Jean F’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she regaled us with anecdotes and historical tidbits from Old Oxford is Wide Awake! Pioneer Settlers & Politicians in Oxford County 1793-1853 by Brian Dawe. She got it for a steal at a used book sale but the question is, will she ever lend it out? Likely not!
Here’s her review:
THE BOOK I HAVE BEEN READING – Jean Farquharson
Old Oxford is Wide Awake: Pioneer Settlers & Politicians in Oxford County 1793-1853. Privately published by Wm Brian Dawe. c1980. This book is an absolute treasure I found at the Symphony Book Sale.
This local historian researched deeply about the opening up of Oxford County and local struggles for power and wealth, and follows through the War of 1812 and the 1837 Rebellion. Actors in the performances were the Tories and Reformists; Loyalists and Americans; the British settlers and officers who made up the local militias; the would-be aristocrats, including the military officers who were retired on half pay and Family Compact members. Those who settled in Oxford County faced deterrences when the isolated backwoods of newly formed Upper Canada was being settled with mills and connecting roads being cut out from Indian paths and military surveys; inns, industries and businesses created; schools founded; church groups struggled with domination by UC’s official Anglican church favoured with land grants by those in power.
The growth of settlements depended on the policies of Lieutenant-Gov. John Graves Simcoe who believed in loyally following the British aristocratic system. He created boundaries and assigned townships in Oxford, Middlesex and Norfolk Counties to favoured developers requiring them to survey lots and develop roads to bring in settlers to his newly named communities. He appointed his associates to be local magistrates, justices of the peace, roadmasters, etc.
From primary sources – letters, reports, personal papers, government documents, maps, portraits, paintings from archives and libraries, Dawes found the stories describing squabbles, threats, bribes, self-serving antics of the people vying with each other to get control and the government fumbling and uncommunicative. Does it sound familiar?
Because Brant County did not yet exist, the story includes Burford and Oakland (Burford Gore) Townships which were part of Oxford. The book filled in a lot of details for me about their history as well as Oxford, where I grew up.
