b'Lake Scugog in the 1820sAn actual photograph taken of Peter Jones when he visited Edinburgh in 1843.The original hangs in the National Gallery of Scotland. This is one of the earliest known photographs of an indigenous person.TheisolationforcedonusbyCOVID-19hassome Peter Jones came to help Scott at Lake Scugog (he bene ts. For me it has presented an opportunity to givecalled it Lake Schoogog) in April 1828 and recorded in undivided attention to some research into Scugogs earlyhis diary:history. Thursday 24, this morning I met with the Rev. With some Internet searching and with advice fromMr. Scott, a Baptist minister, and an agent for the New that amazing book expert, Bill Minors of Books GaloreEngland Church Missionary Society. He informed me he had on Perry Street in Port Perry, I was able to locate somecommenced a school at Schoogog Lake, and was employing obscure and rare books that give an insight into earlyMr. Hurd as a teacher. Remained the day and night with Scugog. Of particular interest are the diaries of missionar- this gentleman as we intended traveling together the next ies who visited this region in the early nineteenth century.morning.SeveralmissionariesareknowntohavevisitedSaturday 26, arrived at Mr. Hurds, about a mile and a Lake Scugog frequently in the 1820s. Among them washalf from Schoogog Lake where the Indians were encamped. ReverendScott,aBaptistmissionary,hadvisitedtheAfter taking some refreshment we went to their camp. The Mississaugas on Lake Scugog in 1826 and 1827 and builtIndians appeared very glad to see me, and after a hearty shake a shed at the waterfront of Lake Scugog where Port Perryof the hand the horn was sounded to give notice of a meeting. now stands. Here he carried out his mission of preachingWe then proceeded to the Indian Chapel and commenced the to the Mississaugas and teaching them how to read andworship of God by singing and prayer.The congregation, write, establishing therst school in the area. in number about 100, was much a ected.I then called AnothermissionarywasPeterJones.Hismotheron Brother C. Goose (an Indian), to exhort, [to help in the wasthedaughterofaMississaugachief.Hisfather,worship service] which he did very much to the purpose. Augustus Jones, was a surveyor of Welsh descent whoThe Schoogog and Mud Lake Indians are nearly all here laid out most of the Townships on the north shore ofwhere they intend planting the ensuing summer. Lake Ontario and surveyed Yonge Street for GovernorThe school is at present closed on account of the illness John Graves Simcoe.of the teacher Mr. Aaron Hurd: lodged at Hurds. Peter was born near Burlington in 1802 and attendedSunday 27th at 1:00 oclock I preached to the white an English school near Salt eet. He was baptized as anpeople in widow Daytons barn.The people bestowed good Anglican,butbecameinspiredbytheworkofJohnattention. WesleyandbecameaMethodistministerin1825. Determined to help the Mississaugas, he travelled all overThe Hurds and Daytons referred to in his diary were southern Ontario working with them.He was theamong therst European settlers in this area: Abner Hurdrst person to translate the Bible into Ojibwa, the languageand his family settled in what is now Prince Albert in of the Mississaugas. He also created an Ojibwa/ English1824.The Dayton family arrived the same year.Prince dictionary.Albert was originally called Daytons Corners.Please turn to page 67FOCUS - DECEMBER 202065'