The Political Life of Joseph Gould
- Kian Papizzo-Blyth
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Who is Joseph Gould? Many people within Uxbridge might respond “Like the school?” But who was Joseph Gould and what contributions to Uxbridge led to places carrying his last name?
Joseph Gould was born December 29th 1808 just north of the Uxbridge Historical Center on lot 32, Concession 6, and was the son of Jonathon Gold and Rachel Gold ( née Lee). Jonathan and Rachel Gold would move from Pennsylvania, USA in 1806 to Ontario, Canada, where they would settle with a group of other Quakers in what is now Uxbridge. Joseph Gould went to a local school however a majority of his knowledge was self taught. While Joseph was in school he would change his last name from “Gold” to “Gould” believing that having a name based on metal made it seem less manly. At the time, sons were bound to their fathers until they turned twenty-one; however Joseph had convinced his father to let him apprentice as a carpenter before he was twenty-one. In the spring of 1830, Joseph turned twenty-one years old and became a carpenter for the hamlet of Uxbridge. However his escapades into carpentry would not define his life, rather, a trip to Toronto would change the way he approached jobs all together.
1830 was an important year for Joseph as it is when his introduction into politics would take place. Joseph noticed a growth on his nose and would attempt to get the issue solved by going to the town's local doctor (Dr. Beswick). But when the doctor did not have the utilities or the know-how to help Joseph, Joseph would head for Toronto in an attempt to find a doctor and a hospital more equipped to help him. Joseph successfully found a doctor suited to deal with his issue and would spend a few days in Toronto getting the growth taken care of. While Joseph was in Toronto he read the local newspaper and William Lyon Machenzies’ weekly political journal, “The Colonial Advocate”.
On July 22nd, 1831, Joseph would attend a local meeting of people from Uxbridge and Reach. The meeting watched William Lyon Mackenzie preach against the leading voice within the government at the time as well as the Family Compact. John Plank, a local of Uxbridge and friend of Joseph, was secretary of the meeting and would sign a petition (along with Joseph) that was sent to the King of England (William IV). The intent of the petition was having the King recognise the claims of the people who lived on the land. Hate filled sentiment was growing within Upper Canada regarding the way the current government was handling things, such as the clergy reserves. The clergy reserves were scattered across the township of Uxbridge and required tenants who lived on the lots to handle the creation of the roads on their property. Many tenants didn't want to have to make the roads and haphazardly crafted the roads causing them to be dysfunctional and hard to get across for locals attempting to transfer goods; this made people take major issue with the Government’s lack of action regarding the problem. Joseph, living on the grounds of a clergy reserve at the time had similar gripes that caused him to dislike the government's functions at the time.
William Lyon Mackenzie’s preaches and stances against the current government would continue even after his entrance as first Mayor of Toronto in 1835. The issues people had with the government would reach a boiling point in 1837, and a plan to capture Toronto and parliament was put in place with the hope of gaining the attention of the King and reforming the state. (This plan and action would later be called the Upper Canada Rebellion or the Rebellion of 1837). During an organizational meeting held in Stouffville, William Lyon Mackenzie would ask Joseph Gould to lead the men from Uxbridge during the raid on Toronto, however initially Joseph would decline, wishing to retain his ideals of non-confrontation and to uphold his religion's wants for pacifism. Due to Joseph's frequent discussion and major disdain with the current government, Joseph’s friends would ridicule him for being a coward and not taking William Lyon Mackenzie up on his request. Due to this ridicule Joseph would reconsider and eventually agree to lead the people of Uxbridge into Toronto.
The rebels throughout Ontario would meet at Montgomery's Tavern on Yonge Street on December 7th, 1837, to begin their march through Toronto. Joseph's group marched through Toronto with very basic resources as defenses, such as hunting guns and items like pitchforks. Joseph and his crew of Uxbridge rebels would fight in the battle of Montgomery Tavern on the 7th of December, however Joseph would be unfortunately captured when he and his crew attempted to flee to the United States.
Joseph would go on trial following this attempted insurrection and many people would question why someone with the wealth and infrastructure Joseph owned would speak ill of the government. The Governor General of British North America, Lord Durham (John George Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham), was sent to Ontario from England in 1838 with the goal of understanding the causes for the Upper Canada rebellion as well as another rebellion happening on the continent at the time known as the Lower Canada rebellion. Seeing the issues within the two states Lord Durham would amnesty (pardon a mass of people) a group of rebels, which included Joseph. Joseph had spent almost a year in prison first in Toronto, and then moved to Fort Henry when the prison was overcrowded. Lord Durham would send a report back to England (known as the Durham Report) that detailed the issues within the provinces. Durham's report would propose a unification of the Upper Canada province with the Lower Canada province, as well as the establishment of a responsible government headed by more than just a Monarch. Joseph Gould would be granted his freedom before the end of 1838 and would return home to get his sawmill running. On his return home, Joseph would marry Mary James, the daughter of his older family friend, Ezekiel James.
Two images of a rebellion box made by Joseph while he was in prison for his future mother-in-law.
Throughout the 1840s starting in 1842, Joseph would hold the title of First Representative of Uxbridge on the home district council. In 1851 Joseph became a member of the Provisional County Council, in 1852 Joseph played a crucial role in the creation of Ontario County. Only a year later Joseph would become the first Reeve of Uxbridge Township, then in 1855 Joseph would become the first warden of Ontario County, with the last major role Joseph had was being the Reeve of Ontario Valley. Joseph would build a grammar school for Uxbridge in 1856 and would live another 30 years until his death in 1886, with his later years being spent donating a vast amount of his wealth to those less fortunate ( even the Uxbridge Public Library which was built following funds donated from Joseph).
Joseph would die being a very important figure in the history of Uxbridge and the History of Ontario as a whole, as well as a beloved father, husband and friend to those who knew him.
Sources:
Tales from the Uxbridge Valley- Allan McGillivray
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