Founding fathers of Mulmur

In the early 1800s, settlement was slowly creeping northwards from Toronto. In 1825 the first farms were taken up along the southern boundaries of the township. Land was taken up rapidly in the years following, mainly in the south half of the township and the north-west section around Honeywood.

As there was no municipal government, someone was needed to exercise some authority. William Campaigne was the first to take on that role, as Magistrate for Mulmur. Squire Campaigne, as he is always respectively known in the early records, was born in France about 1788. His people left France at the beginning of the Revolution. It is not certain where they went first but it would seem that it was in part of the British Isles. When he came to Canada is not known, but his grandson, Mr. William Campaigne of Mansfield, states that he can remember his grandmother saying that they were married when they crossed the Atlantic. Later he came to Mulmur. During the early days Squire Campaigne was the man to whom the people came to settle their quarrels and disagreements but also for advice and guidance. He was the appointed leader of the township and as such is the predecessor of all the reeves and the elected leaders that there have been in Mulmur. After the setting up of the township councils he remained deeply interested in the welfare of this municipality, being especially active in urging that the law be strictly observed and in promoting the opening up of the Sixth Line. He died in 1859 and lies buried just north of the ruins of old St. Luke’s Church (I believe this is in Rosemont).

In January 1851, Mulmur was incorporated as a municipality.

The man who did more than anyone to organize municipal government in Mulmur was John Little. The first postmaster in Mulmur, the first clerk of the divisional court, and later the first clerk and the first treasurer of the municipality, he deserves to share along with William Campaigne the title Father of Mulmur. John Little was born in County Monaghan in Ireland on May 1, 1802. He emigrated to Canada in 1824 and came to Mulmur as one of its first settlers on the south border.

John Little was the one who drew up the first bylaws, figured out the first taxes, wrote the minutes of the first council meetings, and was the advisor and guide of the first councils of the infant municipality. To use a common expression, he had to start from scratch.

After serving as clerk and treasurer for some years he retired and in 1862 was elected to council and at their first meeting his colleagues elected him reeve. He only remained one year in the council. On Oct. 17, 1866, he passed away, in his 65th year, and lies buried in St. Luke’s Cemetery.

This information is taken from Mulmur: The Story of a Township, published 1951.

Helen Blackburn is a retired teacher, avid gardener and a long-time contributor to the Creemore Echo. She writes about local history.