Elizabeth Hall
A Walk Through History
In 1998 the town name changed from Napanee, to Greater Napanee, which united the four surrounding townships: Adolphustown, Richmond, South Fredericksburgh and North Fredericksburgh.
But earlier in time when Napanee was first being founded, the boundaries of the first townships started with Cataraqui (Kingston). They were numbered and referred to as Town 1, which was Kingston, Town 2 which was Ernestown, Town 3 which was Fredericksburgh, and Town 4 which was Adolphustown. From 1776-1783, as settlers came down from America, 50,000 United Empire Loyalists were assigned lots in Upper Canada (the Southern Point of Ontario). In 1812, Scots from the Highlands of Scotland migrated to the new Canada as well.
In Adolphustown, Loyalist military leaders were accorded the more prime land. That being the case, all the waterways of rivers, streams and sheltered bays became pathways for people and goods to be brought in and out of the township. To use these waterways, they first used the bateaux that had carried them to their purchased lots, but other watercraft obtained later, such as canoes bought from Anishinaabe builders, were essential for gathering additional food (such as fish), water for drinking, washing, food preparation, putting out fires and watering gardens for further harvesting. After development progressed, early ferries became links between the four settlements.
Fredericksburgh was surveyed in 1783 when more settlers came down, and markers for the lot lines were placed in 1784. The eastern portion of Adolphustown was taken away and added to Fredericksburgh so each Loyalist corp could remain together and not be split between the four townships. This movement increased the size of Fredericksburgh to 40,000 acres; it was known as the Fredericksburgh Additional/Original. But even after their strong desire to remain together, Fredericksburgh was split in June of 1857, which created North and South Fredericksburgh. But due to the Amalgamation in 1998, North and South Fredericksburgh were united again.
Random History Fact: History’s infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper was first known as ‘Leather Apron’ by the newspaper, but Scotland Yard later received a letter from the murderer, and it was signed ‘Jack the Ripper’ with a postscript of “Don’t mind me giving the trade name”.