Napier, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Napier is an unincorporated place on Napier Road in Adelaide–Metcalfe, western Middlesex County
in southwestern
Ontario
, Canada
. It is located on the Sydenham River
16 kilometres (10 mi) southwest of the community of Strathroy
. Napier is almost a ghost town for many of its buildings have been torn down over the years and it has few or no businesses left.
to a market and miles to Port Stanley for tools and implements.
One early settler was Captain Christopher Beer who previously had spent 14 years in the Royal Navy
. In 1830, Beer received 800 acres (324 ha) of land in what is now the Napier area along the Sydenham. He then returned to England to get his family, brought them back and built a two-storey log house near the present site of the village. The first Anglican services in the area were held in his home.
Another well-known early settler was Captain Robert Johnston who arrived with his family in 1832. Their log cabin was built across the road from the present Presbyterian church. Johnston, aged 72, was an old soldier who had served at Waterloo. He was not the average pioneer. He arrived in the wilderness with bagpipes, a piano, 30 complete sets of military arms and a substantial amount of money. Johnston built himself a large brick house 50 by with six chimneys. Soon Anglican services were moved to this large home.
A cemetery surrounds the church. When a sea captain, Christoper Beer, died in 1871, aged 80, he was buried in the southeast corner. His stone says "Anchored in the harbour of eternal rest." In the northwest corner are buried Joe and Mary Wrinkle. Joe was a fugitve slave from the southern US who worked for Captain Beer. Mary, his wife was white. When asked why she married Wrinkle, she replied, "His gracious manners and kindly ways took my fancy. The colour of his skin doesn't matter."
Other churches were built later. A frame Methodist church was built in 1860 and the first Presbyterian church was built in c.1864. The Presbyterian church was rebuilt in 1887 and set on a hill in the southwest part of the village where it still stands today.
After the township of Metcalfe was created in 1840, the village became known as Metcalfe. When a post office opened on November 6, 1851, the village was named Napier, probably after Sir Charles James Napier
(1782–1853), a British General, or perhaps after his brother, Sir William Francis Patrick Napier
(1785–1860), also a general and historian of the Peninsular War
.
In 1857, J. G. Sutherland moved into the area, bought the mills from Johnston and built a new woollen mill. The village population at this time was about 150. Sutherland's businesses dominated the community for many years. It was he who built the store known as Napier House in 1872; the post office moved into this building later.
Napier was important enough to become the township "capital." In 1880, the township council started holding regular meetings in the new Napier Town Hall.
Also, once the walnut trees were depleted, the village became less important because there was less work for the sawmills.
The village did not become a ghost town overnight but faded slowly during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In 1890, the gristmill burned and was never rebuilt. By 1900, all of Sutherland's mills and many small shopkeepers were gone. The post office closed on June 1, 1915, after which mail was delivered from Strathroy. The store closed in 1970.
Middlesex County, Ontario
Middlesex County is a primarily rural county in Southwestern Ontario. Landlocked, the county is bordered by Huron and Perth counties on the north, Oxford County on the east, Elgin County on the south, and Chatham-Kent and Lambton County on the west.The seat is the city of London, although the city...
in southwestern
Southwestern Ontario
Southwestern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario, centred on the city of London. It extends north to south from the Bruce Peninsula on Lake Huron to the Lake Erie shoreline, and east to south-west roughly from Guelph to Windsor. The region had a population...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is located on the Sydenham River
Sydenham River
The Sydenham River is a river in Kent County, Lambton County and Middlesex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, flowing southwest from its source west of London, Ontario and emptying into Lake Saint Clair. The length of the river is and it drains a watershed of approximately 2,700 square...
16 kilometres (10 mi) southwest of the community of Strathroy
Strathroy-Caradoc, Ontario
Strathroy-Caradoc is a municipality located just west of London, Ontario, Canada. It was created through the merger of the former township of Caradoc and the town of Strathroy in 2001. Its two largest settlements are Strathroy and Mount Brydges....
. Napier is almost a ghost town for many of its buildings have been torn down over the years and it has few or no businesses left.
Early Settlement
The area was first settled about 1829 by an unidentified disbanded military unit. At first settlers had to walk 20 miles (32.2 km) to Kilworth to reach a grist mill, 30 miles (48.3 km) to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to a market and miles to Port Stanley for tools and implements.
One early settler was Captain Christopher Beer who previously had spent 14 years in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. In 1830, Beer received 800 acres (324 ha) of land in what is now the Napier area along the Sydenham. He then returned to England to get his family, brought them back and built a two-storey log house near the present site of the village. The first Anglican services in the area were held in his home.
Another well-known early settler was Captain Robert Johnston who arrived with his family in 1832. Their log cabin was built across the road from the present Presbyterian church. Johnston, aged 72, was an old soldier who had served at Waterloo. He was not the average pioneer. He arrived in the wilderness with bagpipes, a piano, 30 complete sets of military arms and a substantial amount of money. Johnston built himself a large brick house 50 by with six chimneys. Soon Anglican services were moved to this large home.
St. Mary's Church
One of the first public buildings constructed by these settlers was Sr. Mary's Anglican Church. The land for the church was donated by Charles Preston. The exact building date is not known but was probably about 1840. St. Mary's still stands, the oldest standing church in Middlesex County. The last regular service was held here in 1920 but yearly services began in 1931 and continue today.A cemetery surrounds the church. When a sea captain, Christoper Beer, died in 1871, aged 80, he was buried in the southeast corner. His stone says "Anchored in the harbour of eternal rest." In the northwest corner are buried Joe and Mary Wrinkle. Joe was a fugitve slave from the southern US who worked for Captain Beer. Mary, his wife was white. When asked why she married Wrinkle, she replied, "His gracious manners and kindly ways took my fancy. The colour of his skin doesn't matter."
Other churches were built later. A frame Methodist church was built in 1860 and the first Presbyterian church was built in c.1864. The Presbyterian church was rebuilt in 1887 and set on a hill in the southwest part of the village where it still stands today.
Development of the Village
Napier developed into an active village. Robert Johnston built a store and gristmill in 1838, importing two millstones from Scotland. Johnston also had a sawmill built to harvest the many black walnut trees in the area. He then proceeded to build a large woollen mill. The village was known at first as Johnston's Mills. Later it was known as Puffing Town because of the noise made by the steam engine at Johnston's mills. This mill stood on the river behind the general store standing in the village today. People would walk to the mill from as far as Sarnia with bags of wheat on their backs to do their milling.After the township of Metcalfe was created in 1840, the village became known as Metcalfe. When a post office opened on November 6, 1851, the village was named Napier, probably after Sir Charles James Napier
Charles James Napier
General Sir Charles James Napier, GCB , was a general of the British Empire and the British Army's Commander-in-Chief in India, notable for conquering the Sindh Province in what is now Pakistan.- His genealogy :...
(1782–1853), a British General, or perhaps after his brother, Sir William Francis Patrick Napier
William Francis Patrick Napier
General Sir William Francis Patrick Napier KCB , Irish soldier in the British Army and military historian, third son of Colonel George Napier was born at Celbridge, near Dublin.-Military service:...
(1785–1860), also a general and historian of the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
.
In 1857, J. G. Sutherland moved into the area, bought the mills from Johnston and built a new woollen mill. The village population at this time was about 150. Sutherland's businesses dominated the community for many years. It was he who built the store known as Napier House in 1872; the post office moved into this building later.
Napier was important enough to become the township "capital." In 1880, the township council started holding regular meetings in the new Napier Town Hall.
Decline of the Village
Traditionally, Napier's fall is blamed on the railway. Two branches of both the Great Western Railway, later the CNR, bypassed Napier. The village was also bypassed by the CPR and Michigan Central. Much business was lost as settlers moved to larger communities along the railway.Also, once the walnut trees were depleted, the village became less important because there was less work for the sawmills.
The village did not become a ghost town overnight but faded slowly during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In 1890, the gristmill burned and was never rebuilt. By 1900, all of Sutherland's mills and many small shopkeepers were gone. The post office closed on June 1, 1915, after which mail was delivered from Strathroy. The store closed in 1970.