Page 8 - News On 7 September 2021

HISTORY NOTES FROM HAZZARD'S CORNERS, by Grant Ketcheson

DANIEL THOMPSON - “The Man Who Named Queensborough”

Daniel M. Thompson grew up in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland. Having completed
a seven-year apprenticeship as a miller, he decided to seek his fortune in Canada. In
April 1841, Daniel paid two pounds for passage from Drogheda to Liverpool. There, he
boarded the sailing ship Minstrel of Hull for the long voyage to Quebec City.
After finding no prospects as a miller in Quebec City or Montreal, Daniel sailed on to
Kingston and finally to Belleville where he found a job in his profession. Always
looking to improve his lot in life, in 1844, Daniel leased a mill in Frankford. While
there, he met Anne West who became his wife.
In 1849-50, Daniel Thompson travelled north into the frontier, first to Hungerford
Mills (Tweed) and then further north to a settlement on the Black River where he
purchased a flour and feed mill operated by Cyrus Riggs. The mill was in a hamlet
that had been called “Cooksokie.” Daniel must have found success in his milling
operations for he soon purchased the saw mill that Mr. Riggs still owned. Thompson
then began logging operations in the area.
Shortly after consolidating his mill operations, construction was begun on a two-year project to build a magnificent “Upper
Canada Regency” style home that still stands, overlooking the Black River. As a community leader, Daniel Thompson realized
that this growing settlement needed its own post office.
Turned down flat for a post office named Cooksokie, Daniel remembered
the last village that he'd seen as he sailed from Ireland. Queensborough was
the name of that community in Ireland (It still exists today). Officials in
Canada approved the name and that is how the beautiful hamlet of
Queensborough, Ontario came to be. As an interesting side-note, the
Thompson family that years later owned the mill and house, claim no
relationship to the original owners.
Daniel Thompson's influence was large upon the community. He was
instrumental in the building of the Anglican church in the hamlet. On July 13
1869, Daniel Thompson, at 69 years of age, died in a tragic accident. Coming
home from Madoc, his horses ran away and he was thrown from the wagon.
The funeral service was held in the little church that he had helped to build.
His obituary described the “church draped in black and decorated with
flowers.” A procession of 110 carriages accompanied the funeral coach on its
sad journey to Daniel Thompson's final resting place in Hazzard's Cemetery.
His recently-restored monument is a fitting tribute to another of our
community pioneers.