Among the early U.E. Loyalist families settled along the shores of the Bay of Quinte, and the north shores of the St. Lawrence, were the Dulmages. They were closely connected with the Hecks, Emburys and Lawrences of Augusta township, Eastern District, and the Huffs, Hoovers, Canniffs and Allisons of the Midland District. They were also of the original Palatine families who first found refuge from persecution in Limerick county, Ireland, later on in the other British colonies before the American revolution, and finally as United Empire Loyalists in Upper Canada. The descendants and connections of these families are yet numerous and very respectable in this Province.

The writer had recently an interesting interview, at Sydenham, Ont., with Mr. Henry V. Dulmage, now 86 years of age, and one of the oldest survivors of the family of that name. He is a grandson of Mr. John Dulmage, one of the early Loyalist refugees of the Eastern District, and a neighbor there, of the Hecks, Emburys and other Irish Palatine families. He married Sophia Heck, a sister of the historic Paul Heck, who, with his wife, Barbara, was so prominently identified with the first founding of Methodism, both in the United States and Upper Canada. He was an officer of the celebrated Jessup Rangers, of the British army, during the revolution, and at its close, became a settler in Augusta, where he lived and died.

A RESIDENT OF KINGSTON

Elias Dulmage, a son of John, became a settler in the then small village of Kingston, at an early year of the last century. He was appointed one of the first jailers of the Midland District, a position which he held for twenty years, - fifteen years as Governor of the first jail built in this District, and five years of what was long known as "the new jail," but which gave place to the present jail, more than a generation ago. It was while holding that position in 1823, that Henry V., the subject of the present notice was born. He spent all his early years in Kingston and has still an excellent remembrance of it when it was yet but a small village, and many of his reminiscences of those years are now matters of a good deal of interest. He is now the last survivor of the once large family of Elias Dulmage, and the only grandchild of the early jailer is the Hon. John D. Carscallen, a native of the village of Newburgh in this county and now a prominent and wealthy citizen of the State of New Jersey. a few years ago Mr. Carscallen was Speaker of the State Legislature there.

Mr. Henry Dulmage well remembered when the streets of Kingston were without sidewalks, and had not even well graded turnpikes. The buildings were largely of frame, and some of them were of logs, and instead of brick or stone chimneys, many of the dwellings had the large stick-wood and mud plastered chimneys from the great open fire places, with the "wood pile" in the front yards next the streets. He still remembers the early tavern-keepers, store-keepers and other prominent citizens and officials, the earliest of the steamboats and the early merchant sailing vessels, and the early printers and newspaper editors. Kingston at that time was quite an important military and naval station, the most important in Upper Canada. There were quite a large number of soldiers, officers and other military men "across the river" - at what is now known as Barriefield. There was no bridge across the Cataraqui river then, and the soldiers had a large scow with a rope attached, which, extended from shore to shore, and by this was pulled across the ferry-boat and its freight. It was during the twenties that the Cataraqui bridge was built. That was then on the highway from Kingston all the way down the St. Lawrence to Montreal.

BAY OF QUINTE DULMAGES

David Dulmage, a brother of John, already mentioned, was also a soldier in the Jessup regiment during the war of the Revolution and became one of the early refugees of the Midland District, where, according to the original Crown Lands record, he was granted 659 acres of land. He was the head of a large and well known family. For most of the facts concerning the family the writer is indebted to Mr. C. C. James, M.A., of Toronto, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, who is also among the descendents.

David Dulmage was born in Limerick county, Ireland, and came to America when a young man. He settled in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where he married. His family consisted of six sons and five daughters. Two of the latter died young. The other children were Jacob, David, James, John, Philip, Edward, Elizabeth, Margaret and Mary. David and his son Jacob were granted land in Ernesttown at the close of the war. To David fell one half of lot 7 on the Bay Front west of Bath, also lot 2 in the sixth concession. Jacob drew half of lot 13 in the fifth concession. Later on the father moved to Marysburgh township, south of the Bay, where he and his wife both died and were buried. A number of their descendants are yet residents of the township.

Jacob Dulmage became a well know and prominent man, and quite a prominent Methodist local preacher. He married Sarah Huff, a daughter of Solomon Huff, of Hay Bay, Adolphustown in whose house the first Methodist class was formed by Rev. Wm. Losee, in 1791, and on whose farm the First Methodist Church in Upper Canada was formed in 1792.

Mrs. Huff was Eva Swade. Their children were four sons and five daughters, William, Peter, Richard and Solomon Jr. ; the daughters, Catharine, Mrs. Peter Maybee, Elizabeth, Mrs. William Wright, Jane, Mrs. Henry Hoover, Sarah, Mrs. Jacob Dulmage and Mary, Mrs. Henry Vandusen. It may as well be mentioned here that the Kingston Gazette, of August 18th, 1828, published an obituary notice of Solomon Huff, written by Joseph B. Allison, of Adolphustown, from which the following extracts are taken;

"Died, Friday, 18th of July, 1828, Mr. Solomon Huff, aged 77 years. He was born in the State of New York. In 1788 he moved from the United States to this Province, and settled on Hay Bay. He was the first person in the wilds of Fredericksburgh and Adolphustown, that devoted the Lord's day to religious purposes. On Sunday morning he would call in his neighbors and sing and pray with them. He was appointed a Methodist class leader at an early day and remained such as long as he was able to get to the house of worship, in which situation he was useful and much esteemed. A few moments before the breath left his body, he raised both hands, and clasping them together, with his eyes lifted towards heaven, and a cheerful countenance, delivered up his spirit to that God which gave it."

Jacob Dulmage lived for a time in Adolphustown, and then moved to Marysburgh. He was drowned in South Bay, opposite his home, when returning from holding a religious service across the Bay. His eldest daughter, Nancy, first married John M. Canniff, son of James Canniff, of Adolphustown, and after his death Abraham Canniff, who was for some years a resident of Adolphustown, and then of Newburgh. The children by her first husband were Jane Ann, who first married Mr. Silas Thompson, of Thompson's Point, Adolphustown, and after his death John G. Ross, of Belleville; she died recently at Belleville, aged 84 years. Sarah Eliza was another daughter; she married Owen S. Roblin and they were for years much respected residents of Newburgh. They now reside in Buffalo, N.Y., and are past 80 years of age - both yet enjoying good health. Ellen Canniff, a daughter by the second marriage, married Charles James, J.P., for some time, Mayor of Napanee. She died in this town in 1873.

The other children of Jacob Dulmage were well known and much respected. They were Elizabeth, Mrs. Mathew Hicks, of Long Point, Prince Edward Co.; Mary, Mrs. James Collin of South Bay; Jane, Mrs. Conrad Bongard, Marysburgh; Eva, Mrs. John Collier, Long Point; Sarah, Mrs. Hodgins; Lydia, Mrs. Jas. Lavery, Marysburgh. The only surviving member of the once large family of eleven children, is Mrs. Lowrey, the youngest, now in her eightieth year.

There is not now space to give the detailed names of the others of the families.

Augustus Wright and Margaret Dulmage, of Ernesttown, were married by Rev. John Langhorn, at Bath in 1792. Rev. David Wright, their son, was born in 1792. He was for years, one of the popular and influential Methodist ministers of this province, and was ordained at the same Conference as Wm. Ryerson, Robert Carson, Solomon Waldron, Jacob Poole and others who were well known in their day.

He married Elizabeth Hoover, a daughter of Henry Hoover, of Adolphustown. Another daughter, Eva married Rev. Cyrus R. Allison and another, Mary, married Joseph B. Allison J.P. of Adolphustown. Their children and grandchildren are among our well known citizens in this county today. Mrs. Henry Hoover died on November 19th 1865, aged 92 years. She and her husband were members of Losee's first class in Adolphustown.

Dr. Henry Hoover Wright, for years a noted physician in this Province, and a pupil of the celebrated Dr. John Ralph, was a son of Rev. David Wright. Mrs. Cameron, wife of Dr. Irving H. Cameron, a distinguished Toronto surgeon, is a daughter of Dr. H. H. Wright.

AN EARLY INCIDENT

Writing of Jacob Dulmage recalls to mind an incident related to the writer by the late Col. Samuel Dorland, of Adolphustown, which was quite characteristic of the early years in this county, when athletic sports and exercises were popular. Many years ago the writer remembers to have met Col. Dorland and Squire Dulmage, both then old men, at the then celebrated Ebenezer camp ground, near Switzerville. After considerable conversation about their early days and reminiscences, the face of Col. Dorland brightened up considerably and he remarked in a very jocular way: "Perhaps you would like to go outside and try another wrestling match such as we had the first time we met. " Mr. Dulmage at once turned the conversation, and evidently did not want any more reference to the matter. After he had left Col. Dorland told the incident with a good deal of evident amusement, in some such words as these.

"When I first met Jacob Dulmage we were both quite young and strong and prided ourselves on our strength. It was just after I was married. I was out in my chip yard chopping, and a young man rode up on horse back. "Are you Samuel Dorland?" he required. All told him I was, "Well, my name is Jacob Dulmage. I have heard you are the ablest wrestler in these parts. I have seldom met my match. I just came to see which, is the best man of us." "Well, if you came for that, just tie up your horse and we can soon settle it." They went at it and as the result of a pretty hard struggle, Dulmage got laid on the broad of his back. They got up and shook hands in a friendly way over it and it was the beginning of a warm friendship which lasted between them as long as they both lived. That was many years before, for they were both grey-haired old men at the time of this relation. But the Colonel, then also a prominent church official evidently enjoyed the remembrance of it as keenly as in the days of his manly vigor.