Smith's Canadian gazetteer - ElectricCanadian.com

1.37
OSPIIY.
A Township in the Simcoe District; is bounded on the north by the township
of Coliingwood; on the west by Artemisia; on the south by Melancthon; and
on the east by Notta-w'asaga. This townsliip has been added to the Simcoe
District since 1844. It is only just surveyed, and is not yet opened for sale.
OTONAREK.
A Township in the Colborne District; is bounded on the east by the township
of Aspliodel; on the North by Douro; on the west by the Otonabee River; and
on the south by Rice Luke. In Otonabee 42,007 acres are taken up, 10,863 of
wliich are under cultivation. This township is well settled, principally by
Scotch emigrants, and contains good farms. Tinibei"—hardwood, intermixed
with pine. The villaare of Keene is situated in the south-east of the township,
near llice Lake; and tiiere is a settlement of Indians in the township, called
" nice Lake Settlement," situated on Rice Lake, about twelve miles from Peterboro'.
It is composed of Mississagas, r.r ("hippawas, who in the year 1818,
surrendei'ed the greater part of the tract now forming the Newcastle District,
for an annuity of £740. They "have all been reclaimed from their primitive
wandering life, and settled in their present location within the last ten or twelve
years. The Indians in the settlement, number 114. They possess about 1.5.30
acres of land, which is subdivided into .50 acre lots; of this, 1120 acres were
granted in April, 1834, to triistees, " in trust, to hold the same for the benefit of
the Indian tribes in the Province, and with a view to their conversion and civilization;"
and thi' remaining 4.30 have been since pv.rchased with their own
funds. Tiiey have about 400 acres cleared and under cultivation. The village
contains thirty houses, three barns, a school-house, and a chapel with a belL
The head chief of the tribe resides here. For some time, these Indians were
under the charge of an otficer appointed by the Indian Department, who assisted
in their settlement; but at present they have no special superintendent. These
Indians are Methodists. They have a school, and a schoolmaster is supported
by the Methodist Missionary Society.
Six hundred and sixty acres of Crown lands are open for sale in Otonabee, at
Sa-. currency per acre.
There are in the township, one grist and two saw mills.
Ratable property in the township, £29,154.
OTONABEE RIVER.— (S-ee Rice Lake.)
OTTAWA DISTRICT.
Consists of the Counties of Prescott and Russell. It is the most north-easterly
district in the Province, and is bounded on the north by the Oitawa River; on
tlie south by the Eastern District; on the east by a portion of Lower Canada;
and on the west by the Dalhousie District. The Petite Nation River runs
through the west and centre of the district, and enters the Ottawa in the northwest
of the township of Plantagenet; and there are besides several good mill
streams in the district.
Much of the land in the front of the Ottawa District is cold and wet; in the
rear it is better; but the people of the district are much more extensively engaged
in getting out lumber for the Quebec market, than in improving the soil;
consequently agricultural operations go on very slowly.
The district is settled by a mi.>ced population, consisting of French Canadians,
English Canadians, Scotch, Irish, English, and Americans.
There is no large town in the district, and tlie principal villages are Hawkesbury
and Vankleek Hill, in the township of ITawkesbury; Caledonia, in t'aledonia;
L'Orignal, the district town, in Longueil; and Hattsfield, in Plantagenet
In Hawkesbury West is an establishment for sawing lumber, which is the
most extensive in Canada West, giving employment to above two hundred hand«.