Colonel Anthony Van Egmond's letter from the Don Jail (end of December 1837)


Anthony Van Egmond, born Antonij Jacobi Willem Gijben (10 March 1778 Groesbeek in Dutch Republic – 5 January 1838 in Toronto, Upper Canada) before coming to North America, was purportedly a Dutch Napoleonic War veteran. He became one of the first settlers and business people in the Huron Tract, located in present day southwestern Ontario Canada.Van Egmond became an early contractor employed by the Canada Company to construct the original 74-kilometer (46 mi) in length road into the new settlement, allowing the entry of settlers for the purchase of company lands and further economic development.He eventually became a supporter of William Lyon Mackenzie, and led a force of armed rebels in their unsuccessful skirmish at Montgomery's Tavern near Toronto, Ontario on December 7, 1837 during the Upper Canada Rebellion.
(From wikipedia)


Below is a transcription made from a photocopy of Colonel Anthony Van Egmond’s letter to the mayor of Toronto pleading his innocence. If found guilty of being the military mastermind of the rebellion he would probably be hanged. Sections of this letter were included in the last pages of Fred Van Egmond’s book Rivers of Recollection, 1998, printed by the Goderich Print Shop Limited.

The photocopied pages took effort and some imagination to decipher. Fred Van Egmond was more able. Perhaps he had a clearer copy - or the original. His choices are enclosed in square brackets.

The last part of Anthony Van Egmond’s lengthy post script was not included in Rivers of Recollection. It is here that the Colonel is most persuasive. This section is printed in red italics here. Perhaps Fred Van Egmond was reluctant to support his ancestor's declaration of innocence.

John Scott – 23 May 2006; updated 05 February 2015
johnseaforth@gmail.com

Something more about Samuel Lount, who is mentioned in Van Egmond's letter.  (John Scott; 31 January 2015)

Samuel Lount (September 24, 1791 – April 12, 1838) was a blacksmith, farmer, magistrate and member of the Legislative Assembly in the province of Upper Canada for Simcoe County from 1834 to 1836. He was an organizer of the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837, for which he was hanged at the Don Goal (Toronto). His execution made him a martyr to the Upper Canada Reform Movement.

To His Worship the Mayor of the city of Toronto,

Your Worship,

will please, I hope, to receive my warm and humble thanks for having shown the intention soon to investigate the cause for which I have been arrested. The multitude of official duties however having rendered it infaisible until this, I beg leave to make the provisory statements following. viz: The papers taken from me when arrested, will show, I hope, the reasons which brought me to this city, and an other reason was to attempt to get rid of a parcel of bills of the Agriculture Bank.

That I was taken and brought a prisoner to the place of Wm Montgomery, I feel able to prove satisfactory, and which may be corroborated by the circumstances, that I – a man of no small degree of influence in the Huron Tract and likewise so in all parts in this province, west of the grand River – Ouse , a father of five sons, three of which are stout and hearty men, have come to here alone – a man of upwards of three score years of age - and that after having been informed of it on my road hither that brave Allan X M Kuale [McKush] Esquire had arrived in this city with a numerous body of men, and also many from Nelson, Travalgar Toronto etc etc – all under the command of the very brave and  gallant Colonel Fitzgibbons and other ditto officers. Could it be supposed, even for one moment, that I, or any other person, and owner of property to a large amount in this province, and of some military knowledge besides, would join a body of Rebels, not 300 in number, not half armed, without organisation, discipline, ammunition, provisions and money, and their leaders themselves, discouraged to the greatest degree, by the desertion of about 100 men every 24 hours? No, it could not be supposed [(vraisemblable) truly blameworthy, Worshipdul Sir?] (or) worthyfull Sir!

And had I committed such an [error] would not my guilty conscience have driven me off and away after the [total dispersion] of the Rebels, rather than lose so near the place for two days and nights hunting for a horse I had lost? would I have went to a Tavern where more than 200 queens men were together at the time, to enquire about my lost horse? no, I certainly would have done neither, but cleared out, like the guilty did it.

That, altho’ some of the very dregs of Radicalism, have sometimes fraudulently made use of my name, I can conscientiously declare before my God and my fellow men, that I do not remember ever to have written for publication one [single] or sole syllable against our legal government, nor have I ever attended one sole political meeting or far less been a member of any at all. the sole points of reform I have ever advocated are these: a reduction of the [prices] of lands held by government and by the Canada Company; for the purpose of bringing back to this province; the tide of Emigrason by which I’m myself greatly interested, and on this point, I have found [the most faithfull] Tories nearly unanimously to agree with me. With the management of the Canada Company’s affairs in the Huron tract, I have been highly dissatisfied during the four years [last past, and variance between] all the managers – the Honorable William Allan and Doctor Dunlop alone excepted - and myself has expected but [that unfortunate] disagreement, I have allways [and do yet consider] to [be] a private contest between them and myself and altogether unconnected with our governments.

That I never have subscribed to any radical power which served this may require proofs may be, but I feel able to furnish such. That not only and alone for the great stake I have in the prosperity of this province, but also by principle I have always been and remained a loyalist will show itself in the papers taken from me and [apparently in] Your Worships [prossession], and Doctor Dunlop and Charles Prior Esquire, who know me and who had during upwards of ten years now last past the best chance to know my true political sentiments, and also Edward C Taylor Esquire, now five years since, will not refuse I confidently hope to testify, and which Testimony will undoubtedly outweigh in all and every impartial mind. and [manuevers] fraudulently employed by the basest of base men, for the purpose of having men of some influence to figure in their papers as friendly to themselves and to their [plots].

When all the afore stated shall have been fully explained and found to be correctly true and all manufactured by McKenzie and Co be found falsehoods, then your worship will form a better opinion of me, and conceive the hardship of a man of my great age, to see himself suspected of having participated in rebellion and even incarcerated for such a crime. Rather than continue to live under the stigma of such criminality, I would be banished to a foreign country and there to earn my livelihood by the sweat of my brow. Did His Excellency our present Governor know as much about me as Sir John Colborn did I would either not have been put into this abode for evildoers, or soon been released. And been employed at this unlucky time, in the service of our gracious Queen. And I venture here to say that no other man in this country is able to [render greater or] more important services, and may be not as many and as easily as I can do [in the present crisis] all over the country west of the River Ouse, and that for the faithfull performance of those services – (were I charged therewith) I would cheerfully pledge unmovable property; with which I would even at this time, not part for £25,000 and for which I’m but about £1,700 in debt [yet] provided always that I’m not mistaken in His Excellencies wishes soon to see the present crisis terminate without further blood being shed I can and here offer to show to your worship and also, if desired, to His Excellency my capability for rendering the said services most certainly.

I beg that honour to subscribe respectfully:
Your Worships most humble and most obedient servant

Anthony J W G Van Egmond

PS: That a man of my age used to good and easy living and now confined, without anything to ly on or to cover myself with, and deprived of the means to procure any essentials, even those to support an old man’s life (my bank bills having become uncurrent) must be suffering greatly [needs hardly] to be observed here. but it will [I hope] advance the time of being heard - not being discharged honourably would [be harder] to me than death itself.

[The Wednesday night I received a letter from Thomas Mercer Jone] Esquire one of the commissioners of the Canada Company [which annihilated] all prior hindrances [? kindnesses?] of getting a Deed for mills and I had paid for, and I thus concluded to get that deed, [this sum of Agriculture Bank] bills and a commission from Dr Nuval to get some store goods induced me to come to here. To travel from my place long took me never previously more than three days. This time I employed 5½ days at it.

I have three sons stout hearty and men grown and I’m very popular, not only in the Huron Tract, but in nearly in the whole London district where I have brought upwards of £20,000 in circulation also; and still I came down quite alone untill about the [Tobies] where I was taken and brought a prisoner to Montgomery’s Tavern on Thursday morning about day break . where I was brought before Mr David Gibson who, when surveying 8 years ago for the Canada Company the township of Goderich he stopt frequently at my house and that sometimes for several days, [knew] and received me kindly expressed his sorrow that I had been taken and made to travel all night by almost unpassable roads, saying “you shall not be put with the other prisoners I’ll get a separate room for you, and assist you in getting off free in the course of the day” he ordered the widow Gray, then in the house to clean out a room for me and prepare my breakfast. While the woman was doing so, he walked behind the house with me, and finding him very pale and apparently very uneasy, I told him that I feld very sorry to find him concerned in a bade and very dangerouss undertaking; to which he relied “O I’m so myself, I would give the one half of all I own in the world, for never having entered into it. Think how the Robberies and houses burning will [undoubtedly be reported. Yes] all of us that have property will lose the whole of it”

I: why don’t you quit the party? “O God, Sir, I wish I could, but was I to do so, raven mad McKenzie would forthwith have my property burned down and myself killed if I was caught by him. //// //// be yourself also cautious not to displease him then his adopted ////// ////edly: who is not for me is against me. and shall be made to suffer for it. I’m certainly lost. Take you great care to not become so likewise. Having entered the room prepared for me McKenzie came in and wellcomed me very politely: Mr Gibson left us and McKenzie, after having raised his forces and means to conquer the province to the clouds insisted on my taking part with him, even to take command next to himself. I firmly but politely declined to do so and he even dropped some threats. I feelingly observed to him that I was a man of property all unmovable, a Husband and a father of eight children and besides of a constitution too much //// to be fit for any act of service . Cursing and sneering he left the room. Mssrs Gibson and Lount came soon afterwards much taken with on what had passed between McKenzie and me, having told it to them, they both begged at me to suggest to them the means for their escape. To which I replied: I can not propose a better than this: to send a flag of truce forthwith to His Excellency and beg for pardon under pledge of giving up all our arms and to take the oath of Allegeance to the queen. They declared themselves anxious to do so; but at the same time their fear to propose it to madcap McKenzie as they called him and added he is now harranging the people and is answered with a roar of applause, notwithstanding that more than 200 have deserted during the last 8 hours. I then advised them first to speak to the officers – first to their best friends amongst and afterwards to all of them, and agree all to unite on a council of all officers being held. They – Gibson and Lount - agreed to do so and left me. Immediately McKenzie came to me, saying: I have spoke to and roused my men bravely, and now I want you to speak //// words to them also , To which I trembling replied; for God’s sake Sir do not force me to embark in your lost cause. I can and will not do it and ruin my family. Others have made the balls and make me to shoot them and nobody will assist me in doing this, and knocking with a pistol on the table between him and me he exclamed “This is loaded with a ball on which your name may prove to be written Sir” and then left me. The proposed Council was called and Mssrs Gibson and Lount begged me long and repeatedly to attend. At last I agreed to do so only as a bystander or auditor; provided McKenzie would consider me as such and not force me to say anything. I was promised such by them and by McKenzie himself. ----MacKenzie proposed and strongly insisted on forthwith attacking the city on /// two points, all was apposed to it and declared themselves to be so. McK got into a rage and ran out of the house . arranged some people and sent them off in a South Eastern Direction, apparently headed by a man, Mr Gibson called Matheas. This person //// ///// to start, came at the window of room in which I then was, and wanted to ask me something, but I hindered his doing so by telling him: I’m a stranger and neutral man here and intend remain so. He: Mr McKenzie told me to ask your advise. I’m nobody here I tell you Sir I repeated and the men left.

Now McKenzie endeavored to get an other party to march towards this city but could not succeed in it And got into so wild a passion that Mr Gibson, Mr Lount and I believe all his officers hid themselves. He then came to me, dragged me by the collar out of the room and shoved me out of the house, where he gave me an ink stand to hold while another man was taken and writing down the names of persons for serjeants etc untill I could not stand the cold any longer when the writer ordered an other person to hold it. I then went to a fire where I was soon //// //// Mr McKenzie addressed with horrible curses, and “If you will not assist me then ////// /////// /////// ////// my men or you’ll pay dear for it d---m you and your Colonelship and come out with me” I did so And he told several flocks of people standing in a line that he wanted all their names, in order to secure 300 acres of land to all such as would obey his orders strictly, and ordered me to tell such to two small parties at a distance off. At this moment the cry arose “The foe” is a coming. M Kenzie jumped on a horse and all ran towards the loyal troops, and I into the House, where I was put under the gard of three or four pike men by order of a person in a brownish coat. and remained so untill the first canonball came through the house, when my gard deserted and I did so likewise.