Niagara’s Heroes Recognized
As Canadians we have been slow to develop myths about the heroes in our history.
Recently an effort has been made to recognize a few of them. Beside Canada’s War
Memorial in Ottawa, fourteen busts and statues have been erected to honour our
country’s “Valiants”.
Two of the statues are in honour of early French defenders of Quebec. Seven honour
men and women who served in the First and Second World Wars. Five are recognized
for their part in the War of 1812. One, Charles-Michel d’Irumberry de Salsberry blocked
a U. S. invasion at Chateauguay in 1813. The other four are names that are household
words to residents of Niagara.
Joseph Brant was the leader of the Mohawk people. He fought alongside the British
army during the American Revolutionary War. His people settled along the Grand River
following that war and he gave his name to the city of Brantford. When Rev. Robert
Addison was being sent to Canada, his ministry was specifically directed toward the
Mohawk people and he traveled regularly to the Grand River to minister to them. Brant
was a frequent face at councils in Niagara. His niece, Elizabeth is buried in St. Mark’s
cemetery. His sister Molly is buried in Kingston. Joseph is buried beside the church on
the Reserve
John Butler was the leader of Butler’s Rangers. His Rangers cut off supplies to the
American military forces and harassed them in guerrilla warfare to deflect them from
attacking the British Army in New York. He was one of the men who petitioned the
Bishop of Nova Scotia to have a clergyman sent to Niagara and indeed when he died,
Addison noted in his register that he considered Butler to be his patron.
Isaac Brock comes closer to a mythical hero than any other man in Canadian history.
Roads and streets across Ontario were named in his honour. He commanded the attack
when Detroit was captured during the War of 1812. He led a valiant assault on
Queenston Heights when the American army had taken that strategic high ground, but he
was killed in the battle. Isaac Brock was a communicant at St. Mark’s. When he died,
Rev Robert Addison led the cortege to Fort George for his burial.
So many legends abound concerning Laura Secord, that it is difficult to separate fact
from fiction. A line of chocolates was named for her and even her cow gained some
notoriety. She lived in Queenston during the Battle of Queenston Heights. She found her
husband wounded on the battlefield and threw herself across him to protect him from
being fatally stabbed by the bayonet of an American soldier. When her house was
occupied by American officers she overheard their plans for attacking the British Army.
Recognizing the importance of her information, she slogged through rugged bush land
and almost impenetrable swamps to DeCew Falls to warn the Commander. As a result,
the army was prepared for the attack and able to defeat the enemy in the Battle of
Beaverdams. No doubt Laura Secord attended services in St. Mark’s from time to time,
but Rev. Robert Addison also ministered regularly to the mixed denominational church
she attended in Queenston.
So among the Valiants honoured in Ottawa for their heroic part in Canadian history, four
are people to whom the first pastor of St. Mark’s parish ministered and whom we claim
as our local heroes.