1839

Throughout 1839, the situation along the International Boundary was tense, especially in the vicinity of Brockville and Prescott where there were numerous reports of vessels being fired upon. The marksmen were somewhat impartial in selecting their targets, so it was not safe to sail past these places after dark. The case of the schooner GEORGE S. WEEKS, of Oswego, illustrates the temper of the times. When she berthed at Brockville in the last week of May to unload some cargo, it was noticed that she had a six-pounder on board. A mob gathered and finally became rabid. The gun was forcibly taken ashore and dragged through the town, being fired on three occasions. The collector of customs, Col. Fraser, who had involved himself in this affair, was later fired and the schooner got her gun back. As a result of these incidents, many vessels ceased to call at foreign ports. People in Lewiston, N.Y. complained because Canadian steamboats would not call there and when they wished to go to Toronto, they had to row across to Queenston, to board the vessel.

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This volume is copyright The Estate of Ivan S. Brookes and is published with permission of the Estate. The originals are deposited in the Special Collections of the Hamilton Public Library.