Sir:

BURFORD, the 15th of June, 1798.

I received your letter of the 30th of last March the 20th of May last, which causes me to write to you to let you know my present situation.

I am unfortunately left without a companion in the world and the loss of a kind friend is not easily to be erased out of my mind. I understand you are in the same situation for which I think you can sympathize with me. I would further inform you that I have received another letter from you the tenth of this instant, and by examining the contents of your applications I have thought it most expedient to answer you on the subject of so weighty and important consequence. I would inform you that at the present I am not engaged to any person and had almost concluded never to change my present situation, but after solemnly contemplating upon the subject I would inform you that if you have a mind to pay me a visit the fore part of this fall I have not any just objection to make, so you can act your pleasure about it. As I have had some acquaintance with you formerly, I have not so much occasion to take up so much time in consideration before I can give an answer.

Please to remember me to my brother Nathan and family. Tell them that at the present we are all well and I am very desirous to see them. So I have the honour to subscribe myself your, etc.,

To Mr. Joel Stone, Esq.,
Leeds, near Kingston.

Madam:

(Signed) ABIGAIL DAYTON.

LEEDS, 25th September, 1798.

I duly received your very judicious answer to my two former letters dated at Burford, 15th June last, and assure you I am much disappointed to find myself in duty bound to write again, as I fully expected to have seen you in person before this time. I must inform you that I have been very ill with the Lake fever. Since I received your favor, on finding myself recovering I was fortunate enough to engage a man worthy of the trust to take charge of my raft to Montreal, in order that I might still cross the Lake this season. The person who was to take charge of my raft is now taken very ill, and I am obliged to go to Montreal (as the proceeding of my raft is indispensable).

It is now uncertain whether I shall be able to return soon enough to cross the Lake this season. Provided I can possibly return soon enough you may depend on seeing me this season. If not I shall endeavor to proceed in the winter-but Madam, I cannot wish that my promises and disappointments should stand in the way, provided you should have a good offer from another. I only trust in your good sense, that you will not accept a very crooked stick-until I can have the pleasure to see you.

Your brother Nathan and family are well, and Nathan says he intends to see you this season himself if possible.

I am, Madam, yours sincerely,

Mrs. Abigail Dayton.

(Signed) JOEL STONE.

Dear Madam:

KINGSTON, 23d May, 1799.

I this day arrived in Kingston and have barely time (before the vessel sails) to inform you that it is totally out of my power to be gone from home until the latter end of June next. I did expect the pleasure to receive a line from you, in answer to my letter to you dated the fore part of February last, which I sent in charge of a Mr. Kilborn to be delivered with his own hand.

To the Widow Abigail Dayton.

I am, very sincerely,

(Signed) JOEL STONE.

The exact date of their marriage is not known, but it must have taken place between the date of the letter last above contained and the early part of September in the same year, for in a letter dated at Kingston, 5th September, 1799, and addressed to her as Mrs. Abigail Stone, at River Cadanoughqua, (which must be the same as Gananoque) he says:

My Dear:

I forgot to inform you that Mr. Reuben Sherwood, Surveyor, agreed to survey the land whereon I live, at my request and to be at my house for that purpose on this day. I beg you will order Alexander McDonald and endeavor to get one hand more-Rosback, Gray, Loyd or one of Landon's boys, and Billy to assist him, as he will want three men with him. Roach and Sheriff will work at the chimney, but in case you cannot furnish Mr. Sherwood with three hands otherwise, Roach must go with him, and let the plowing be until I return.

I am your affectionate,

(Signed) JOEL STONE.

Mr. Stone appears to have been engaged in both milling and mercantile business, and also to have engaged in farming, and his wife appears to have been to him a true help-mate. Under date of 7th August, 1800, he writes to her from Montreal:

My Dear:

I expect this will be delivered to you by Mr. Marcus Hulings. He will leave a bill of boards and plank with you such as he will want next spring. I wish him and his father to be attended to if convenience will permit.

I gained health fast for several days past until this time, am not so well. I drank a pint of beer yesterday for the first time since I was in Town. The consequence is I have had an unpleasant night and day, but am getting somewhat easier. Mr. John Gray, Merchant, has returned from Upper Canada. He says that you had recovered your health in some measure, that he did not call on you, but that he was at the red house and in the mill on his way down. God be pleased that your health may be restored, my dear, I hope may be the case.

I yesterday sold four cribs of my boards and I hope soon to sell the whole, but at a very low rate indeed. But boards are not falling nowthey are rather gaining, and my health will not as yet permit me to travel. But I hope that may be the case soon, and that I may be able also to settle my business. Also tell Billy to procure timothy seed and clover seed if possible and let that field be well stocked down to grass, whatever is or is not put into it, and tell him to apply to Mr. Nathan Dayton for seed wheat, and let it be well and effectually harrowed, and sowed with wheat and grass seed-all that is not or cannot be sowed with turnips and timothy. Tell Bean and Holsted by all means to push the mill, cut all the boards and plank they possibly can, and remember that after a storm comes a calm. Let us not fail to be prepared with dishes, when it may rain. I am, my dear,

Your most affectionate,

(Signed) JOEL STONE.

And under date 6th July, 1801, he also writes to her from Montreal: My Dear:

I received your letter dated the next day after I left home, 17th June, about three days past, by mere accident. I mark well the contents thereof, approve of what you have done, and must, with pleasure, submit to your own wisdom to do as you think best until I can get home, which I do not intend shall be long; but I have not yet been able to deliver any of my boards and plank. Andrew, William and David will set off to-morrow morning with the boat loaded with the following packages and articles agreeable to the enclosed bills:

One large cask wine, two large trunks, one small trunk, the box or chest, two barrels, two kegs (one best Madeira wine, one cider vinegar), one cask nails, two small bales, one shovel, one spade. Enclosed I send you four keys, one to each of the trunks, and one to the chest. Please to be careful in unpacking the pork barrel. It has a bottle of castor oil and a phial of pikery roped up in the blankets.

In the barrels and in your chest you will find a number of the articles we had on board the raft, two or three axes, etc., and you will find tobacco and snuff (viz.), two lbs. snuff only; also Bohea tea in one of the casks, and Hysen tea in one of the large trunks. The Bohea tea is 6 per lb. in case you sell any, and the tobacco 3/. Please to put the tobacco in some moist place. The other articles I have marked the price to sell at in the bills in my own hand writing. I need not caution you to sell for cash only, except where we owe and to pay for what we must buy. The large cask of wine may be very good to drink as wine and water, and you may sell it at 5 per gallon if you can, but I bought it with a view of making vinegar only. I gave 1/0 per gallon for it. The articles in the large trunk where the Hyson tea is are not marked, nor is the bill sent. You will find Turlington's drops in the trunk where the Hyson tea is, which you may sell at 5 per bottle, but those in the pork barrel, large phials, keep for your own use.

You will set the people at work as you find most necessary until I get home. I must, if possible, bring down another raft this season. Old Mr. Chaple will be up again as soon as he has done visiting his friends. I am, my dear in great haste, with a very bad pen and ink and my best exertions.

Your most affectionate,

(Signed) JOEL STONE.

Mr. Stone was also at an early day Collector of His Majesty's Customs at Gananoque, and it is more than probable that he was the first one appointed at that place. The duties were not probably very onerous, and William Moore, whose birth in 1781 has been already referred to, and who is called "Billy" in some of his father's letters, appears to have acted as a deputy collector of customs. There was a tariff, of which a copy is subjoined. It was certainly not as extensive a one as is in force now.

By a commission dated the 2nd January, 1809, and given under the hand and seal of His Excellency, Francis Gore, Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, Mr. Stone was appointed a colonel in the second regiment of militia in the County of Leeds, which rank he held during the memorable war of 1812-14, and appears during it to have been in command at Gananoque. In September, 1812, a body of United States soldiery under the command of one Forsyth made an attack upon the place, and one of the soldiers fired a shot into Col. Stone's house with the result of wounding Mrs. Stone in the thigh. So great was her fortitude that she did not mention her wound, probably for fear of alarming the women who were with her, nor did they become aware of it until they saw the blood running from her shoe. Forsyth's raid was an inglorious one, apparently quite worthy of the man, and Col. Wm. F. Coffin in his book on the war of 1812 describes it.

Colonel Stone reported this affair to his superior officer, Colonel Lethbridge, then in command at Prescott, and under date of the 21st September,, 1812, that officer wrote him as follows:

"I am extremely concerned at the report you have made in your letter of yesterday of the successful attack made by the American vessels on the port of Gananoque, and though there can be no excuse for the devastations committed by the enemy, yet I cannot help inferring from the tenor of your letter that some omission of necessary vigilance must have occurred, and it is my particular desire that you will distinctly state what number of officers by name-non-commissioned officers-and private men were present at the port when the attack on the part of the enemy (occurred). After my orders to have the flank companies completed to the establishment provided by law, I presume the force at Gananoque must have been considerable, unless your detachment to assist in guarding the batteaux to Kingston was very large indeed. Of the numbers sent on this service you will be pleased to inform me. I hardly know how your losses can be supplied. I regret much to find that the least injury should have been sustained by Mrs. Stone.

"I am in hopes to hear more particulars of this unpleasant affair and that the post can be still held with increased energy.

"In the possibility of your express to Kingston being intercepted I sent from this an express to Col. Vincent by way of the back concessions.

It is not in my power to furnish any succor to your post from hence. The disaster is not without a remedy, and I trust that should any similar attempt be made in future it will end in the disgrace of the assailants. I have as yet received no rolls of the flank companies, agreeable to my circular letter of the 9th inst.

"I have this day sent down an officer on purpose to Montreal to procure the necessary equipment-such as shoes, pantaloons, jackets and watch coats. I have the honor to be,

Your most obedient servant,

(Signed) R. D. LETHBRIDGE, Colonel I.F.O.”

"You will be pleased to send as soon as possible an accurate return of the arms, ammunition, and flints that have been received by the 2d Batt. Leeds Militia from the public."

It would appear that Col. Stone deemed it expedient that a block-house should be built at Gananoque, and under date 19th October, 1812, Mr. Richard Cartwright (grandfather of the late Sir Richard Cartwright), wrote him from Kingston as follows:

Dear Sir:

I wish your block-house had been thought of earlier and mentioned to Colonel Vincent when you were on the spot. He is alarmed at the expense, and indeed I think that the same purpose might be answered at a much cheaper rate. What is there to prevent the men themselves from throwing up a building of round logs that would be equally strong and warm, though it would not look so well? By making it double and filling it in with earth and sod this would be completely effected. The nails and glass would be cheerfully furnished. But in times like these it is expected that the people of the country will do as much as they can for their own protection.

We have obtained an important victory but it has cost us dear. We have lost our heroic Governor, who fell at the head of the 2d flank company of the 49th Regiment in ascending the hill at Queenstown. The invaders to a man have been killed or taken. Major General Wadsworth, many officers and about a thousand men are our prisoners. It is not known how many were killed. The fighting continued near seven hours when the Americans were completely surrounded and called for quarters. Many of them must, of course, have fallen. The General and his aide-de-camp, Lt.Col. McDonell, are the only officers slain on our side, and their loss spreads a gloom over our triumphs. The militia are said to have behaved well on this trying occasion; and I hope their noble example will have a proper effect in every other part of the Province. This affair took place on the 14th. The Americans landed at Queenstown before daylight, and at some part above the mountain, as it is called, where it was supposed to be impracticable to cross the river, and which was in consequence unguarded.

Yours truly,

(Signed) RICHARD CARTWRIGHT.