Since the early setters required food, shelter and clothing, the earliest projects in the community were grist mills and saw mills. Aside from farming, the basic industry was lumbering. Beverly was famous for pine and it was exported to the United States as well as large quantities of spar and other timbers via the Dundas Canal.
One of the earliest important industries to district farmers was the cheese factory. They took their rags to the paper mill to be made into paper as paper was not made from wood pulp at that time. The centre of activity in every community in the 1800's was the General Store and Post Office, generally in the same building. Many tales were shared around a pot bellied stove.
Many farmers cultivated flax and barley. The flax was made into linen and the barley sold. Maple syrup was made and sold as well.
At home the pioneer women made soap from wood ashes and candles from the tallow and wool into yarns weaving attractive clothing for the family.
North and west of Dundas was the community of Orkney, established in 1795. The first school was built at Hwy. 5 and Orkney Road in 1823 with Mr. David Rintoul as master. In 1840 the next school was built on the corner of the second concession and Orkney Road with the same master in charge. Teachers salaries at that time were 200 - 400 per annum.
The first church established in the West Flamboro area was at Christie's Corner, three miles east of Orkney. The Presbyterian Church was organized by The Secession Church of Scotland who sent out as missionary Rev. Thomas Christie. The first frame building cost 200 dollars and was located south of the present church dedicated in 1823. Previously the services were held in the log school on the opposite corner. The site of the old wooden church is now the cemetery. One of the first elders in that church was Adam Elliot, probably the father of Margaret, wife of David Rintoul.
In the 1700's, Indians had camping grounds several miles north of Orkney as many arrow heads and relics have been found. Many of their trails became roads. In 1837, one of the trails was made into a road by covering it with stones to get rid of the mud. It took a number of years to complete and became known as the Stone Road.
In 1809, Sheffield was nothing more than a wilderness, mostly wooded. Settlers felt the need for a church. John Connell of American University fame held services in his house and barn. When all was ready to be built a cholera epidemic swept the country and the wood saved for the church had to be used for coffins, so it was not until 1837 that a church was built in the village.
In 1832, the first post office came into being. It had a well and a wooden pump, the first of its kind in the community. The mail was brought on horseback, later by a stage coach. Other places of commerce sprang up including Deany House, a rest for the weary traveller. In the early years, businesses such as wagon and harness shops, blacksmiths and shoemakers, tailor shops and cheese factories were begun. The first doctor arrived in 1850.
Romulus, the city that was never built, was planned by an Englishman in 1816 just outside the village of Sheffield. He bought 2,000 acres of land on which he built a halfway house, then returned to England to sell the idea, promising a cathedral, a Catholic church, a market square, cricket grounds, a race track, a theatre, concert hall and ballroom. Of all the promises only a millrace and one other building ever materialized.
Beverly was always considered a poor township as there were rocks, swamps and towering pines. All stood out as barriers to the immigrant. It was not until 1810 that Sheffield was anything other than a broken forest. Few settlers came to stay and those who stayed devoted their energies to clearing the land and planting crops for their livelihood.
To this area came David Rintoul and his new wife. He had taught school in Orkney for 17 years and when he married Margaret Elliot he bought land outside of Sheffield, concession 7, lot 6 and here were born eight children. Twins did not live their first Winter. Two girls, Margaret and Janet and four boys, David, James, John and William survived. Some of the children attended the local school and others were taught at home by their father. They attended church in Galt, several miles away, and that must have been difficult by horse and wagon. It was there that the children were baptized. John and Janet both died as young adults. David and Margaret died within a year of one another and are buried in the Galt cemetery.
In 1873, Margaret married a Sheffield boy, Thomas Grummett, and they, with several of their kin, migrated to Manitoba, via the Red River to Winnipeg, where they were allotted homesteading land not far from Brandon. The Grummett brothers settled at Pettapiece and David Rintoul moved on to Gladstone while William went to Dauphin. Within 20 years the only one left in Manitoba was Margaret. Her brothers David and William had gone to San Francisco and Vancouver respectively. Thomas' one brother died within that time and one returned to Ontario and one to the west coast. Margaret's husband went to the United States but never returned.
That left Margaret on her own to raise five children, Jennie, Annie, Wesley, John and Frank. Thomas had built a home for them in Rapid City so they were well settled before he left. My father never spoke about it.