Samuel Strickland 1804 - 1867

Author: Unknown

Publication Date: 1963

Edited: 2021

 

Samuel Strickland was born on Nov. 6, 1804, at Reyden Hall, Suffolk, England. Educated at Dr. Valpy’s school in Norwich, and emigrated to Canada in 1825, he settled first at Darlington, now Bowmanville, where he married Emma, daughter of Colonel Black, who died in childbirth in 1826. In that year, Strickland left Darlington for Peterborough.

In 1828, he was engaged as outdoor superintendent of the Canada Company by John Galt who was at that time the Company’s Commissioner. He went to Goderich in 1829 and was the man who ploughed the first sod that was turned and sowed the first grain (oats) that was grown in the Huron District. In 1831, he left Goderich to take up residence in North Douro where he established his home – at first a cottage, alter a frame house and finally a stone mansion.

He was active during the 1837 Rebellion serving in the 7th incorporated battalion in Peterborough. He was later promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel of the Peterborough Militia. In 1851, he returned to England. He returned to Canada and died at Lakefield, Upper Canada early in 1867.

He was the brother of Eliza and Agnes Strickland, Mrs. Gwillym, Jane Strickland, Catherine Parr Traill, and Susanne Noodie. Agnes Strickland, Catherine Parr Traill and Susanna Moodie were all celebrated writers. He himself wrote the book Twenty-seven years in Canada West, published in two volumes in 1853. This book contains much of his activities while he was in Guelph as a land agent and doctor for the Canada Company and as a superintendent in Goderich. Extracts from his book will be published later numbers of this publication.

 

 

Bibliography: Encyclopedia Canadian Vol. 9 article Strickland
Journal of Education for Upper Canada
Vol. XX (1867) page 41.