The Caledonia Opera House was a three-storey building located in small town Caledonia from the 1830s until a fire which destroyed the building in 1947.
117-598: When Ranald McKinnon came to Caledonia in the 1830s there were very few buildings on what would become Caledonia's main street: Argyle Street. One of the few was a building known then as the Bryant Tavern, located on the corner of present-day Argyle Street North and Caithness Street East, where the Cornerstone Restaurant is now located. In the 1850s the Bryant Tavern became known as the Roper block as
234-706: A Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Caledonia, Ontario. They played in the Golden Horseshoe Conference of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League in 2023 but ultimately lost the final game against Hamilton 4 to 0. They became a Junior B team when the Brantford Eagles were transplanted, renamed and replaced the original Caledonia Corvairs (1961–2012) . All hockey activities take place in
351-405: A declaration of independence and printed it at Hoggs Hollow on December 1. A Tory supporter reported the declaration to authorities, and a warrant was issued for Mackenzie's arrest. Upon his return to Toronto, Mackenzie discovered that Rolph had sent him a warning about the warrant. When the messenger could not find Mackenzie, he relayed the warning to Lount instead, who responded by marching
468-563: A pardon , which would release him from imprisonment. Over 300,000 people signed petitions that were circulated in New York State, Michigan, and Ohio. Van Buren did not want others to believe he supported Mackenzie's actions and increase hostilities with Britain, so he was reluctant to grant this pardon. Democrats submitted petitions to the United States Congress calling for Mackenzie's release. Van Buren believed it
585-589: A $ 10 (equivalent to $ 279 in 2023) fine. Mackenzie did not appeal the ruling after consulting with lawyers. He said after the trial that he was depending upon key witnesses to give testimony, but they did not come to the courtroom. He also denounced the application of neutrality laws, wrongly stating the law had not been applied for nearly fifty years. Mackenzie was imprisoned on June 21, 1839. He chose to be jailed in Rochester to be closer to his family. He published The Caroline Almanack and drew an image of
702-532: A conservative when the predecessor died in office in 1851 but lost the election. He became Caledonia's first Reeve shortly after in 1853. After several financial setbacks due to numerous of his business ventures burning down, McKinnon found himself in hard times. One of the last acts of his life was about 1875, when he attempted to have a steel bridge replace the pre-existing wooden one. Ranald McKinnon ("Town Father" of Caledonia) died October 18th, 1879, at age 79. Only those populations which compose more than 1% of
819-495: A critique of Bond Head describing him as a tyrant upholding a corrupt government. Mackenzie spent the summer of 1837 organizing vigilance committees throughout Upper Canada and proposed self-government for the Upper Canada colony instead of governance by a distant British Parliament. He liked attending these meetings because they confirmed that his politics were aligned with Upper Canadians who were not involved with governing
936-456: A dam in Seneca and a dam in Caledonia. Completed in 1835, the dams made water power available with the accompanying lock, and excavation finished early in the following year. Mills sprung up all over Seneca village, and five mills were built in Caledonia by 1850. One was renamed Caledonia Mill , which has been rebuilt and is now used for office space. In 1835, William Bryant was the first to own
1053-448: A demolition derby, many magic shows and small concerts, rides for people of all ages, an event where local high schools compete for school spirit called 'High School Challenge', Touch-a-Truck, a display of classic cars, and more. The night, typically in the later half of November, is when the town's Christmas lights are turned on and celebrated in the Caledonia fair grounds where the children meet Santa Claus. The Caledonia Corvairs are
1170-407: A druggist with the name Roper owned the building. During this time the building held a variety store, the Roper drug store, and several other small shops on the main level. The second floor was a large opera hall used and rented for the showing of theatre performances, in addition to chataqua shows and political rallies of the day. The top storey of the red-brick building was used as the lodge hall for
1287-556: A fine of thirteen shillings and fourpence (equivalent to £59 in 2023) to the church. A recession followed the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, and Mackenzie's store went bankrupt. He moved to southern England and worked as a bookkeeper for the Kennet and Avon Canal Company . He spent most of his money on wild behaviour and became a gambler. Mackenzie's friend John Lesslie suggested they emigrate to Canada in 1820, and
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#17327941767301404-591: A government official in York, accused Mackenzie of improper business transactions in 1826 and made jokes about Mackenzie's Scottish heritage and his mother. Mackenzie retaliated by pretending to retire from the paper on May 4, 1826, and published a fictitious meeting where contributors selected Patrick Swift as the new editor. Mackenzie used the Swift alias to continue publishing the Colonial Advocate . In
1521-406: A group of men towards Toronto to begin the rebellion. Mackenzie attempted to stop Lount but could not reach him in time. Lount's men arrived at Montgomery's Tavern on the night of December 4. Later that night Anderson was killed by John Powell during a scouting expedition. Lount refused to lead the rebellion by himself so the group chose Mackenzie as their new leader. Mackenzie gathered
1638-510: A judge for the city's Police Court, which heard cases of drunkenness and disorderly conduct, physical abuse of children and spouses and city bylaw violations. Mackenzie chose the newly built market buildings as Toronto's city hall and moved the offices of The Advocate into a southern wing of the complex. In July 1834, Toronto declared a second cholera outbreak. Mackenzie chaired the Toronto Board of Health in his role as mayor, which
1755-829: A majority of seats in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada and the Baldwin– Lafontaine ministry was formed. In 1849 there were revolutionary movements in Europe, including one for an independent Ireland. Lord Elgin , the Governor-General of the Province of Canada and the British monarch's representative to the colony, was concerned that Canadians would become disloyal to the British crown. He hoped that granting amnesty for participants of
1872-467: A person cannot be convicted of violating the Neutrality Act if the country is engaged in a civil war. The judge refused to allow this evidence because, according to American law, only the United States Congress can declare if a country is in a civil war, which they did not do. Mackenzie was frustrated and did not call further witnesses. The judge sentenced Mackenzie to eighteen months in jail and
1989-534: A positive reception from Goderich and expelled him from the legislature; he was re-elected on November 26 by his constituents. Mackenzie published Sketches of Canada and the United States in 1833 to describe Upper Canada politics. The book named thirty members of the Family Compact, the group that governed Upper Canada and controlled its policies. In November 1833, Mackenzie was expelled from
2106-490: A public servant and Welland Canal Company commissioner. In February 1851 David Thompson , the representative for Haldimand County in the Parliament of Canada, died. Mackenzie ran as a candidate in the subsequent by-election, promising to be an independent voice in the legislature. He claimed that the government supported his opponent George Brown 's campaign and Brown would be beholden to them if elected. Mackenzie won
2223-761: A residential subdivision to be known as the Douglas Creek Estates. It is part of the 385,000-hectare plot of land originally known as the "Haldimand Tract" , which was granted, in 1784, by the Crown to the Six Nations of the Grand River , for their use in settlement. Henco argues that the Six Nations surrendered their rights to the land in 1841, and Henco later purchased it from the Crown. The Six Nations, however, maintain that their title to
2340-531: A series of fires leveled many buildings in the area. McQuarry, Thorburn and Monroe went bankrupt by 1880, and the Caledonia Mill was taken over by Robert Shirra, which remained active until 1960. A high school was built in 1924, remaining in use until 1991, when McKinnon Park Secondary School was constructed. It currently houses River Heights Public School. In 1927, the Grand River Bridge
2457-498: A tavern in town. Official deeds to the lands early settlers occupied were not provided until 1850; however, they did have bills of sale. There was a high concentration of Scottish immigrants, and as such, many of Caledonia's streets are named in honour of this. Most notably, the main street is named "Argyle" after the example of Glasgow in Scotland. The Hamilton to Port Dover plank road was brought through Caledonia in 1838. A bridge
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#17327941767302574-451: A town hall was made in 1854 and was discussed for several months until over a year later the council decided to spend a "sum of Eight hundred pounds to build a Town Hall and public Lockup house." The town hall was built in 1857 and officially opened on January 18, 1858. At the time of its completion, John Scott was the Reeve of Caledonia, James Aldridge was the town clerk, and Thomas Belford was
2691-475: A wagon he was using as a stage while another mob smashed the windows of the Colonial Advocate office. On March 23, 1832, Mackenzie's effigy was carried around York and burned outside the Colonial Advocate office while James FitzGibbon , a magistrate in York, arrested Mackenzie in an attempt to placate the mob. Mackenzie feared for his life and stopped appearing in public until he left for England. In April 1832, Mackenzie travelled to London to petition
2808-737: Is located within kinsmen park, next to the Caledonia Lions Pool. The second is located next to the local hockey arena, the Haldimand County Caledonia Centre. There is also a park featuring six baseball diamonds at 161 Greens Road, Caledonia, ON called Henning Park. There is a public basketball court located in McKinnon Park next to the Caledonia Skate Park. Additionally, a youth basketball league, Haldimand Huskies, operates using
2925-869: Is now an unincorporated community in Ward 3 of Haldimand County. The current mayor of Haldimand County is Shelly Ann Bentley, and the elected councillor for Ward 3 (Caledonia) is Dan Lawrence. Public education in Caledonia is administered by the Grand Erie District School Board and the Catholic schools by the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board . Schools located in Caledonia include: Students eligible to attend secondary school in Caledonia have two significant options. They can attend McKinnon Park Secondary School within
3042-520: Is one of the most recognizable Reformers of the early 19th century. Raised in Dundee , Scotland, Mackenzie emigrated to York, Upper Canada , in 1820. He published his first newspaper, the Colonial Advocate in 1824, and was elected a York County representative to the Legislative Assembly in 1827. York became the city of Toronto in 1834 and Mackenzie was elected its first mayor ; he declined
3159-449: Is the only facility operating in Caledonia that offers a suitable environment for gymnastics. It can be found behind the Haldimand County Caledonia Centre at 10 Kinross Street, Caledonia, ON. Cemeteries in Caledonia include: William Lyon MacKenzie William Lyon Mackenzie (March 12, 1795 – August 28, 1861) was a Scottish Canadian-American journalist and politician. He founded newspapers critical of
3276-400: Is the second oldest building in Caledonia, Ontario, still standing; the first being Haldimand House. The toll house was there when the original iron bridge collapsed and the new concrete one (still used today) was built. With the historic Caledonia Bridge in need of complete replacement, the beautiful historic toll house, which is currently a home and business, has been appropriated as part of
3393-495: The 13th Parliament . Mackenzie was upset over this loss, weeping in a neighbour's home while supporters consoled him. Feeling disenchanted with the Upper Canada political system, Mackenzie created a new newspaper called the Constitution on July 4, 1836. The paper accused the government and their supporters of corruption and encouraged citizens to prepare "for nobler actions than our tyrants can dream of". In March 1837
3510-608: The Battle of Culloden . His mother, Elizabeth Chambers (née Mackenzie), a weaver and goat herder , was orphaned at a young age. His father, Daniel Mackenzie, was also a weaver and seventeen years younger than Elizabeth. The couple married on May 8, 1794. After attending a public dance, Daniel became sick, blind and bedridden. He died a few weeks after William was born. Although Elizabeth had relatives in Dundee, she insisted on raising William independently and instructed him on
3627-493: The Battle of Montgomery's Tavern . Mackenzie fled to the United States and rallied US support to invade Upper Canada and overthrow the province's government. This violated the Neutrality Act , which prohibits invading a foreign country (with which the United States is not at war) from American territory. Mackenzie was arrested and sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment. He was jailed for more than ten months before he
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3744-595: The Caroline affair for the cover. He also published issues of the Gazette , in which he described the trial and appealed for his release. Later issues reported on the upcoming New York state elections, the 1840 United States elections and the Durham Report . While imprisoned, Mackenzie's mother became sick. He was denied permission to see her, so John Montgomery , the tavern keeper of Montgomery's Inn during
3861-565: The Colonial Advocate . The court awarded Mackenzie £625 (equivalent to £67,000 in 2023) in damages which he used to pay off his creditors and restart production of his newspaper. One year after the riots, he documented the incident in a series of articles, which he later published as The History of the Destruction of the Colonial Advocate Press . In December 1827, Mackenzie announced his candidacy to become one of
3978-736: The Family Compact , a term used to identify elite members of Upper Canada . He represented York County in the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada and aligned with Reformers . He led the rebels in the Upper Canada Rebellion ; after its defeat, he unsuccessfully rallied American support for an invasion of Upper Canada as part of the Patriot War . Although popular for criticising government officials, he failed to implement most of his policy objectives. He
4095-811: The McKinnon Park Secondary School gym. A public skate park is located within McKinnon Park across the street from McKinnon Park Secondary School . Public tennis courts are located within the Caledonia Kinsmen Park. The only place for golf in Caledonia is the MontHill Golf & Country Club, which replaced the previous Hagan farm. It currently features 3, 9-hole courses for a total of 27 holes of varying difficulties and can be found at 4925 Highway 6, Caledonia, ON. Caledonia & Grand River Gymmise Gymnastics & Trampoline Club, locally referred to as 'Gymmies,'
4212-675: The Rideau Canal System. On March 3, 1835, he married his first cousin, Euphemia McKinnon, who was 22 years old at the time. The pair would go on to have nine children. McKinnon was very involved in the community. He was the Treasurer of the Presbyterian Church for a time. In 1850 he petitioned that Caledonia be made its own township that would be absorbed into the county of Wentworth but nothing came of this. He ran for Haldimand County 's member of parliament as
4329-487: The Toronto Weekly Message . Mackenzie faced a difficult re-election campaign in 1854 for his Haldimand seat. Local newspapers complained he only came to the constituency during elections and his colleagues in the assembly had a negative opinion of Mackenzie. His positions against religious school boards caused some voters to withdraw their support. He won the election by 54 votes, a smaller majority than in
4446-400: The lieutenant governor of Upper Canada . In the election for the 11th Parliament of Upper Canada in 1830, Mackenzie campaigned for legislative control of the budget, independent judges, an executive council that would report to the legislature, and equal rights for Christian denominations. He was re-elected to represent York County in the parliament. The Reform group lost their majority in
4563-690: The 1837 rebellions, on behalf of the monarchy, would increase Canada's loyalty to Britain. The passage of this general amnesty bill in the Canadian Legislature in 1849 allowed Mackenzie to return to Canada. Mackenzie travelled to Montreal in February and his arrival caused his effigy to be burned in Kingston and riots in Belleville and Toronto. He returned to New York on April 4 and documented his visit in A Winter's Journey through
4680-473: The American mainland. Mackenzie wanted Canadians to lead the next invasion but still receive American assistance. When Van Rensselaer attempted an invasion of Kingston from Hickory Island , Mackenzie refused to participate, citing a lack of confidence in the mission's success. Patriot forces near Detroit attempted to invade Upper Canada but were repelled by British forces. Mackenzie stopped recruiting for
4797-664: The British government for reforms in Upper Canada. He visited Lord Goderich , the Secretary of State for the Colonies of the United Kingdom, to submit the grievances he had collected in Upper Canada. In November 1832, Goderich sent instructions to the Upper Canada lieutenant governor John Colborne to lessen the legislature's negative attitude against Mackenzie and reform the province's political and financial systems. Tories in Upper Canada were upset that Mackenzie received
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4914-469: The British government rejected reforms in Upper Canada and reconfirmed the authoritarian power of the lieutenant governor. This ended Mackenzie's hope that the British government would enact his desired reforms in the colony. In July 1837, Mackenzie organized a meeting with Reformers dubbed the Committee of Vigilance and Mackenzie was selected as the committee's corresponding secretary. Mackenzie published
5031-670: The Caledonia Masonic Lodge . In 1947 a fire started in the opera hall, which gutted the entire building and the stores located next to it, including the Caledonia Restaurant, owned by the Vlachos family (whose daughter would later become co-owner of Caledonia's Oasis Drive-In ). It was the end of an era, as Caledonia has not seen a permanent theatre facility since. Caledonia has had several other theatre companies in more recent times. Theatre Amicitia
5148-675: The Canadas . Horace Greeley hired Mackenzie to assemble Whig almanacs and the Business Men's Almanack , which were published in 1850. Mackenzie moved to Toronto in May 1850 with his family, wrote weekly articles for the Tribune and contributed to the Examiner and The Niagara Mail . York County and the provincial government accepted his claim for income he did not receive in the 1830s as
5265-648: The Family Compact on their work and government efficiency. The committee documented their findings in The Seventh Report from the Select Committee of the House of Assembly of Upper Canada on Grievances . The report expressed Mackenzie's concern on the excessive power of the executive branch in Upper Canada and the campaigning of government officials for Tory politicians during elections. It also criticized companies that mismanaged funds given to them by
5382-642: The Haldimand County Caledonia Centre. It is primarily used for the local minor hockey league, Caledonia Thunder, public skates and for the Caledonia Corvairs . Located opposite the Avalon development at 62 McClung Rd is the Caledonia Soccer Complex where the local Haldimand Soccer Club operates its youth soccer programs. There are two public baseball diamonds located in Caledonia, Ontario, that are not on school property. The first
5499-494: The Lesslies and Mackenzie ended in 1823. Mackenzie moved in 1824 to Queenston , a town near Niagara Falls , to open a new general store. A few months later he sold his store and bought a printing press to create the Colonial Advocate , a political newspaper. He refused government subsidies and relied on subscriptions, although he sent free copies to people he considered influential. The newspaper printed articles that supported
5616-587: The Ministry of Transportation's plan to replace it. The toll house is presently a private residence. The Caledonia Fair takes place on the fourth weekend after Labour Day at the Caledonia Fair Grounds at 151 Caithness St. E., Caledonia, ON. At the Fair, one can find a collection of farm animals, local art pieces and cooking all on display. There are also several events during the duration, including
5733-688: The Patriot forces by creating the Canadian Association. The association struggled to attract Canadian members and unsuccessfully fundraised for Mackenzie to publish an account of the Upper Canada Rebellion. The money was reallocated to Mackenzie's defence fund for his upcoming trial. He restarted Mackenzie's Gazette in Rochester on February 23, 1839. The trial for Mackenzie's violation of American neutrality laws began on June 19, 1839; he represented himself in
5850-576: The Patriots to avoid ridicule. Mackenzie and his wife arrived in New York City and launched Mackenzie's Gazette on May 12, 1838, after soliciting subscriptions from friends. Its early editions supported the Patriots and focused on Canadian topics, but pivoted to American politics in August 1838. He suspended publication of his paper in the fall of 1838 and moved to Rochester to rebuild
5967-424: The Reform leaders of each province and learn new techniques to oppose Upper Canada government policies. He gathered grievances from several communities in Upper Canada and planned to present these petitions to the Colonial Office in England. Mackenzie criticized the Legislative Assembly in the Colonial Advocate and called the legislature a "sycophantic office". For this, the assembly expelled him for libel of
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#17327941767306084-488: The Reformers' nomination to run in the 1835 municipal election. He lost his re-election for the Legislative Assembly in 1836; this convinced him that reforms to the Upper Canadian political system could only happen if citizens initiated an armed conflict. In 1837, he rallied farmers in the area surrounding Toronto and convinced Reform leaders to support the Upper Canada Rebellion. Rebel leaders chose Mackenzie to be their military commander, but were defeated by government troops at
6201-436: The Town of Haldimand designated the Caledonia Town Hall as a heritage building. The building currently houses the Edinburgh Square Heritage and Culture Centre, a museum preserving the local area's history. The museum holds events throughout the year in partnership with the other county museums, Wilson MacDonald Memorial School Museum and Haldimand County Heritage Centre , in addition to summer camps. The Caledonia Toll House
6318-436: The Upper Canada Rebellion, arranged for him to be a witness at a trial. Montgomery convinced the state attorney to hold the trial in Mackenzie's house, and the magistrate stalled the proceedings so Mackenzie could visit his mother. She died a few days later, and Mackenzie witnessed the funeral procession from his prison window. Mackenzie encouraged friends and readers of his newspaper to petition President Martin Van Buren for
6435-459: The Upper Canada government by force, but the meeting did not reach a consensus. He tried to convince John Rolph and Thomas David Morrison , two other Reform leaders, to lead a rebellion. He cited that Upper Canadian troops were sent to suppress the Lower Canada Rebellion and a quick attack on Toronto would allow rebels to seize control of the government before a militia could be organized against them. The two Reformers asked Mackenzie to determine
6552-570: The association's central committee until July 1844. In July 1844, Mackenzie was nominated as an inspector at the New York custom house , but this was withdrawn after American Whig newspapers criticized him for being an immigrant. He was instead appointed as a clerk in the custom house's archives office. Mackenzie copied the private letters of Jesse Hoyt , a New York State politician, which described negotiations for financial transactions in exchange for government appointments by New York State government officials. After submitting his resignation from
6669-410: The banking and currency regulations of Upper Canada, the condition of roads, and the Church of England 's power. Mackenzie opposed infrastructure projects until the province's debt was paid. He spoke against the Welland Canal Company, denouncing the financing methods of William Hamilton Merritt , the company's financial agent, and its close links with the Executive Council , the advisory committee to
6786-426: The by-election with 294 votes, defeating Brown and H. N. Case , who both claimed to be running as Reformers, and Ronald McKinnon, the Tory Party candidate. In the legislature, Mackenzie proposed abolishing the Court of Chancery , which Robert Baldwin had reorganized. Mackenzie believed the court was too expensive to maintain and denounced its practice of taking written testimony instead of having lawyers speak before
6903-442: The capsule's removal a few days after it was placed in the monument because of the Colonial Advocate ' s critical stance of the government. In November 1824, Mackenzie relocated the paper and his family to York. Although the Colonial Advocate had the highest circulation among York newspapers, he still lost money on every issue because of low paid subscription numbers and late payments from readers. James Buchanan Macaulay ,
7020-429: The cause and were living in the United States. Rebel leaders chose Van Rensselaer because the Van Rensselaer family name would bring respectability to their campaign, his father had been a successful military general in the War of 1812, and he claimed to have military experience. Van Rensselaer, Mackenzie and 24 supporters occupied Navy Island on December 14 and Mackenzie proclaimed the State of Upper Canada on
7137-418: The character of the Assembly of Upper Canada. Mackenzie won the resulting by-election on January 2, 1832, by a vote of 119–1. Upon his victory, his supporters gifted him a gold medal worth £250 (equivalent to £31,000 in 2023) and organized a parade through the streets of York. He was expelled again when he printed an article critical of the assemblymen who voted for his first expulsion. Mackenzie won
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#17327941767307254-435: The colony. He attracted large crowds but also faced physical attacks from Family Compact supporters. During the fall of 1837, he visited Lower Canada and met with their rebel leaders, known as the Patriotes . On October 9, 1837, Mackenzie received a message from the Patriotes asking him to organize an attack on the Upper Canada government. Mackenzie gathered Reformers the following month and proposed seizing control of
7371-402: The constable and keeper. Edinburgh Square was designed as a town hall with jail cells in the basement. The town hall was also intended to house a meat market in the basement. In addition, the second-floor hall was used for various purposes, from public events to Boy Scout meetings. In 1914 the library books had all been stored in the basement and the library was only reestablished in 1935 through
7488-425: The council to represent St. David's Ward. He won the election on March 27, 1834, with 148 votes, the highest among all candidates for alderman in the city. The other aldermen chose him to be Toronto's first mayor by a vote of 10–8. The city council and Mackenzie approved a tax increase to build a boardwalk along King Street despite citizen backlash. He designed the first coat of arms for Toronto and presided as
7605-694: The custom house in June 1845, Mackenzie published some of the letters as Lives and Opinions of Benjamin Franklin Butler and Jesse Hoyt . It sold 50,000 copies and made $ 12,000 (equivalent to $ 373,000 in 2023) in profit before an injunction stopped the book's sale. The pamphlet's profits were given to the publishers because Mackenzie did not want to benefit from exposing a scandal. In April 1846, Mackenzie published another book based on Hoyt's letters called Life and Times of Martin Van Buren: The Correspondence of His Friends, Family, and Pupils . This book criticized Van Buren and contained Mackenzie's commentary on American politics. In October 1845, Mackenzie published
7722-433: The disease and remained in his home until he recovered later that year. Mackenzie declined the nomination for alderman in the 1835 municipal election, printing in his paper that he wanted to focus on provincial politics. Reformers included him on their ticket for the election, and he received the fewest votes in his ward. In the 1834 election for the 12th Parliament of Upper Canada , Mackenzie's York County constituency
7839-411: The eccentricity, the volubility, and indeed the appearance of a madman, the tiny creature raved". Bond Head called an election in July 1836 and asked citizens to show loyalty to the British monarch by voting for Tory politicians. Bond Head's campaigning was successful and Reformers across the province lost their elections, Edward William Thomson defeating Mackenzie to represent the 2nd Riding of York in
7956-408: The election, becoming one of the representatives for York County. In parliament, Mackenzie chaired a committee that assessed the effectiveness of the post office and recommended that local officials should determine local postal rates. He also chaired a committee that evaluated the appointment process of officials who administer elections in Upper Canada. He was a member of committees that looked at
8073-422: The evening punishing Tory families by burning down their houses and trying to force the Upper Canada Postmaster's wife to cook meals for his rebellion. Mackenzie tried marching the troops towards the city, but along the way a group of men fired at the rebels, causing them to flee. Mackenzie spent the next day robbing a mail coach and kidnapping passing travellers to question them about the revolt. He reassured
8190-400: The failed rebellion on a lack of weapons and supplies. Josiah Trowbridge , Buffalo's mayor, and a newspaper called the Commercial Advertiser interpreted the speech as a rallying cry for help with the rebellion. On December 12, Mackenzie asked Rensselaer Van Rensselaer to lead an invasion of Upper Canada. Van Rensselaer would lead Patriot forces, composed of volunteers who sympathized with
8307-449: The government and the salaries of officials who received patronage appointments. Mackenzie used the Committee on Grievances to investigate the Welland Canal Company. The Upper Canadian government partly owned the company and appointed directors to its board; in 1835 the legislature appointed Mackenzie. He discovered parcels of company land were given to Family Compact members or the Anglican Church for low prices, or swapped with land that
8424-544: The hard work of Laura and Harold Senn. When the library was reestablished, it remained within the town hall until the new Caledonia Public Library was opened in 1967. The town hall was built by Mr. John Turner, a British immigrant who was residing in Brantford at the time. Mr. Turner also designed the courthouses in St. Thomas and Simcoe, St. Basil's Roman Catholic Church and Park Baptist Church in Brantford. On January 25, 1982,
8541-596: The intersection of Highway 6 and Haldimand Highway 54 (within the town, these streets are called Argyle Street and Caithness Street respectively) on the Grand River . Caledonia was once a small strip of land between Seneca and Oneida villages. The Oneida village was started by the Grand River Navigation Company, which laid out the village of Oneida on the south side of the Grand River. The Oneida village plot originally contained 16 acres and
8658-675: The island, declared Upper Canada's separation from the British Empire , proclaimed himself appointed chairman of its new government and wrote a draft for the constitution of the new state. Van Rensselaer planned to use the island as a staging point to invade the Upper Canadian mainland, but this was stopped when their ship, the Caroline , was destroyed by British forces in the Caroline affair . On January 4, Mackenzie travelled to Buffalo to seek medical help for his wife. On
8775-629: The judges. The majority of Canada West (formerly known as Upper Canada) legislators supported Mackenzie's proposal. The lack of support from Baldwin's colleagues for his project caused him to resign from the Canadian cabinet. In the October 1851 election, Mackenzie campaigned against moderate Reformers like Baldwin, Francis Hincks and James Hervey Price in their constituencies while winning his own election in Haldimand County with 63% of
8892-579: The land was never relinquished. The Grand River land dispute continued with 1492 Land Back Lane , protests occurring during 2020 and 2021. McKinnon was born in Ardelum, Scotland, on September 11, 1801. He came to Masonville, New York with his paternal grandparents, Malcolm McKinnon, his wife and a number of siblings. He worked in Virginia and Kentucky until 1820, when the family moved to Trafalgar , Esquesing and Vaughan . At 24, he began working on
9009-465: The late 1970s. Caledonia, Ontario Caledonia is a community located on the Grand River in Haldimand County , Ontario , Canada. It had a population of 12,179 as of the 2021 Canadian Census . Caledonia is within Ward 3 of Haldimand County. The Councillor elected for Ward 3 is Dan Lawrence. As of 2021, there were 4,310 private dwellings in Caledonia. Caledonia is located at
9126-541: The legislature again. Edward Smith-Stanley replaced Goderich as the colonial secretary and reversed the Upper Canada reforms. Mackenzie was upset by this and, upon his return to Upper Canada in December 1833, renamed the Colonial Advocate to The Advocate to signal his displeasure with the province's colonial status. During that time he was also re-elected to the legislature by the farmers in York County to fill
9243-609: The legislature, mostly because the Legislative Council of Upper Canada blocked the passage of their proposed legislation. In the new parliament, Mackenzie chaired a committee that recommended increased representation for Upper Canadian towns, a single day for voting in elections, and voting by ballot instead of voice. During a legislative break, Mackenzie travelled to Quebec City and met with Reform leaders in Lower Canada . He wanted to develop closer ties between
9360-408: The letters a printing press uses to print documents, into the nearby bay . Mackenzie hired Marshall Spring Bidwell to represent him in a civil suit against eight rioters. Bidwell argued that Mackenzie lost income from the damaged property and his inability to fulfill printing contracts. Upon cross-examination, Mackenzie's employees confirmed that Mackenzie authored Patrick Swift's editorials in
9477-412: The level of support in the countryside for the revolt. He travelled north and convinced rural Reform leaders that they could forcefully take control of the government. They decided that the rebellion would begin on December 7, 1837, and that Anthony Anderson and Samuel Lount would lead the assembled men. Mackenzie relayed this plan to Rolph and Morrison upon his return to Toronto. Mackenzie wrote
9594-447: The merger of Upper and Lower Canada , granted Mackenzie amnesty in 1849 and he returned to Canada. He represented the constituency of Haldimand County in the province's legislature from 1851 to 1858. His health deteriorated in 1861 and he died on August 28. William Lyon Mackenzie was born on March 12, 1795, in Dundee , Scotland. Both of his grandfathers were part of Clan Mackenzie and fought for Charles Edward Stuart at
9711-565: The newspaper was not profitable or politically influential. Mackenzie moved back to New York City in June 1842. Mackenzie worked for several publishers but refused to accept a job as an editor. He became an American citizen in April 1843. He wrote a biography of 500 Irish patriots entitled, The Sons of the Emerald Isle ; the first volume was published on February 21, 1844. The goal of
9828-661: The policies of the Upper Canadian Reform movement and criticized government officials. He organized a ceremony for the start of the construction of the memorial to Isaac Brock , a British major-general who died in the War of 1812 . Mackenzie sealed a capsule within the memorial's stonework containing an issue of the Colonial Advocate , the Upper Canada Gazette , some coins, and an inscription he had written. Lieutenant governor Peregrine Maitland ordered
9945-421: The population have been included. As of the 2021 census, 11,510 citizens spoke English only, 10 spoke only French, 595 spoke both official languages, and 60 spoke neither. As of the 2021 census, 6,725 citizens were identified as Christian, 405 people identified as Muslim and 4,695 as non-religious and secular perspectives. Religious buildings in Caledonia include: The first Reeve of the village of Caledonia
10062-480: The proceedings. The district attorney argued that Mackenzie recruited members, established an army, and stole weapons for an invasion. Mackenzie contended that Britain and the United States were at war because the British destroyed an American ship in the Caroline affair and the Neutrality Act did not apply. Mackenzie wanted to submit evidence that the Upper Canadian Rebellion was a civil war, as
10179-634: The pseudonym Mercator. The Lesslies opened a second shop in Dundas, Upper Canada , and Mackenzie moved there to become its manager. In 1822, his mother and his son joined Mackenzie in Upper Canada. Elizabeth invited Isabel Baxter to immigrate with them, as she had chosen Baxter to marry her son. Although they were schoolmates, Mackenzie and Baxter did not know each other well before meeting in Upper Canada. The couple wed in Montreal on July 1, 1822, and they had thirteen children. The partnership between
10296-537: The rebellion was over and that they needed to flee Upper Canada. Bond Head issued a warrant and a £1,000 (equivalent to £121,000 in 2023) reward for Mackenzie's apprehension. Mackenzie travelled to the Niagara River and entered the United States by boat. Mackenzie arrived in Buffalo on December 11, 1837, and gave a speech outlining his desire for Upper Canada to be independent of Britain. He blamed
10413-486: The rebels at noon on December 5 and marched them towards Toronto. At Gallows Hill, Rolph and Robert Baldwin announced the government's offer of full amnesty for the rebels if they dispersed immediately. Mackenzie and Lount asked that a convention be organized to discuss the province's policies and for the truce to be presented as a written document. Rolph and Baldwin returned, stating the government had withdrawn their offer. Mackenzie grew increasingly erratic and spent
10530-614: The report, who told the agent that his grievance against the Upper Canadian government was the composition of the Legislative Council and his desire "to lift the hand of tyranny from the soil". Durham's finding were presented to the British government as the Durham Report and recommended that Upper and Lower Canada be merged into the Province of Canada , which occurred in 1840. After the 1848 election, Reformers held
10647-473: The second by-election on January 30 with 628 votes against two opponents—a Tory who received 23 votes and a moderate Reformer (who assumed his expulsion barred Mackenzie from becoming a legislator)—who received 96 votes. Mackenzie toured Upper Canada to promote his policies and Tory supporters, unhappy with his agitation, tried to harm him. In Hamilton , William Johnson Kerr organized an assault of Mackenzie by three men. In York, twenty to thirty men stole
10764-598: The second volume of The Sons of the Emerald Isle . Horace Greeley hired him to go to Albany, New York, and report on the New York State Constitutional Convention for the New-York Tribune . He continued to work for the Tribune until his resignation in April 1848. After the Upper Canada Rebellion, British colonial officials sent Lord Durham to investigate its causes. Durham sent an agent to interview Mackenzie for
10881-557: The series was to stop nativist attitudes towards immigrants to North America by reminding Americans that their ancestors were also immigrants. Mackenzie attended the founding meeting of the National Reform Association in February 1844. Its goal was to distribute public lands to people who would live on the property, limit the amount of land an individual could own, and outlaw the confiscation of free homesteads given to settlers. He spoke at many meetings and remained on
10998-402: The spring of 1826, Mackenzie published articles in the Colonial Advocate under the Swift pseudonym that questioned the governance of the colony and described the personal lives of government officials and their families. On June 8, 1826, rioters attacked the Colonial Advocate office. They harassed Mackenzie's family and employees, destroyed the printing press and threw its movable type ,
11115-419: The succeeding by-election, Ranald McKinnon ran for office but was ultimately defeated by William Lyon MacKenzie . In 1853, Caledonia was incorporated as a village, when the villages of Oneida and Seneca were amalgamated, and later as a town. Ranald McKinnon was the village's first Reeve. By 1860, the Grand River Navigation Company was bankrupt, and their land was sold to different organizations. Seneca village
11232-543: The teachings of the Presbyterian church . Mackenzie reported he was raised in poverty, although the extent of his family's wealth is difficult to authenticate. At five years old, Mackenzie received a bursary for a parish grammar school in Dundee. When he was eleven, he used the reading room of the Dundee Advertiser newspaper and meticulously documented and summarized the 957 books he read. In 1811, he
11349-404: The town into bankrupting itself to ensure it happened. He became director of the line in 1873. The wooden railway bridge, a local landmark, spanned the Grand River and opened on September 22, 1873, allowing railway travel from Hamilton to Jarvis and later to Port Dover. A 'Railway Hotel' was built where the current train station sits, and after a series of detrimental fires, the current train station
11466-539: The town or take a bus to the neighbouring Cayuga Secondary School . Students eligible to attend secondary school in Caledonia have only one option if they are seeking a Catholic education: Assumption College School in Brantford, Ontario . Students who choose this option are bussed to Brantford each day. Previous to the town hall's construction, council meetings were held at the house of John Campbell (the local inn) and in other makeshift quarters. The first mention of
11583-475: The troops at Montgomery's Tavern that 200 men were going to arrive from Buffalo, New York , to help with the rebellion. Mackenzie also sent a letter to a newspaper called The Buffalo Whig and Journal asking for troops from the United States. On December 7, government forces arrived at Montgomery's Tavern and fired towards the rebel position. Mackenzie was one of the last to flee north, leaving his papers and cloak behind. He met with rebel leaders who agreed
11700-707: The two men travelled there aboard a schooner named Psyche . When Mackenzie arrived in North America, he worked in Montreal for the owners of the Lachine Canal as a bookkeeper and The Montreal Herald as a journalist. Later that year he moved to York, Upper Canada , and the Lesslie family employed him at a bookselling and drugstore business. He wrote articles for the York Observer under
11817-682: The two representatives for the York County constituency in the 10th Parliament of Upper Canada . The Types Riot settlement was used to fund his campaign and he cited the incident as an example of corruption in Upper Canada. Mackenzie ran as an independent and refused to buy alcohol and treats for supporters or bribe citizens to vote for him, as was done by most politicians at this time. He published weekly articles in his newspaper called "The Parliament Black Book for Upper Canada, or Official Corruption and Hypocrisy Unmasked" where he listed accusations of wrongdoing by his opponents. He came in second in
11934-449: The vacancy caused by his expulsion the previous month. He won the election by acclamation, but the other members of the legislature would not let him participate in their proceedings and expelled him again. The legislature barred him from sitting as an elected representative until after the 1836 legislative election. In 1834, York changed its name to Toronto and held elections for its first city council. Mackenzie ran to be an alderman on
12051-715: The vote. Mackenzie refused to participate in the 1852 negotiations to merge the Reform movement with the Clear Grits , a new political movement in Canada West. On October 5, 1852, Mackenzie wrote a letter to the Examiner that Lesslie wanted to edit before printing. Mackenzie rejected the edits and Lesslie did not publish any of Mackenzie's letters. Losing his only way to communicate with his constituents, Mackenzie began his own newspaper on December 25, 1852, called Mackenzie's Weekly Message , which he later renamed
12168-510: The way he was arrested for violating the Neutrality Act , a law that prohibited participating in an invasion of a country against which the US government had not declared war. He was released on $ 5,000 (equivalent to $ 140,000 in 2023) bail, paid by three men in Buffalo, and returned to Navy Island in January. British forces invaded the island on January 4, 1838, and the rebels dispersed to
12285-631: Was Ranald McKinnon in 1853, and the town hall finished construction in 1858. On April 1, 1974, the town was amalgamated into the new town of Haldimand within the Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk. Although the largest community in Haldimand, the town hall was located in nearby Cayuga. In 2001, Haldimand and all other municipalities within the region were dissolved, and the region was instead divided into two single-tier municipalities with city status but called counties. Caledonia
12402-498: Was a founding member of the Dundee Rational Institution, a club for scientific discussion. In 1813, William moved to Alyth , Scotland, to help his mother open a general store. He had a sexual relationship with Isabel Reid, and she gave birth to their son James on July 17, 1814. His congregation agreed to baptize James after Mackenzie endured public criticism for fathering an illegitimate child and paid
12519-562: Was built across the river in Caledonia and Seneca in 1842. When first constructed, a stagecoach travelled to both Hamilton and Port Dover daily. These wooden bridges lasted around 19 years before the ice on the river swept them away. The Seneca Bridge was never rebuilt. As of 2011, the Grand River Bridge built in 1927 serves Caledonia's traffic. In 1846, David Thompson of Ruthven became the first Member of Parliament for Haldimand County and died in office five years later in 1851. In
12636-478: Was built, unique as the only nine-span bridge of its kind in Canada and the first reinforced concrete bridge of its type ever constructed. During these years, the town also saw the opening of an Opera House and the construction of St. Paul's Anglican Church. James Little, the founder of Haldimand House , ensured that the ongoing railroad project was routed through Caledonia instead of Cayuga and heavily influenced
12753-648: Was failing; many people from Seneca moved to Caledonia, and navigation on the river ended by 1880. A new way of transportation arrived around 1883; the Grand Trunk Railway passed through Caledonia. Oneida had become part of Caledonia, and the town limits were expanding. In 1875 the Caledonia Dam was sold to milling companies in the area from the Haldimand Navigation company however several of those companies fell into hard times after
12870-418: Was named after the township where it began. In 1835, the same company started the village of Seneca about a mile down the river from Oneida on the opposite side of the Grand River. It was named "Seneca Village" after the township in which it began. The Grand River passed through Caledonia, dividing it into two sides, North and South. In 1834, Ranald McKinnon was hired by the Grand River Navigation Company to build
12987-582: Was of lesser value. Mackenzie printed his investigation in a newspaper he created that summer in the Niagara peninsula called The Welland Canal . When the new lieutenant governor Francis Bond Head arrived in Upper Canada, Mackenzie believed Bond Head would side with the Reform movement. After meeting Reformers, Bond Head concluded they were disloyal subjects of the British Empire. He wrote, "Mackenzie's mind seemed to nauseate its subjects" and "with
13104-523: Was opened on September 30, 1908. As new technology made the train station rather obsolete, it fell into a sad state of disrepair. It was only restored in November 1997 after a businessman, Ron Clark, saved the property. In 2006, the Grand River land dispute involving First Nation land claims brought Caledonia to national attention. The land at the centre of the dispute in Caledonia covers 40 hectares , which Henco Industries Ltd. planned to develop as
13221-632: Was operated in the St. Andrews Masonic Lodge Hall until the mid-2000s. Another company called Grand Mill Theatre operated as a committee of the Caledonia Old Mill Corporation until 2008. In the 1900s Caledonia was also home to the Regency or Regent Theatre which showed motion picture films in a small building located on Caithness Street East, about where the Regency Apartments are now located. This Theatre closed in
13338-496: Was pardoned by the American president Martin Van Buren . After his release, Mackenzie lived in several cities in New York State and tried to publish newspapers, but these ventures failed. He discovered documents that outlined corrupt financial transactions and government appointments by New York State government officials. He published these documents in two books. The parliament of the newly created Province of Canada , formed from
13455-620: Was politically easier to release Mackenzie from prison than explain his imprisonment to fellow Democrats, so on May 10, 1840, Van Buren granted Mackenzie a pardon. After a summer hiatus, the Gazette denounced all invasions into Canada and supported Van Buren's re-election. The paper's subscriptions continued to decline and the last issue was published on December 23, 1840. In April, he launched The Rochester Volunteer and printed articles criticising Canadian Tory legislators. The Volunteer stopped production in September 1841 because
13572-410: Was split into four, each new section (known as a riding ) electing one member. Mackenzie was elected in the 2nd Riding of York by a vote of 334–178. After the election, he sold The Advocate to William John O'Grady because of its debt and to devote more time to his political career. The legislature appointed Mackenzie as chairman of the Committee on Grievances. which questioned several members of
13689-515: Was tasked to implement the city's response to the outbreak. The board was divided between the Tories and the Reformers and they argued over Mackenzie's alleged interference with the work of health officers. He remained on the board when it restructured two weeks after the start of the outbreak, although he was no longer its chairman. He brought people to the hospital until he was also infected with
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