Lucan Biddulph, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Lucan Biddulph is an incorporated township
in the Canadian
province of Ontario
. It was formed on January 1, 1999 by amalgamating the Village of Lucan with Biddulph Township. The township had a population of 4,187 people in the Canada 2006 Census
, and covers an area of 168.76 km² of land within Middlesex County
.
soil
s used for crops (grain
s, tobacco
) and livestock
. Many of the township's residents are employed in the same industries.
, the Township of Biddulph was surveyed by agents of the Canada Company
in 1830. The township took its name from John Biddulph, one of the earliest directors of the Canada Company
.
Until its incorporation in 1872, the village of Lucan had been known as Marystown, named in tribute to the wife of John McDonald, who was the original land surveyor of the area. When a duplicate Marystown was found to have already registered with the Post Office the name Lucan was put forth and accepted by the postal authorities. Lucan was named in tribute to Lord Lucan, a prominent landowner in Ireland.
, Ohio
who were under threat of being enslaved again, as a result of the Black Codes
in Ohio. This group of roughly 200 disenfranchised Blacks were granted refuge and land by the Canada Company
and duly set up a colony
named Wilberforce
. This was one of the earliest, if not the earliest, slave refuge colony in Upper Canada
and existed before emancipation
. The flight of Blacks northward into Canada beginning around this time was part of the Underground Railroad
.
Most of the Blacks came from city life and did not adapt well to the harsh farming environment. Large lots of land were cleared (logged) and efforts were made to sustain the colony, but much of it dwindled through the 1840s and many of the original colonists moved on to larger, growing urban centres such as Detroit, Cleveland or Toronto
to obtain wage-based employment. A small number remained on to work the land through subsequent generations.
The area was then further logged and settled by whites, many from Ireland
, some of whom purchased farmsteads from the departing Blacks or new lots sold to them cheaply by the Canada Company
. Nowadays less than 40 descendants of the ancestorial Blacks remain.
After this time, about 1850, the majority of the township's landholders were Irish Catholics, a large number originating from then-meagre farming lands in County Tipperary
, Ireland
.
opened in 1856, passing through the village. The village and surrounding township prospered as a result of quicker access to larger marketplaces, such as Toronto
farther to the east, and new immigrants settling the area.
, an immigrant Irish family caught up in a long-standing local feud
. This story has been written about many times and is etched into the criminal history of rural Ontario and is also known throughout the rest of Canada
and the United States
.
, a junior hockey team that plays in the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
. Also, Lucan is the home of the Lucan-Ilderton Jets
Senior AA hockey club, a member of the Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League
.
Alexander Noble Garrett, born on the homestead, lot 11, South Boundary, Biddulph, August 13, 1862, was a outstanding player in many sports. In particular he was the goalkeeper, on the Canadian soccer teams that toured Britain in 1888 and 1891. Later he was the sports editor of the Toronto World newspaper for many years. His son Dudley Mark Garrett played football for the Toronto Argonauts, and grandson, Dudley Morine Garrett, played hockey for the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers. A.N. Garrett, died in Toronto January 17, 1941.
Township (Canada)
The term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. However in some systems no town needs to be involved. The specific use of the term to describe political subdivisions has varied by country, usually to describe a local rural or semi-rural government within the county...
in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of 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 formed on January 1, 1999 by amalgamating the Village of Lucan with Biddulph Township. The township had a population of 4,187 people in the Canada 2006 Census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
, and covers an area of 168.76 km² of land within Middlesex County
Middlesex County, Ontario
Middlesex County is a primarily rural county in Southwestern Ontario. Landlocked, the county is bordered by Huron and Perth counties on the north, Oxford County on the east, Elgin County on the south, and Chatham-Kent and Lambton County on the west.The seat is the city of London, although the city...
.
Geography
The land in the area is almost entirely agricultural, with relatively fertileFertile
The term fertile describes a condition whereby organisms are able to produce physically healthy offspring.Fertile may also refer to:...
soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
s used for crops (grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
s, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
) and livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
. Many of the township's residents are employed in the same industries.
Etymology
Comprising 40000 acres (161.9 km²) of Middlesex CountyMiddlesex County, Ontario
Middlesex County is a primarily rural county in Southwestern Ontario. Landlocked, the county is bordered by Huron and Perth counties on the north, Oxford County on the east, Elgin County on the south, and Chatham-Kent and Lambton County on the west.The seat is the city of London, although the city...
, the Township of Biddulph was surveyed by agents of the Canada Company
Canada Company
The Canada Company was a large private chartered British land development company, incorporated by an act of British parliament on July 27, 1825, to aid the colonization of Upper Canada. Canada Company assisted emigrants by providing good ships, low fares, implements and tools,and inexpensive land....
in 1830. The township took its name from John Biddulph, one of the earliest directors of the Canada Company
Canada Company
The Canada Company was a large private chartered British land development company, incorporated by an act of British parliament on July 27, 1825, to aid the colonization of Upper Canada. Canada Company assisted emigrants by providing good ships, low fares, implements and tools,and inexpensive land....
.
Until its incorporation in 1872, the village of Lucan had been known as Marystown, named in tribute to the wife of John McDonald, who was the original land surveyor of the area. When a duplicate Marystown was found to have already registered with the Post Office the name Lucan was put forth and accepted by the postal authorities. Lucan was named in tribute to Lord Lucan, a prominent landowner in Ireland.
Settlement
Despite being more than 500 km (310.7 mi) to the North, in 1829, the area became a refuge for a group of free slaves from CincinnatiCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
who were under threat of being enslaved again, as a result of the Black Codes
Black Codes in the USA
The Black Codes were laws put in place in the United States after the Civil War with the effect of limiting the basic human rights and civil liberties of blacks. Even though the U.S...
in Ohio. This group of roughly 200 disenfranchised Blacks were granted refuge and land by the Canada Company
Canada Company
The Canada Company was a large private chartered British land development company, incorporated by an act of British parliament on July 27, 1825, to aid the colonization of Upper Canada. Canada Company assisted emigrants by providing good ships, low fares, implements and tools,and inexpensive land....
and duly set up a colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
named Wilberforce
Wilberforce Colony
Wilberforce Colony was a colony established by free American Black citizens, founded at the end of the second decade of the 19th century north of present day London, Ontario, Canada. This was one of several movements initially growing from or sympathetic to the American Colonization Society,...
. This was one of the earliest, if not the earliest, slave refuge colony 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...
and existed before emancipation
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation is an executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War using his war powers. It proclaimed the freedom of 3.1 million of the nation's 4 million slaves, and immediately freed 50,000 of them, with nearly...
. The flight of Blacks northward into Canada beginning around this time was part of the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
.
Most of the Blacks came from city life and did not adapt well to the harsh farming environment. Large lots of land were cleared (logged) and efforts were made to sustain the colony, but much of it dwindled through the 1840s and many of the original colonists moved on to larger, growing urban centres such as Detroit, Cleveland or Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
to obtain wage-based employment. A small number remained on to work the land through subsequent generations.
The area was then further logged and settled by whites, many from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, some of whom purchased farmsteads from the departing Blacks or new lots sold to them cheaply by the Canada Company
Canada Company
The Canada Company was a large private chartered British land development company, incorporated by an act of British parliament on July 27, 1825, to aid the colonization of Upper Canada. Canada Company assisted emigrants by providing good ships, low fares, implements and tools,and inexpensive land....
. Nowadays less than 40 descendants of the ancestorial Blacks remain.
After this time, about 1850, the majority of the township's landholders were Irish Catholics, a large number originating from then-meagre farming lands in County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Early history
An important railway route belonging to the Grand Trunk RailwayGrand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
opened in 1856, passing through the village. The village and surrounding township prospered as a result of quicker access to larger marketplaces, such as Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
farther to the east, and new immigrants settling the area.
The Donnelly Massacre
Biddulph Township is also known for being the site of the brutal February 4, 1880 massacre of five of the Black DonnellysBlack Donnellys
The Black Donnellys is the common nickname of the Donnelly family who emigrated from County Tipperary, Ireland, to Canada in about 1845–1846, and who participated in a notorious feud in Biddulph Township in Middlesex County, Ontario, which culminated in a massacre in which five family members were...
, an immigrant Irish family caught up in a long-standing local feud
Feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight between parties—often groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one party perceives itself to have been attacked, insulted or wronged by another...
. This story has been written about many times and is etched into the criminal history of rural Ontario and is also known throughout the rest of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The Lucan Snowstorm
A record snowfall occurred between Dec. 4-8, 2010, affecting Huron and Middlesex Counties. A total of 177 cm (68") of snow fell during a 102 hour period (it snowed on 98 of those hours).Demographics
Population trend:- Population in 2006: 4187
- Population in 2001: 4201
- Population total in 1996: 4166
- Biddulph (township): 2208
- Lucan (village): 1958
- Population in 1991:
- Biddulph (township): 2196
- Lucan (village): 1847
Sports
Lucan is home to the Lucan IrishLucan Irish
The Lucan Irish are a Junior ice hockey team based in Lucan Biddulph, Ontario. They play in the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.-History:...
, a junior hockey team that plays in the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
The Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Junior level ice hockey league sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association based out of Southwestern Ontario....
. Also, Lucan is the home of the Lucan-Ilderton Jets
Lucan-Ilderton Jets
The Komoka Classics are a senior ice hockey team based out of Komoka, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League.-History:...
Senior AA hockey club, a member of the Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League
Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League
The WOAA Senior AA Hockey League is an amateur senior ice hockey league governed by the Western Ontario Athletic Association.-Format:The league uses Hockey Canada playing rules but is not operated under the jurisdictions of the Ontario Hockey Association or Hockey Canada. The league is based in...
.
Alexander Noble Garrett, born on the homestead, lot 11, South Boundary, Biddulph, August 13, 1862, was a outstanding player in many sports. In particular he was the goalkeeper, on the Canadian soccer teams that toured Britain in 1888 and 1891. Later he was the sports editor of the Toronto World newspaper for many years. His son Dudley Mark Garrett played football for the Toronto Argonauts, and grandson, Dudley Morine Garrett, played hockey for the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers. A.N. Garrett, died in Toronto January 17, 1941.