The trail of the black walnut

by G. Elmore Reaman

The role of the United Empire Loyalists has always been a fascinating part of the history of Canada. But in this book the reader will find for the first time a complete and absorbing account of what happened to one group of these Loyalists--the thousands of men and women known as the Pennsylvania Dutch who toiled thorugh a trackless wilderness in search of rich limestone soil and the black walnut--from the dust jacket.

Genres: History

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1957

Reviews

[Chris Hitchcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fairly dense but readable historical book, published in 1957. It would seem to be a trail-breaking piece of scholarship, collecting together the diverse narratives of early settlement in Canada by Pennsylvania Dutch settlers and others of German origin. It is a look at a particular "ethnic group" who made up many of the very earliest settlements in Ontario. The author argues that much of the settlement in the late 1700's and early 1800's was by farming folk who migrated north from New York and Pennsylvania, having originally come from the Palatinate in Germany. He argues that the similarity of the soil and growing conditions made it possible for them to adapt and flourish, and that the character of the communities and the individuals has created a foundation in the early Canadian character.

I read this book for a number of reasons. In the first place, the IdleNoMore movement has awakened my interest in the facts of early Canadian settlement, particularly with respect to the Indians who were already here. Secondly, my husband's family are descended from the early settlers of Niagara, so I have a family interest. This is probably the main reason I read it -- it is on my bookshelf because I was given it by my mother-in-law. Finally, I am interested in the history of early Quaker settlers in the area. I am a Quaker by convincement. My experience of Friends has been in England (in Oxford PM) and on the west coast of Canada (in Vancouver MM). Quakers in Ontario have a different history, and they also seem different to me. I was interested to read about who they have been.

The author talks at some length about the history of religions, particularly among the "Plain Folk" - Mennonites, Quakers and Dunkards. I learned things I did not know. And the author does a good job of connecting the warfare in Palatinate Germany with migration through England to the 13 colonies, then north to Canada. He argues that the Pennsylvania Dutch (who were actually German) were excellent farmers who prospered, and who were able to bring considerable goods with them and settled and prospered in Canada because of their farming practices and their cultural habits of hard work and self-sufficiency.

The book is well documented, and the author is careful in making his sources clear. I felt comfortable with what I was reading.

If you are interested in early Ontario history, or in the history of German settlers, or in understanding some of what has become Canadian character, this book will be of interest.

[Jane Mulkewich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was published in 1957 (before I was born), and I have read it before, and I am returning it to like an old friend. Every time I pick up black walnuts in my backyard (before cutting the grass) I think of this book and the saying which is the title: "It has been said that the Germans in selecting their land in Upper Canada followed the trail of the black walnut. Because this type of tree grows best on limestone soil and because this was the kind of soil the Germans preferred, the black walnut tree made the selection easy..." The author describes in great detail the peoples of German descent who were of various religions (Quakers, Lutherans, etc.) collectively known as Plain Folk, and many of them known as the Pennsylvania Dutch, who made up a large part of the early settlement of what is now Ontario. The author details the various waves of migration, and although most of us focus on the Loyalists as the early settlers, there were immigrants before the Loyalists, which he calls the Squatters Era starting in 1776. He describes how important the Methodist Circuit Rider was in bringing together all these diverse early settlers from different faith groups (hence converting them to Methodism, which later became the United Church). Many German names were anglicised, for example in my own family tree, Schoff became Shaw, Buch became Book, and Gunderman became Countryman. He goes into some detail about particular families and particular early settlements in Ontario. For example Robert Land, credited with being the first white settler in what is now Hamilton: "Here we have a settler coming to Canada without help from the government and selecting his farm site some distance inland without any prospect of obtaining a deed" and with the help of a Quaker, who had already been trading in the area. Including everything from farming techniques to sayings and proverbs that became popular in Ontario, this is still an important book to the history of Ontario, despite its singular focus (for example, the discussion of slavery is largely absent, except that most of the Plain Folk found slavery abhorrent, and although there is a chapter on the "Six Nations Indians" it is by the author's own admission more of an after-thought and not giving them the recognition they deserve).

[Elaine Cougler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great insight into early Pennsylvania and Ontario settlement with much detail heretofore unavailable according to Thomas B. Costain who wrote the Foreword. Reaman discusses the various sects who made up those early settlements, mentioning the Pennsylvania "Dutch" and showing that the term is more properly Pennsylvania German. My mother's people were said to come from Pennsylvania Dutch so I take it that means Pennsylvania German, an interesting fact for me personally. The author's scholarship is evident, making this a very useful book for those needing valid sources to research the times from before the Revolutionary War to after the War of 1812. Great for authors and family tree researchers.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

On one hand, Reaman does the important job of outlining the understated role of Dutch-German Protestant nonconformists in the European settlement of Ontario, but on the other hand, he brushes over any negatives associated with them. His anti-Catholic prejudice is very clear and would be Orangist in its virulence if he wasn't also anti-episcopalian and borderline Anglophobic. At one point he makes the absolutely ludicrous claim that the Dutch introduced vegetable gardening to England in the 17th century. There's some interesting material in the book around Mennonite history, and he also repeatedly highlights the important point that we can't rely only on official records and property titles to chart settlement when many early settlers squatted on the land and never had official title, due to poverty or suspicion of government registration, but it's overshadowed by Reaman's clear bias toward the "Plain Folk" and lack of criticism of them.

[Sheila J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has provided a lot of detail for the German side of my own family tree. Until I read this book, I hadn't realized any part of my family had roots in North America reaching back that far.

[Maggie Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very accessible history of some of the early settlers in Ontario. The Mennonites left the United States to settle in Canada and helped to shape the culture of that nation. Very interesting reading.

[Samuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The historiography is now dated, but still a useful book.