ... So, with the potential of 17,000 or more Loyalists, plus other immigrants, plus the children of these settlers who were old enough to bear arms, our militia offered a substantial force to be reconded with. This, plus the fact that we had 'Indian' allies, seared the dickens out of the Americans, and they broke and ran at most of the batt.les they initiated with our meagre forces, as soon as our Indian allies showed their faces. Is it a ny wonder that Most of our militia force was able to stay at home? Perhaps this is why few of the Clarke people were involved in this 'little war'. 1 am convinced that those who did become involved did so out of a matter of curiosity rather than need. By 1851, there were six battalion companies in Durham County, one for each of the townships. Port Hope was Battalion Company 1, Clarke was #2, and Darlington was 3rd Battalion. John Squair printed the following list of officers for this year, with their commissions being 1847,and 1851..Lieut. Colonel - Allan Wilmot; Majors - Goerge A. Jacobs and William Brock; Captains - Alexander Coulter, Hiram Hodge, George Winslow, Elijah Z. Wallbridge, John J. Robson, John Beavis, Noble Smith, Samuel Wilmot, and James P. Lovekin.; Lieutenants - William Henderson, Henry Munro, William Renwick, William H. Rowe, Horace Poster, John Kerr, George Smart, George E. SHaw; Ensings- Andrew Milligan, Joseph Jacobs, Andrew McNaughton, Robert Hodge, John McPherson, James Blackburn, George Hunter, Thomas Tamblyn, and William Mclntosh; Adjutant - Lieutenant G. E. Shaw; Quartermaster - Samuel MCoy. 100 & 200 Amp ServicesN Residential or Commercial Wiring FulIy Qualitied Electrician 24 hour Emergency Service Additions or Renovations No Job to big or to small intruder alarms*central vacs Cal/ for your free estimate 905-987-9879 Owned and Operated b>' David Sharpe