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Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc. peuvent etre filmAs A des taux da reduction diffdrents Lorsque le document est trop grand pour etre reproduit en un seul clichA. il est filmd d partir de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas. en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrant la mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 MICROCOPY RESOIUTION TEST CHART ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No 2 M -APPLIED ir vtHGE In ^S "^othejler. Net* t.-^rk 146G9 uSA a» I -f'l *8; -■ OJOO - P^iore ^5 I 'IB) ?a8 - 5989 - To, THE ONTaFUU ARCHIVES: SCOPE OF iTS OPERATIONS T'.r Amen. nil H;::^>rii;i! A«.-, .edition, held at Butl'ul'-.. N\ V . IVfi't-mbi-r ^7-;io. I'-i . Ai.':xA\i>Ki; 1 }:.\^i:h l;,-(!iiiU-i lU'H, II...- \;.i.!i.,: Ui-i- .11 •■! l!..- .\ii.fr:.u . U.r?l..i !..il A a'.u.il; ;li w v.smNi.TO.v t THE ONTARIO ARCHIVES: SCOPE OF ITS OPER^-'TOXS ( Paper rr-ud at tiie t'vyiit;. -^c-. . nli. ar.nual mpolini: of the Amorican Hfsfirirol A'^-iir'.:a\on, held at BulT.ilo. N. Y.. Decemiii r 'J 7 of, llUl ; ALEXANDKK FILV>KR LL. I)., I.ITT. I).. I. .-.. A.. S^llT. l:[)IN-. Reprinted from the Annual Report of the American Historical Aaeociation for 1911, pagea ^i-lia'J WA.SUIX.,iO.N" THE ONTARIO ARCHIVES. Pv AlFXAMir.i: 1i:a>i:i:. i'l \ ii;i i;il Arili:\i.-t. The lino of {icriiiiiTiiti'in hciucrn \\u- Canadiuii or Ddiiiiiiini) jii'chivcs iind the Ontiui'i nr dtluT [iii.\ iiic'uil jinliivc^ is -dtncwlini siniilai' to that ln'twcrii tlic !'"<'i!it;!! aiiil State aii-hi\r< in ilu' I niti'i! S[;,!r>. It consists wilil t h.c ^('(^pi' ol t lie juiisili'l loll of the l)o!|til[iMli or major <'onimoii\v<'allh, ainl lii'' naiiowcf "i- iiiiiidi- jiirisdici inii of thi' Provinci'. Th.is con-tiliilc-. a rh aiiy lirfim i iioimdary within which lioth Work witliotit conijici ov ts. ()\ir piihUc chaitci- is an imiM'lial -'.:ittiii' (ntillcil ii;c Bir i- X.iith Aniciica act. aiul lo-tia\. whcii th.cic aic nine i'lillv cieisUi tied. aiiioiji-nKurs Pro\i'icrs within li:- l>oin!!iion of (' l-i, ii i^ ^tcr- cstinL; to iccali tlial whcii tlic ^^litish N'orih .\; . ica m ' ■•■<■ law in l.Sfi? tile suhtilic set foilh ihal it was ■ , . a. t fo{ n of Canada. Xova Scotia. an^ of tlie people. To tliis Imdy ihi' act secures eXchlsive !.'L^i-.l tive po\v(i-s in Ontuiio and (.^iu'hc. in the niattri- of Crow n hua!- fo!'e>ts and !;iiMes: education, iVoni '.he jndilic coniinon sch > 1 to tii univei-sity: municipal sovcMinicTit. institutions and laws; incni- jioiation of chaitei'ed coiniiaiues—coniinercial. fiiinnciah pi-ofessioiia!. (il' social: soleiuniz: 'iiiii of inai iiai,'e. involvini; family history, vitai -■tsitistics. etc.: ])ro|iefty and ci\ il rights: adminl^t lation of justice, eml)iacin<.' both civil and ciiminai jurisdiction: ai;riculture and immiLjrat lom. under wliicii nuinicipal. industrial, and acrrieulturui statistics ar<> collected, tahulnlv'd. and puliiished; the loundin<; und njaintenanee of ]>rovinciaI institutions such as iiospituls, iisyiutns, refoiinntories. ])iisoiis, and institutions for the instruction of the vleaf iiiul dumb iind he blind: ollices for tiie local registration of deeds, titles to land; the licensinsj; of she;,;, taverns. hotel.«, aiieiion- ed the ministry conqirisc- tlie ilepartmen;s of: Tlu ai:.)rniy "general, dealinij; with the administration of law; the provincial se'ietary. < (introliinir resist ration, and the public in.sti- T 3r)4 A^^•;!;I(■.\^■ mj-i.'Iikai. \>-u(;!ati(ix. tutiuh^; tlio iHw. i.ii ill ;r. ;.::::• ;■. ,1. .ili:);; wwL t!ic piililic accKUi,;?;; a^'ricr.ltiirc-: ImikN. I'. and inim'^; puhlic Wdrks: and (■i'ily ;>!r.-i(!ciit of the cdii icil iimi In .id ( f tlir inini-lry. Bc^iiic^ ihi^i' and rx( I'l i^iii;; si'Tiii-niini-lci i;!l ci -■ iiariiiicnia! I'iiiicl ioii"^ ar^' !\vi) (■(iinmis>i()ii-, th(» In-diM-cl.itrii' ci'inmi.— inii mk! i!i>' < .'•v,rii;ii.':!i railway ('(iii:i;ii':-c. v.itli the Iciji^laturc ii^cli'. aiv \h<' dc]i;i:liiKi!('' ul' j^'nvcinnicnt in wliici) v'lr nrchiv;< (•riirinai,'. Arcllivc- we li:\(' (KniU'd a-^ il!" !•■ (-(ifd-. llic husiiuv-- ]ia|>ci~. ( )' ihc [>r()\'inc<' haxin:^ a i' 'iiiatiiiif •. :di;i'. Aii arclii\-('s need mil la'ff !li^'^^i^■al \a.!u(' in ll;c r.iiifW on-.'. ''iiliii>' diMiiiitcnt'^ jiiav hav*^ a Imsinc'-^ "i recdrd value an.-iri fniiu lui;iin value oi' a doeuineni is as an e\ ' iencc 111' Iiuili. i-A'i'iy d'^eniient ilm-s nn! contain li'Uh, \ei evi n sueh a dccnnient nniy. in H'e'-i. lie a faet in liisioiy. and tiain- inU and cxneiience leat' til a i'. -nnahly true intcfnfctat inn. 'idle Ontariii liufeau id' Arijuves, (li'Ljaiiized in I'.iD.'i. i- ef|uallv i{lated and atiaclied in ail llio Guvcrnnienl depai-tnients, and receives all itapei's and duruincnts of roeuni ^■ahle of ol liistoiieal iiiteifsi, not in ctu'rcnt n.-e. I'roisi all hraiKdus of the ])ul)lie -vice. When possible, fiiese (loiiiineiits are ciassiiicM.I, calendared, and indexed. 'i'he ai'(diiv(^s oriirinatini^ in tlie le^isluti^-e assemhly are: Tlio Scroll of I'arlianient ihe document- known hy tlmt title hei!)<^ the notes and nieiiioranda nuide }fy tlie (lerk. of the routine ])ioceed- in^s of the house duriiii;' its sessions; t!ie originitl siijjniitures of th<' members of the legislative assembly subscribcrs of tlio assembly, the sig- luiiures |)ein<^ written on partdiment : copies of the statutes in the form in which tliey have })een assend to and signed by His Honor the Lieutenant Governor. These copies ar<' printed on good jiaper, and after having been assented to becom<> the originals of the stat- utes in foree; and the original coi)y pertaining to the consolidated statutes. Among the assembly archives are the manuscripts of all sessional papers not printed (a sessional ])aper is a return called for by order of the house, whether printed . not, and the reports of depart- ments and all branches of the public service presented to the house); the originals of all petitions presented to the house (these are not printed) ; the originals of bills in the form in which they are pre- sented to the house; anil copies of bills amended during their pas- sage through the house. The original copy of sessional puners which are printed is returned with the proof sheets to the depart.nent or ofiicer issuing the same. T (■i'NrKi;!;N ii-ipiij in..; cXcclll i\C .ill i, III a"' l>rii!i i~ ;i(!ilfi".;|.ii u\ ]\\y. llmiiT ini' I.iiii- irtlalil (iii\f|!" !■ ill ( niin.il. Tii.- icjKiri-; I'i' !i;i' cuillinii I I'l' i.| i lii'l- rii arc '-i'^i!' \>y ilir I'riir.c iiiiiii-i'T a-; piT^iti.tit . jirc cmmiiT. >iL'Uri! ')'»• lili' ilclk ailc! ^ui)l'liM('il in tiii' li( iiti-;i:.Mi ynvrjuoi lo.- a]i|iin\ ai, ai'liT wliirli !!!.■ iImciiiiiciii i'lculilcs a'lii ;■ kii'iwn ;h :i-i iii'iliT (I |ii< Ijiiiwa- till. l.ii'Mi ana';l ( ioNcrlinr in (nnrr:'. I-".!!'!', i i^ ;rivcll !;i nliirr- ill i-(Hillc'ii aMVcliiv.; tic i:('!i.'rai jilll.!:' h. til,' ]ir,.- l;iilli,'al!iM! Ill' lilcm in llh- ')i!ta > ( ia/.ri t ;■; ulii.iwiM' l)y ;!!'■ inil!-- ,liis>iiill (if celt iiici! riijiit'. Ill iii." il'palUllciiI ■ ci'' |)i'l^(ill-- (•(ilircillr.;. TlKMiriiriiiiil "Viinv Mi'u'''| iifi' ■Aiiii tiic n'lni'y am; jsnisi)' ..- ilciic ■ "i-ii..:: I'ruin llic aiiiiiini>!:ati,,: > .f ji:^' ii-c. in iis vast rainilii .1- lidV-; aid details. rcachiiiL; iVi !ii t'li' p iHiaMuan aiii! jii--ii-(' pt-an 111 tJH' liiicli iniirt-- and ciHii! if appeal; finni the liunieiy minutes (if the (piaiier ■^('--ii'iis if ea:',y !iiiie>, in ti;e fccDi'd nl liie reeein eaji-e eelehi'e wh.ieh iii'iiienreil liie leL^i^lalinn of the ednnii'v, or settled (pies t inns (if ei 'ii^tit lil ii Hal impel f . With the (iliiee i>f ihe pi'n uieial secretary the jii'nvine'il areliivi-i noee>sai'il\" has very (■l(l^e relatinii-. Tiie (il'iee of the seeretaiy is the inediuin ef coinmiinicai inn, ihrn'i^h th.e lie'.itenaiil ynverner, lielween the proviiieial. ddniininii. iMid impel ial ijjdvertunents. All siieh edirespondeiut' is reji;i--tered and e(ipies (if the disjialeiies avo kept. All cominissinns lieariiii; the -^reat seal of le I'rnviiiec ain i->ti 1 bv the secretary, and are reyiistered in his liice, us are also all a])pointmenis made hy liis Tldpair the Lieutenant Go\onior in Coiiiicii re(jniriiig the i-suaiKO nf a cdminissidu. Charters of inoonds, mul other docu- ments which in particular cases have Ix^en furnished in order that the amount of succession duty payable, in cases Uable to payment, might be iiscertuiiied. Tliese documents are not generally accessible to the pid^lic, as they relate to the private concerns not only of deceased l)Ut of living pei-sons, but they are a valuable addition to the s-urro- gate courts' records which are a mine of genealogictd information. The great staple enter|)rises of Ontario are agriculture, industrial production, lumbering, mining, and in general, trade and commerce. Of these agricuhure is the gre:itest, and the records of its growth and develoi)ment have a s|)ecial v. due to the student of economics. Tlie statistical lirancli, formed in lss2, issue annual ivporls dealing witli agricultural and nninicipal !ntere>ts -a-sessment figures, poptdation, areas assessed, taxe- iiiipos(>il. amnnd receipts and exix-nditiire-, assets and liabihlies, chattel mortgage*, pidving of value to numicijial de1)entureliolders and the public generally. Of all our ilepartmenl>, (lie bureau of archives hiis (h'awti mosi hugely on the documentary treasure^ of the department of ( rown lands. The material of historical interot iiere is exceedingly varied and valuable, embracing the records of the surveys of the i'roviiice: the original nuii)s, lield notes, and ditiries reinting to the survey of all the townships dating back to 1 7s I. and rc]ii'ii> of all llie ex|)loration- made within t!ie limits of llic I'invince siiuc liiat dale; re|)orts vhow- CONFERENCE OF ARCHIVISTS. 357 ing the planning out and surveys of the old military roads, such as Dundas Street, Yonge Street, the Penetanguishene and Kingston Roads, and the papers in connection with the surveys of the Talbot Road, the Huron Road, theGarafraxa Road, the Toronto and Syden- ham Road (Owen Sound). There is much valuable information in the notes concerning the pioneer settlements. This branch also contains plans of all the old Indum reserves of tlie Province and re- ports indicating the early condition of the Indian settlements on these reserves; also of the ordnance surveys in the Province pertaining to land grants to old settlers; plans of the military reserves and plans showing the location and groundwork of tlie early forts. Resides these there are the original surveys of all the lands actjuired by the Canada company and of those granted to King's College. AcoUection of nmcli importance already transferretl to the archives vaults is that embracing the diaries or journals of David Thompson, the astron- omer royal, covering a period of (it; years, from 17S4 to 18.50, and makmg about oU volumes. Tiiompson's famous mai) showing tlio continent from the Atlantic to the I'acific, iuid from a little south of the Great Lakes to Hudson Bay, is carefully preserved in the col- lection. Thompson's journals and map have furnished interesting material to students of our early history. They have been used by Mr. Cones in his work entitled "New Light <|)>, to I'nited Emi)ire Loyalist- , volumes of land boiud certilicnics, returns of locations compiled fo;- the (|uarternuister general, liat and warrant books, doniesday l)ooI;s, containing original t'Utries of every lot iliat is |)atented, ami extending to "Jii large volumes, (lescri|)tinns and terms or reference-- on wliich patents and leases are issued, patents for ( rown lands, mining lands, free iirani lands, and mining leases. Tiiere are also a series of nnips of the townshijis of (lie l'ro\ ince as surveyed, wliich liave the n.'ime- of the original holders and settlers enlered on eacli lot or l)lock if land. These maps sliow among other tliini,'- lli<- grant made to Kinu's College, aiKJ llie Ian Is allotted to iIk ( aiiadn Laml to. The hi-torical value of IIicm' record- i- inestiiUMblc. for without them the setilenuMil of the Pinvince (y the Indian. In carrying out this j-.lan the bureau aims at the collection of docu- ments having, in the widest sense, a bearing upon the j)oliticai or social histofA' of Ontario, and upon its ngricultural. industrial, com- mercial, and financial d('veloj)ment: the collection of municipal, school, and church nn-ords: the collection and |)reservation of ])am- phlets, maps, charts, manuscwi)ts. papers, regimental muster rolls, etc., boari' ; on its ]tasl or j)resent hi-.l(>rv; the collection and preser- vation of fin ts illustrative of the early settlenT'nts, pioneer experience, customs, mode of living, prices, wages, boundaries, areas cultivated, homes, etc.; the collection and jireservation of corn'sponddera lion of the rfovinc<'s in 1S()7 into its political jx'riods. arrnn^iiij; the material secured in chronoltijjical order, and s;ivin,n each jieriod a series of ri-jxu'ts. 'I'hus the work has been carried on iti all the divisions simultaneously, uiid when sufhcient. material has accumuhited in any one of them, it has been utilized by the jiublieation of documents wMhout undue delay. From confederation onward, the larjjer quantity of material to be dealt with, and the probable absence of sweeping conatiiutional changes to mark eras, suggested a chronological rather than a political basis of division. The jjcnods are: 1. To tho close of the J'rencii regime, or tho period of r'rench dis- coven,', 17G3. 2. To the organization of the Province of Upper Canada, 17'.U. 3. To the legislative union of Upper and Lower Canada, 1S41. 4. To co!ifederation, ISfiT. 5. To the end of the ninetconth century, 1900. In each of these divisions there is much work to do. Each has its own disthictive f<'atures, and there i^, abundance of minor incident. Material of special int<'rest to Ontario bearing on the French regime is contauied in the "Correspondance G6n6rale,'' in the papers of the "Collection do Moreau St. M6rv," which have been transcribed from the Paris archives for the Canadian archives, most of which has never been j)ublLshed in jirinted form. There is also valuable Ontario material in the "Ilaidimand Collection of papers," the "Bouquet Papers," and the Colonial Oflice records bearmg on this jx-riod. It is int(Mid<'d to collect and juiblish these papers, accompanied l)yanad<'- quate tmnslation. when not writte.i in Fnglish, and adding extiacls in chronological order from the jtublications of Perrot, La Potherie, La llar])e, Charlevoix. !><■ Kalm, the Jesuit Jtelatious, pajieis by Margr^', and a j)orlioii of the " .\I<5moire pour Messire Francnis Bigot," which contains what seems to be an excellent summary of tlie com- merce and ('ondition of all the western trading posts at the time of the con(|uesl. Other sources of in.ilerial for publication have also been considered ii omiectiou witli this early i>eriot^ 360 AMEEICAX HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIOX. Aboriginal or Indian liLstor- jircsonts many intorostin<^ features lu us, and some attention has I)oon jriven lo the subject, inchiding an inquirj' as to the original savage occupants of Ontario, their origin, migrations, trailie, and intercourse; their language, topo- grajihical nomenclature, folklore, and literature; the origin and tory and results of Euro])ean contact; their present condition, ca])abilities, and teiuk'neies. Tliis ]>eriod of Ontario hiBtor^•, tluit of the French regime, will be or.r heroic age. as "distance lends enchantment to the view." Here v.i]l be found the adventurous coureurs de bois. many of the great routes and trading jiosts, the headquarters of which in later tunes was Fort William, on Thund"r Bay. Here tlie Huron and Iroquois met in deadly confhct : here also the Frencli missionaries of tlie Cross endured untold sufTeruigs with ecstatic heroism, and receiving the niartyi • crown left a reconl of Christian zeal and fortiuuh^ not siu']>asse(l, if at aU equaled, in tlie liiston*' of the world. Events wliich stirred the inuigimition and fascuiated the finely poLsed mind of a Parknuui will yet furnish the material for Canada's great, iniwritten epic poem. The Ontario bureau of archives has made a begiiuiing m this field by pul)lishii)g a volume on the "I(h^ntilk'ation of tli(> Huron ^'i!lage yit(>s," where ihosc missionaries labored and fcl', pre])are(' by the venerable and scholarly arcliivist of St. MarA-'s College, Montreal, the Kcv. Father Jones, S. J., a contrilnition, I b(Uev<', of undnt and issueii free to ilie juMijle at the expense of the (ioveni- nii'nl. It will soon lie follnwed by tbe wriiiiigs of FathiT I'oticr, a Wdik of fa!-reaei\ing iir.jxirtanec and interest, which is in process of pre])aration for the jiress. The three volumes nf rnanrscript bavo lieen photcgrapiietl jmge by ;)age and a zineogra]>h fac>imile of the original will be ])laced Ijefore seliolar-^. a wnrk tl ca>nal aunouiiee- inenl tif wiiich lias already whet led the appe.ites (if not a few aiiti(|uariaiis. Leaving tliis interesting ])eriod for the second T have mentioned, we reach liie coming to Ontario of the I'nited Kmjiire Loyalists. These form the l)a>is of our tiojiubtion und si ill gi-\(> ci>lo:' to our political tlioiight and form and fasbiiui to o\ir iii^titiitions. In tliis period wi' haAc publi^iied two vohintes, • .e of alxnit ] .C()0 pages, being tlie maiuiseript of 'vidence laiil before a royi.l commission r- soiling on the claims lor coinpensation for Iosse> sutfered by the ,, niteil I'mjiire l-oyalisl^^, a dociuueni now out of print ar much soiigiil for. The oiiier volume consists of the minutes of tlie land boanl of tli^' western ili-triet of Ontario, Loriiering on Lake Erie CONFEREXCL OF ARCHIVISTS. ;',61 and the Detroit River, containing particulars of g-ants of laud before 1792, schedules, regulations, description lists of grantees, and survej-s, and n mass of data connected with Indian rigbts :ii\d the se' '(>ment of land generally. It has been of value in land-title lawsui etc., and extends to more than 500 pages. Combu.ing this period with the succeedmg one, w^ have collected the proclamations bj- the Crown fr m 1763 to 1840 . iid issued tliem in a volume, the necessity oi which has been felt, as may be ui.iler- stood when it is stated that no suv^h collection had ever been made before, though these proclamations are of public use in an endless variety of business. Under our third division the narrower political historj' of our Province begins, the introduction of constitutional government — thp work of the legislature, some of whose early records are lost, the outbreak of the War of 181-', the progress of settlement, and the development of municipal and commercial institutions, the restive- ness leading to the risuig of 1837, and the '■on^essions made to responsible government. Here a great deal oi atohival work has been already accomplished. The jour?iais of the proceedings of the legislature of Upper Carada from 1792 to 1818, so far as we have been able to find tliem, iiave bem published and the series will be issued to the year 1824, from whith year printed copies are in exist- ence. The journals of the legislative coimcil concurrent with those of the legislutive assembly down to ISlfi have also been ptd)lish:'(l, and one volume in each series, nov •' the press, will complete the work. These journals are simply .pensable, being the original evidence of all our legislation. Oui , nstitutional developmeni and the history o<" our legislature can not be studied or under. tood without them. I may be pardoned should I refer partieulnrly to one of many interesting questions dealt with in the closing years of the eighteenth eenturv- as sh.)wn in these journals. The legis- lative assembly, following the rule of the Inipeniil House of Com- mons, claimed tb" power of the pui-se, and objected to their supply biil being an ended by tne legislative council or upper house. A deadlock ensued; neither side woidd bure the Commons vindicated their supremacy ii\ questions of national finance. 362 AMERICAN HISTORICAI. ASSOCIATION. The records of the first Court of Common Picas for Upper Canada, with valuable annotations and historical notes, are being prepared for the press. In tliis division we have in hand among other things the pi t-puration of a don" "day book for the Province. Our plan, which has mtide sul)stantiai progress, is to cover all our settlement of Crown lands from 17S3 to 1900 by townships, giving each grantee a description, and, for the puqiose of r'^ference, a number. Succeeding volumes will furnish memoirs, notes, and statistical data of a special character l)i';iring on the grantees and ou their settlements. In this connec- tion we are collecting and rapidly accumulating local material which will be drawn upon for this work. This I consider one of the biggest undertakings planned by the bureau, which occupy much time to bruig it to completion, but when completed will be a work of refer- ent c> of permanent use to our historical investigators. We are also collecting papers and documents pertaining to the poUticdl history of Ontario that ought to be preserved in permt,- nent form, which will be issued in a series of four consecutive volumes. These have been planned on lines that will bring their usefulness directly to the growing class of students of our provincial history. Lately a genealogical branch has been included in our program and steps are being taken to obtain by legislation a change of official forms so as to help in the collecting of data. The Wuik will be conducted on the basis of the county unit, with correspondents engaged under the directioH of the bureau. While effort has beeL directed on these lines, I have paid mora attention to the collecting of much neglected material throughout the Province — in the hands of private individuals, public bodies, or local officials, rather than to the exact and adequate ciaaaification and indexing ol outside material as it is being received. The Prov- ince has been so long entirely neglected that when I undertook to organize the department I decided that the most valuable service I could render to the public was to acquire, to collect, and aafelypreserve whatever material I could find, believing the day would soon come when the value of such material would be fully realized and the necessary office assistance provided to enable me to make the accu- mulated archives conveniently accessible to the public. ^