Nicholas Sparks (politician)
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Sparks was an early landholder of Ottawa
, Canada
who owned most of the lands in the present day commercial core of Downtown Ottawa
.
Sparks was born in Darrah parish, County Wexford
in Ireland
and came to Canada in 1816. He was recruited by Ruggles Wright
(or by other accounts Ruggles' brother Alonzo) at age twenty-four to voyage to Canada as a labourer in the Wright family's logging and farming enterprises in the location of modern Gatineau
. By 1819 he was traveling to Montreal and Quebec, purchasing supplies for Wright.
On September 25, 1823, after saving his salary for several years, Sparks purchased 200(0.8 km²) acres of land - along with some food and chattels - on the south side of the Ottawa River
. He purchased the lot from John Burrows Honey (later known as John Burrows), a surveyor. The land was lot C, concession C, Nepean Township, which covered much of what is today downtown Ottawa stretching from what is today Wellington Street in the north to Laurier Avenue in the south. It stretched west to modern Bronson Avenue and extended eastwards further than the Rideau Canal
(to Waller) into what is today Sandy Hill
. South of his land was the land of Colonel By. Sparks borrowed £95, to complete the transaction for land that today is in the central business core of Ottawa.
Historian Michael S. Cross wrote:
The building of the final section of the canal saw the government expropriate the eastern section of his land, taking everything east of modern Elgin Street
(then known as Biddy's Lane). While losing some of his land, this proved a benefit for Sparks as the location of the canal greatly increased the value of his other holdings. Sparks donated about 20 acres of land towards the canal's construction.
Sparks also donated land for civic buildings. He donated land for St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
, and for a new court house and fire station
. When his West Ward Market
, unable to compete with Lower Town's Byward Market
, failed he donated the building to become Bytown's first city hall. In 1832, he donated some land at the northwest corner of his property to the Anglican Church and that is still the site of Ottawa's Christ Church Cathedral
.
Sparks set out to encourage the establishment of commercial ventures on his property, which had proven to be poor farmland. Thus he established a market. While Ottawa remained a small town and commerce centered somewhat to the north of Sparks' holdings he became wealthy as a result of his land; further enhanced after 1857, with the selection of Ottawa as the capital of Province of Canada
.
In 1827, the government had seized some of Sparks' holdings intending to construct a fortress to defend the new canal. Sparks challenged this appropriation of the land, between Bank Street and the Canal, which lay unused for years. He succeeded and was awarded a fortune of 27,000 pounds for the land. With this money he invested in enterprises across the region, and became a financier in the town. The Rideau Canal Act of February 1827, by the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada expropriated 104 acres of Nicholas Sparks' land, not returned to him until 1847 or late 1849.
Around 1848, he had a street created through the center of his holdings; this would later be known as Sparks Street
, one of Ottawa's central commercial areas.
In 1847, he became a member of Bytown's first city council. When the new city of Ottawa was created to replace Bytown in 1855, Sparks also served on its council until 1860.
Sparks' descendants continued to be prominent citizens in Ottawa for many generations, for example Percy Sparks
spearheaded the creation of Gatineau Park
. Today there are many Sparks still living in Ottawa.
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, 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...
who owned most of the lands in the present day commercial core of Downtown Ottawa
Downtown Ottawa
Downtown Ottawa is the central area of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Like other downtowns it is the commercial and economic centre of the city. It is sometimes referred to as the Central Business District and contains Ottawa's financial district. It is bordered by the Ottawa River to the north, the...
.
Sparks was born in Darrah parish, County Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and came to Canada in 1816. He was recruited by Ruggles Wright
Ruggles Wright
Ruggles Wright was a Canadian lumber merchant, the youngest son of Philemon Wright.He was born in Woburn, Massachusetts but moved to Canada with his parents while still young. He later joined the family business in the timber trade. In 1829, he built the first timber slide on the Ottawa River to...
(or by other accounts Ruggles' brother Alonzo) at age twenty-four to voyage to Canada as a labourer in the Wright family's logging and farming enterprises in the location of modern Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...
. By 1819 he was traveling to Montreal and Quebec, purchasing supplies for Wright.
On September 25, 1823, after saving his salary for several years, Sparks purchased 200(0.8 km²) acres of land - along with some food and chattels - on the south side of the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
. He purchased the lot from John Burrows Honey (later known as John Burrows), a surveyor. The land was lot C, concession C, Nepean Township, which covered much of what is today downtown Ottawa stretching from what is today Wellington Street in the north to Laurier Avenue in the south. It stretched west to modern Bronson Avenue and extended eastwards further than the Rideau Canal
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
(to Waller) into what is today Sandy Hill
Sandy Hill
Sandy Hill is a bilingual neighbourhood in Ottawa, Ontario located just east of downtown. The neighbourhood is bordered on the west by the Rideau Canal and on the east by the Rideau River. To the north it stretches to Rideau Street and the Byward Market area while to the south it is bordered by...
. South of his land was the land of Colonel By. Sparks borrowed £95, to complete the transaction for land that today is in the central business core of Ottawa.
Historian Michael S. Cross wrote:
- Lot C would become Sparks’ life, the basis of his fortune and status. Defending his right to the property would preoccupy him for much of his career. Indeed Sparks’ difficulties over the lot began immediately. Burrows Honey, it appears, had sold land he did not own. Although the original sale took place on 25 Sept. 1821, Burrows Honey did not receive clear title until 1823 for the south half and 1824 for the north half. The sale to Sparks, therefore, was not recorded at the county registry office until 20 June 1824. The confusion, which has led to considerable controversy among local historians over the purchase date, did not end there. Burrows Honey’s title remained in doubt. As a result, Sparks repurchased the south 100 acres on 20 June 1826. Still there were doubts; Sparks made token payments of 5s. to John Burrows Honey and to his wife for title to the full 200 acres on 6 May and 10 July 1830 respectively. Out of this tangle it appears the famous purchase was not made on the usually accepted date of 20 June 1826 but rather nearly five years earlier on 25 Sept. 1821, although the legal technicalities were not resolved until 1830.
- The 1826 date, however, has a fine touch of drama about it. Late in 1826 the decision was made to build the Rideau Canal through lot C. As the village of Bytown (Ottawa) sprang up around the canal terminus, Sparks became landlord for a whole community. Those months also saw Sparks cement the other foundation of his fortune. On 2 Nov. 1826 a marriage license was issued to Sparks and Sally Olmstead, widow of Philemon Wright Jr. The marriage solidified Sparks’ link with the leadership of the Ottawa timber trade.
- It was in land that Sparks reaped the greatest dividends. He began to sell portions of lot C as early as 18 Dec. 1826 when he sold land west of the canal mouth for £200 an acre, the same land he had bought for 9s. 6d. an acre. Land sales and leases quickly made Sparks wealthy. As one of the few people with ready cash he also became Bytown’s leading moneylender and often enough was able to regain land he had sold. For example, in January 1832 he accepted a lot in payment of a debt of £75. In May 1832 Sparks sold an adjacent lot for £600. The nicest irony in all of Sparks’ complex dealings came in July 1844 when he leased part of a town lot, 66 ft by 99 ft, for £200 to John Burrows.
The building of the final section of the canal saw the government expropriate the eastern section of his land, taking everything east of modern Elgin Street
Elgin Street (Ottawa)
Elgin Street is a street in the Golden Triangle of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Originally named Biddy's Lane, it was later named after Lord Elgin....
(then known as Biddy's Lane). While losing some of his land, this proved a benefit for Sparks as the location of the canal greatly increased the value of his other holdings. Sparks donated about 20 acres of land towards the canal's construction.
Sparks also donated land for civic buildings. He donated land for St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (Ottawa)
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church is the oldest Presbyterian church in Ottawa, Canada.-Creation:St. Andrews is Ottawa's oldest Protestant [Presbyterian Church in Canada] congregation, with the original church opening in 1828...
, and for a new court house and fire station
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
. When his West Ward Market
First City Hall (Ottawa)
The first city hall for the city of Ottawa, Ontario was built in 1849 on Elgin Street between Queen and Albert Streets.Originally known as the West Ward Market Building on Elgin Street, the building was one of two markets in Ottawa, then called Bytown...
, unable to compete with Lower Town's Byward Market
Byward Market
ByWard Market is a district in Lower Town located east of the government & business district, surrounding the market buildings and open-air market on George, York, ByWard and William Streets.The district is bordered on the west by Sussex Drive, on the...
, failed he donated the building to become Bytown's first city hall. In 1832, he donated some land at the northwest corner of his property to the Anglican Church and that is still the site of Ottawa's Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral (Ottawa)
Christ Church Cathedral is the Anglican cathedral in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The church is located in the northwest section of the city's downtown at the western end of Sparks Street at the top of a promontory looking down to the Ottawa River.-Beginnings:...
.
Sparks set out to encourage the establishment of commercial ventures on his property, which had proven to be poor farmland. Thus he established a market. While Ottawa remained a small town and commerce centered somewhat to the north of Sparks' holdings he became wealthy as a result of his land; further enhanced after 1857, with the selection of Ottawa as the capital of Province of Canada
Province of Canada
The Province of Canada, United Province of Canada, or the United Canadas was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of...
.
In 1827, the government had seized some of Sparks' holdings intending to construct a fortress to defend the new canal. Sparks challenged this appropriation of the land, between Bank Street and the Canal, which lay unused for years. He succeeded and was awarded a fortune of 27,000 pounds for the land. With this money he invested in enterprises across the region, and became a financier in the town. The Rideau Canal Act of February 1827, by the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada expropriated 104 acres of Nicholas Sparks' land, not returned to him until 1847 or late 1849.
Around 1848, he had a street created through the center of his holdings; this would later be known as Sparks Street
Sparks Street
Sparks Street is a street in downtown Ottawa, Canada that was converted into an outdoor pedestrian street in 1966, making it the earliest such street or mall in North America....
, one of Ottawa's central commercial areas.
In 1847, he became a member of Bytown's first city council. When the new city of Ottawa was created to replace Bytown in 1855, Sparks also served on its council until 1860.
Sparks' descendants continued to be prominent citizens in Ottawa for many generations, for example Percy Sparks
Percy Sparks
Roderick Percy Sparks was a Canadian manufacturer and environmentalist. He is widely credited with being the Father of Gatineau Park.Born on March 7, 1880 in Ottawa, Canada, Sparks was the great grandnephew of Ottawa pioneer Nicholas Sparks...
spearheaded the creation of Gatineau Park
Gatineau Park
Gatineau Park is a park located in the National Capital Region, in Quebec's Outaouais region, just north of Ottawa, Ontario. Administered by the National Capital Commission, the park is a 361 km² wedge of land to the west of the Gatineau River...
. Today there are many Sparks still living in Ottawa.