History of Richmond Hill, Ontario - Rebellion in Upper Canada

Rebellion in Upper Canada

The political climate of the 1820s and 1830s divided the residents of Richmond Hill into two groups: the Reformers and the Tories. Many of the newer immigrants came from well off British families that got along well with the elite society of Upper Canada. These settlers were Tories, allied with the establishment, usually members of the Church of England. The Reformers tended to be long settled people of lower classes, often United Empire Loyalists or American immigrants. The 1828 election to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada elected two Reformers from the York riding, which included Richmond Hill. The two elected were William Lyon Mackenzie and Jesse Ketchum. Subsequent elections in 1830, 1834 and 1836 for the Legislative Assembly returned mostly Reform candidates. The crops of 1836 and 1837 did not do well, and Upper Canada was experiencing economic recession. Farmer suffered under the banks' reducing the credit available and calling in outstanding loans. Farmers in Richmond Hill and the other outlying areas around Toronto became increasing sympathetic to talk of revolt. William Lyon Mackenzie issued a letter on December 1, 1837 calling the citizens of Upper Canada to revolt while the militia was in Lower Canada suppressing revolt there. On December 4, 1837 those swayed to his cause, and began moving south from the settlement in the north towards Toronto, where the planned to seize a weapon cache. They came through Richmond Hill in the afternoon, and caught the attention of Captain Hugh Stewart who was in a tavern just north of Richmond Hill. Loyalist residents of Richmond Hill began to assemble on the farm of "Colonel Moodie", a proud supporter of the Empire whose house made a natural gathering place for loyalists. Richmond Hill resident William Crew set out for Toronto to warn the government there of the oncoming rebels. When word reached Colonel Moodie that Crew had been detained by the rebels, Moodie set out with fellow Richmond Hill residents David Bridgeford and Hugh Stewart to head to Toronto and give warning. They encountered a road blockade by the rebels at Montgomery's Tavern. They charged the blockage and Moodie was shot. The company of men less Bridgeford were taken prisoner, and Moodie died later that night, the first casualty of the Upper Canada Rebellion. Bridgeford met up with John Powell and headed to Toronto, where he was able to warn lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada Francis Bond Head of the impending rebellion. Riding north afterwards to secure further volunteers, Bridgeford was captured by the rebels. On December 5, 1837 Mackenzie and some five hundred poorly equipped rebels marched south but were quickly rebuffed by sheriff William Jarvis and some twenty other men. They regrouped at Montgomery's Tavern, where the last battle of the rebellion was fought on December 7. The rebels were routed and Bridgeford and the other loyalist prisoners were freed. The rebellion left a simmering feud in Richmond Hill between Tories and Reformers that lasted a generation. The local meeting on October 15, 1838 to make statements for Lord Durham's Report ended in a brawl. In the end, the Tories gained control of the political and culture life of Richmond Hill and maintained it for many years.