The Canada Company, with its base in England, was responsible for settling over two million acres of land in Upper Canada. Author Robert C. Lee focuses on the Huron Tract and on the dominant personalities (many of them Scottish-born) ranging from John Galt and Tiger Dunlop to the bishops Macdonell and Strachan, who had an impact on the company's operations. The politics of the day, coupled with the diversity of the players, create an astounding blend of vision, intrigue and mischief as a backdrop to the bottom-line profit aspirations of the company's shareholders. The founding of towns - Guelph, Goderich, Stratford, St. Marys and others in the area - is one of the legacies of the company. Lee's extensive research reveals a significant period in Ontario's history.

The Canada Company was responsible for the opening and settling of over two million acres of land in Upper Canada. Author Robert C. Lee focuses his attention on the extensive parcel of land on the shores of Lake Huron that became known as the Huron Tract. His comprehensive research explores the underlying forces leading to the formation of the Company, the intriguing mix of people charged with responsibilities for the Company and the overall impact of its operations, leading to its present-day legacy. The politics of the day, coupled with diverse and colourful personalities – such as John Galt, Tiger Dunlop, William Allan, Thomas Mercer Jones, Frederick Widder, Sir Peregrine Maitland, Bishop Macdonnell and Bishop Strachan – introduce an interesting blend of vision, intrigue, mischief and day-to-day survival strategies that make for compelling reading. Add to this the shareholders perspective of the Company versus the settlers perspective and you have a fascinating glimpse of pioneer conditions. Included are descriptions of early towns such as Guelph and Goderich, as well as background on the Huron Tract township names. "Robert Lee’s outstanding book brings to life the unusual assemblage of characters who were instrumental in the development of Upper Canada’s largest private settlement scheme – the Huron Tract. Their relationships with each other, and especially with the Canada Company for which many of them worked, make a great story." – Lutzen Riedstra, Stratford-Perth Archivist "Robert Lee has vividly recreated the personalities and the political intrigues that were part of the Canada Company’s operation – the largest one of its type in Ontario’s history. The most comprehensive work to date on this fascinating era, this book is eminently readable and a must-have for history lovers. – Ron Brown, author of Ghost Towns of Ontario

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