Ernestown Township, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Ernestown is a historic township in Lennox and Addington County
in eastern Ontario
. It was originally known as Second Town because it was surveyed after Kingston Township
, but was renamed in 1784 after Prince Ernest Augustus
, fifth son of George III
. In 1998, it became part of Loyalist Township
.
Shortly after the American Revolution
, some former members of Edward Jessup
's Loyal Rangers settled in this area. The town of Bath, originally part of this township, was an important centre for shipbuilding in Upper Canada
.
Finkle - A prominent pioneer family of Ernesttown
The late George Finkle, of Ernesttown says: "My grandfather Dr. George Finkle, left Germany when he was a young man, bought two estates one at "Great" and one at "Little Nine Partners". In adhering to the British customs,he had all his estates, which were valuable at Nine Partners, Duchess Co.confiscated to the Rebel Government. My father, Henry made his way to Quebec where many German former soldiers had been present. He settled on the front of Ernesttown, on lot six which is the well known Finkle's Point.
Shortly after the war began, being sixteen years old, entered the Engineer's Department, where he learned the use of carpenter's tools and gained considerable carpenter knowledge that was of great use to him by becoming the builder of the first framed building in Upper Canada.
Involvement in the building of first steamships
George Finkle, son of Henry had three sons, Gordon William, Roland Robinson and Henry. The Finkle's as we have seen elsewhere, were actively engaged in the construction of the first steamboats the "Frontenac" and "Charlotte" having had an interest in the Charlotte, and his eldest son Gordon, is now on of the oldest captains upon the Bay, being attached to the steamer "Bay Quinte" -the old place granted to the grandfather still belongs to the family, Roland Robinson still residng there and the youngest Henry is Postmaster at Bath. His wife was a sister of Capt. John Blecker.
The First Court held in Upper Canada
It is said that the first court held in Upper Canada was at Finkle's house, which being larger than any at Kingston, or elsewhere on the Bay at the time affording most convenience. Mr. Finkle had slaves and was he first to give them freedom. One of the brothers of which there were three, John, Georg and Henry served seven years in Johnson's regiment.
Mr. Finkle wrote us, Dec. 11, 1865, he says, "Being in my 74th year and in impaired health, I am unable to write more" The kind man soon thereafter was called away at a good old age, like his father and grandfather,
Sources:
Biographies of Prominent First Settlers
History of the Province of Ontario (Upper Canada)
The Census of 1871 by Wm. Canniff Published by A.H. Hovey & Co. Toronto 1872
The centennial of the settlement of Upper Canada by the United Empire Loyalists
Finkle, George, Fredericksburg, Stamped Book Soldier R.R. N.Y. P.L. 1786
Pioneer Life on the Bay of quinte, transcribed by Brandt Zatterburg - The Finkle Family
Lennox and Addington County, Ontario
Lennox and Addington County, Ontario is a county and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. The county seat is Greater Napanee. It is located in the subregion of Southern Ontario named Eastern Ontario.It includes the following municipalities:...
in eastern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. It was originally known as Second Town because it was surveyed after Kingston Township
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, but was renamed in 1784 after Prince Ernest Augustus
Ernest Augustus I of Hanover
Ernest Augustus I was King of Hanover from 20 June 1837 until his death. He was the fifth son and eighth child of George III, who reigned in both the United Kingdom and Hanover...
, fifth son of George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
. In 1998, it became part of Loyalist Township
Loyalist, Ontario
Loyalist is a township in central eastern Ontario, Canada on Lake Ontario. It is in Lennox and Addington County and consists of two parts: the mainland and Amherst Island. It was named for the United Empire Loyalists, who settled in the area after the American Revolution.-Communities:The primary...
.
Shortly after the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, some former members of Edward Jessup
Edward Jessup
Edward Jessup was a soldier, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Stamford, Connecticut in 1735 and moved with his family to Dutchess County, New York in 1744. In 1759, he served with Jeffery Amherst in the Lake Champlain region...
's Loyal Rangers settled in this area. The town of Bath, originally part of this township, was an important centre for shipbuilding in Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
.
Finkle - A prominent pioneer family of Ernesttown
The late George Finkle, of Ernesttown says: "My grandfather Dr. George Finkle, left Germany when he was a young man, bought two estates one at "Great" and one at "Little Nine Partners". In adhering to the British customs,he had all his estates, which were valuable at Nine Partners, Duchess Co.confiscated to the Rebel Government. My father, Henry made his way to Quebec where many German former soldiers had been present. He settled on the front of Ernesttown, on lot six which is the well known Finkle's Point.
Shortly after the war began, being sixteen years old, entered the Engineer's Department, where he learned the use of carpenter's tools and gained considerable carpenter knowledge that was of great use to him by becoming the builder of the first framed building in Upper Canada.
Involvement in the building of first steamships
George Finkle, son of Henry had three sons, Gordon William, Roland Robinson and Henry. The Finkle's as we have seen elsewhere, were actively engaged in the construction of the first steamboats the "Frontenac" and "Charlotte" having had an interest in the Charlotte, and his eldest son Gordon, is now on of the oldest captains upon the Bay, being attached to the steamer "Bay Quinte" -the old place granted to the grandfather still belongs to the family, Roland Robinson still residng there and the youngest Henry is Postmaster at Bath. His wife was a sister of Capt. John Blecker.
The First Court held in Upper Canada
It is said that the first court held in Upper Canada was at Finkle's house, which being larger than any at Kingston, or elsewhere on the Bay at the time affording most convenience. Mr. Finkle had slaves and was he first to give them freedom. One of the brothers of which there were three, John, Georg and Henry served seven years in Johnson's regiment.
Mr. Finkle wrote us, Dec. 11, 1865, he says, "Being in my 74th year and in impaired health, I am unable to write more" The kind man soon thereafter was called away at a good old age, like his father and grandfather,
Sources:
Biographies of Prominent First Settlers
History of the Province of Ontario (Upper Canada)
The Census of 1871 by Wm. Canniff Published by A.H. Hovey & Co. Toronto 1872
The centennial of the settlement of Upper Canada by the United Empire Loyalists
Finkle, George, Fredericksburg, Stamped Book Soldier R.R. N.Y. P.L. 1786
Pioneer Life on the Bay of quinte, transcribed by Brandt Zatterburg - The Finkle Family