John McKim, Esq., of Selby, is one of the oldest and best known residents of the Township of Richmond, if not of the entire county. He is now in the eighty-ninth year of his age, having passed the eighty-eighth year of a long and industrious life last June. He is a native of the county, having been born near McIntyre's Corners, Ernestown, a few miles north of Bath. When he was but six years of age, his parents moved into the "Tenth Town," now Richmond township, at that time about as far "out back" as any settlement extended. On that farm he has ever since resided,--a period of eighty-two years, and he has seen it grow up from an almost unbroken wilderness, with a mere blazed road through the dense forest out to the frontier settlement, to be the well cultivated centre of one of our oldest and best cultivated sections of Canada, and he has done well his share in bringing about this noble development. Such grand old pioneers well deserve the grateful respect of the present generation, who are now enjoying the many advantages because of the toils and hardships of Canada's noble pioneers.

Mr. McKim is of U.E. Loyalist stock. His grandfather, Sergeant James McKim, was a resident of Copenhagen, New York State, when it was yet a loyal British colony. That is a locality lying north of Albany and east of the Hudson River, and on the direct line to Lake Champlain. When the American rebellion broke out, in 1775, an attempt was almost at once made by the American leaders to pass over from the Hudson to the St. Lawrence, taking possession of Ticonderoga and other British points along the Lake and thence on to Montreal and Quebec, capturing them also and thus get possession of the "gateway of Canada, and thus prevent the British from coming up the St. Lawrence and drive the British as effectually out of Canada as they were driven out of New York, Massachusetts and the other revolting States. Some of the fiercest conflicts of that memorable seven years bloody war were fought on all sides of Lake Champlain. James McKim was loyal to the British flag, became a soldier in the regular army and became one of the officers of the celebrated Jessup's Corps taking an active part in more than one of the sanguinary conflicts of those stirring days. He was at the memorable battle of Sorel, during the campaign of 1775, when the American army got possession of Montreal and made their unsuccessful descent on Quebec. It was during that same year that Fort Frontenac, at Kingston, was captured. it is said that his wife witnessed one of those deadly conflicts and saw the men in their ranks swept right down by the cannon balls fired through the ranks.

At the close of that war, his regiment was stationed at the Isle Aux Noix, a fortified frontier post on northern Lake Champlain. It was while the soldiers were there, in connection with the fortifications yet in British lands, that surveyors were sent on to survey out lots along the banks of the St. Lawrence and Bay of Quinte for the future homes of these men, when they should be disbanded. Meantime, their wives and families, from whom they had been separated for years, were ordered to make their way, as best they could, to meet them. They wandered wearily afoot through forests and swamps, beset with great difficulties and privations, to Whitehall, on Lake Champlain, where they were met by their soldier husbands and fathers, from whom they had been for years separated. They were then conveyed in boats up the lake into Canadian territory, deprived in most cases of all the means and comforts they had once enjoyed, but resolved to hew out for themselves homes, under the British flag, in the then wilds of Upper Canada.

Most of the soldiers of the regiment became settlers of Dundas County, east of Brockville and Prescott, while a few came on up and located in Ernestown.

Just at what time the McKim family reached this county does not appear to be well known now by the descendants. It was, however, evidently about 1786, or about two years later than the first families of the pioneers arrived. In that year, the names of Sergeant James McKim, and his three oldest sons, James, William and John, appear on the official Government lists among those to whom provision supplies were granted until there was time to clear and cultivate their own lands. The old man lived and died where he first settled, and was popularly known to the first settlers as "Sergeant McKim."

He reared a large family, nearly all of whom became prominent among the early settlers of this county.

The sons were:

1st, James, who settled near Switzerville, where some of his descendants now live. He also reared a large family, was a large and well-to-do farmer and died at the age of 90 years, or past. Among his sons are James, now an old man of 82 years, residing with his daughter, Mrs. J. Fennell, in Napanee, the late Martin McKim, of Switzerville, and Charles, now a resident of North Hastings. These are all well known to many readers of the Beaver.

2nd, William, the father of John, the subject of this sketch; of James, now also an old man of 82 years, residing at Selby; of Lewis, who died at Selby some years ago; and of Archibald, who was for years a resident of Morven, and afterwards of Napanee, and who was buried in the cemetery here about three years ago.

3rd, John, who also became a resident of Switzerville, where he lived and died. Among his sons are Nelson McKim, Esq., now a resident of Napanee; Peter, for years a well known resident of Kingston, where he now lives; Christopher, now of Cleveland, and others.

4th Thomas, who settled in Thurlow, Hastings county, where he lived and died, leaving a large and well known family.

There were also a number of daughters who all married and became mothers of well known families in this vicinity. These were:

Mrs. Archibald Caton, the wife of the venerable "Squire Caton," who sixty years ago and down to a few years past, was one of the best known and most active citizens of this locality. Mr. and Mrs. Caton both lived and died at their residence just adjoining the Eastern Methodist church, of which they were long very worthy members. They lie buried beside several of their family in our cemetery, and are well remembered by our older readers. The children of this venerable pair were William Caton, of Richmond; Miles Caton and Allen Caton, both of Newburgh, all of whom are now dead, but all are yet well remembered by many of our readers. Among the grand children are Mr. Nathan Caton of Napanee, Mrs. Charles James, now of Woodstock, Mrs. Bowerman and Mrs. John McGee, now residents of Toronto and Mrs. T. Weeks, of Manitoba. Also Mr. George A. Caton, of Napanee, Egerton M. of Detroit, Mrs. L.E. Percy, of Mount Forest, and Archie Caton, of Camden, Fred of New York, Mrs. Rattray, Mrs. Sweeting, of Detroit, and Mrs. W.G. Fralick, of New York.

Mr. and Mrs. William Rose, also residents near Selby, where they lived and died. William Rose, now of that locality, now nearing 80 years is one of their sons. The late James and Archibald Rose were also sons. Among their grandchildren are W.A. Rose, our County License Inspector, D.E. Rose, postmaster at Tamworth, and Mrs. J.W. Maines, of this town.

Mrs. Ira Beeman. Mr. and Mrs. Beeman first resided on the banks of the Napanee river, but later on moved a few lots west of Selby, where they lived and died. The late Truman Beeman, J.P., a well known citizen of Napanee for many years, was a child; also the late William Beeman, of Selby; the late Mrs. Peter Fraser, of Richmond, and the late Mrs. Edward Storr, of Ottawa. Among the grandchildren are George M. Beeman, formerly of the Beaver, now of Buffalo, N.Y., Dr. M.I. Beeman, of Newburgh, Dr. Thomas Beeman of Perth, Dr. T.A. Beeman of Mallorytown, Mrs. John Hinch, of Centreville, Mrs. R.S. Milligan and Mrs. W. Gerow, of the Palace Road, near town; Mr. Ira B. Storr, of the Civil Service, Ottawa.

Mrs. John Grange, whose husband was one of the early pioneers of the vicinity of Napanee. They both lived and died in this vicinity. Their children were the late William and Thomas Grange, so well known in Napanee thirty years ago, also James, who died at an earlier age, Mrs. John Lamphier and Mrs. Robert Dennison, Mrs. Elias Martin, of Richmond, who sons are Thomas and Harvey, now residing in the township. Among the grandchildren of that hardy pair, are Messrs. John T., A.W., George Grange, now well known residents here, and their sisters, Mrs. P. Bogart, Mrs. G. McGreet, of Napanee; Mrs. S. McL. Detlor, of London; Mrs. J.L. Haycock, of Cataraqui; Dr. J. Grange, of Chatanooga, Tennessee; John Grange, of London; Robert Grange, of Minnesota.

Mrs. William Miller, whose husband was one of the pioneers and founders of Newburgh. Among their children were the late Cephas Miller, J.P., of Newburgh; George Miller, who died in Napanee a few years ago; Mrs. (Dr. I.B. Aylesworth, and others whose names do not occur to us at this time. Among the grandchildren are Mr. William Miller, of Kingston, Mrs. A.B. Aylesworth, of Toronto, the late Mrs. William Grange, Newburgh; and Mrs. Henry Grange, London.

We doubt if another pioneer family in this county had a larger number of the leading families among its descendants.

We have not now space at our disposal to write regarding the many hardships and privations of Mr. John McKim and others of his family in their early days. Those were the times that tried men's hardihood and energy. When they moved into Richmond, and for years after, it was hardly possible to get out with a team at all, except in the winter when the snow and ice covered the ground. Roads there were not, except as blazed lines chopped out in places through the woods, could be considered roads. Going anywhere farther back had to be done on horseback, or on foot. Years later, when Mr. McKim began to clear and cultivate a farm a few miles father north, in Sheffield, he had to carry the young apple trees for an orchard on his shoulder all the distance. When any of the family needed flour from the grist mill, a boy was started on horse-back, with a bag of wheat balanced across in front of him. There were neither stores, post office, or market of any kind at Napanee then. All mailing and marketing had to be done at Kingston for years, and to reach there and return required two very heavy days' journey. The only road there then was by way of Lucas's, Hamburgh, and Bath, and down the Bay shore frontier, and even that was, at places, an all but impassable road, except in the winter. One of Mr. McKim's early business experiences was in drawing a load of oats to market at Kingston over that rough and tedious route and selling them at a York shilling (12 1/2 cents) a bushel, and glad to get a cash purchaser even at that. A bushel of oats would not then purchase a pound of sugar or a yard of cotton or calico. Other kinds of grain besides wheat and oats could hardly be sold at all. Making and selling of potash was a very important industry, to which all had to give more or less attention, and even it commanded not much money. And yet he now lives to hear our farmers talking about "hard times and low prices" and how much harder it is for farmers "to get along" now than then!

Mr. McKim has been, nearly all his lifetime, a faithful and prominent member of the Methodist church. For half a century or so he was a class leader. His home was the home of the preachers, and those of any other church received there a welcome and a hospitable God speed in their work. No man has been more kindly in his religious encouragement and help to all who came within his influence. He has always been a supporter of the Liberal party in politics, though never a strong party man. As a friend and a neighbour, all who have known him have spoken of him with great confidence and respect. He has three children, all of whom are living. These are Martha, the wife of Mr. E.E. Switzer, the Patron candidate in the late election; Nelson B., now residing in Napanee, and William, who resides with his father on the homestead at Selby.