Part 2 - Fort Erie

Forterie33B Earl Plato
Part Two Early Fort Erie History: Writer’s Note: Just a word about Fred Williams, reporter for the Toronto Mail and Empire. He wrote an overview of Fort Erie’s earliest history. Unfortunately he left no sources or references simply because it was just a newspaper article for that day. This daily paper existed until 1936 when it became the Globe & Mail. The article’s print form appears circa 1900. Who knows? Williams continues, “ Fort Erie is interesting for other than its war history. It was in 1789 the headquarters for a while of John Richardson, the great trader, one of the founders of the Bank of Montreal. Note: You old time Fort Erie Bank of Montreal clients can proudly say that one of your bank founders, John Richardson, walked the roads and trails of our town over 217 years ago!
On August 13, 1792 Rev. Robert Addison, the first Rector of Niagara, conducted the Anglican marriage ceremony of Henry Warren, son of the Fort Erie Commissioner, to Catharine Aglor.
Writer’s Note: Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe in 1792 made it clear that Upper Canada (Ontario) would become a “Little England.” That meant that the Christian religion for all protestants would be in the Anglican form. Then what did Simcoe do? He opened the gates for immigration. From where? The United States! This proclamation allowed wave after wave of settlers who were mainly protestant but not of the Anglican persuasion, Many were Methodist, Lutherans and of other background beliefs. Roman Catholics retained their worship without government interference. Fort Erie would be mainly Anglican as Rev. Addison was appointed chaplain to the garrison at Fort Erie as well at Niagara. He does not seem to have visited Fort Erie until April, 1793 when he recorded the baptism of sixteen persons. Among them was Mary Warren the daughter of the Commissioner.
On the announcement of peace in 1815 the ferry boat from Black Rock N.Y. was re-established and a small struggling village developed.
Writer’s Note: The defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 gave rise to new appellations for Upper Canada communities with words such as Waterloo and Wellington. Thus the little village north of the Fort was named Waterloo in 1816.
Part Three: Historic St. Paul’s church