Re: WALBRIDGE/ WALLBRIDGE BIBLE ON EBAY 5/28
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In reply to:
Re: WALBRIDGE/ WALLBRIDGE BIBLE ON EBAY 5/28
Beth Wallbridge 5/15/07
Hi Beth
this is the information I have on your request: there appears to be some conflict on who actually owned the land first or purchased it. One source says Elijah the other Asa.
Re: Elijah
Elijah and son William H. came to Canada in 1800, two years later he bought2000 acres of land in 1802 in Ameliasburgh from a Mr Smith (a surveyor). Land described as east from Anderson Place, including Long Point from Bay Front to the marsh in the rear. He divided it up into 5 farms of about 300 acres each and gave one to each of his children except one daughter who was already comfortably settled. He reserved 500 acres for common pasturage as was the custom in the American Colonies. These farms were the first homes of the Wallbridges in Upper Canada. - excerpts from "Pioneer Life In the Bay of Quinte". Ref 971.37 PIO
Elijah and wife Margaret settled at Meyer's Creek and he was one of the principal citizens to petition Governor Gore to give a name to their growing village. The name Belleville was conferred, in honour of his wife, Lady Bella Gore.
Re ASA
"History of the Settlement of Upper Canada, BELLEVILLE: p497
The village began to form upon the east bank of the river, a litle distance below Dundas Street, and for many years, it did not extend further north than that street. The first place of habitation so far as can be learned, was a log house, built and occupied by Asa Walbridge, a trader, who was well known by the early settlers.
After some years he made his way (about 1790) apparently up the St Lawrence River to the Bay of Quinte in Upper Canada, now the province of Ontario, where most of his descendants of his brother Elijah now live. He moved there because the game, fishing and land were good. First settled at Singleton's Creek, at mouth of the Moira River (later Belleville). Intent on buying a large tract of land in the County with four friends he was in partnership with, he went back to the States to see his brother Elijah to get some money and was arrested as a spy. After living some years at Meyer's Creek, or river (named Belleville since 1816) he owned over 1000 acres of land at Massassauga Point, and finding the country fair and pleasant to dwell in, he wrote for his brother Elijah and family who joined him, Wm Holloway Wallbridge in 1797/98, the others apparently at different times (possibly 1800). In a small book called "First Things in Canada", we find "the first white settler in Belleville, Upper Canada, was a fur dealer named Asa Wallbridge in 1797."
Asa was a man of good education, and ran for Member of the First Parliament of Upper Canada to sit at Niagara in 1792 but was defeated by a small number of votes: a wagon load of his opponents coming in just at the close of polls.
It's said that Asa was known as the "Johnny Appleseed" of the area, he gave seeds away and that is how a lot of the apple trees of the area in Ameliasburgh got started. Asa is said to have built the first house in Belleville, a log home stood on a vacant lot on the corner of Front and Dundas Streets, north of Clark's blacksmith.Home later served as a hotel with additions added by a man named Smith.