The Craford Settlement - Early Years 

In 1811, the woods around Rondeau were quiet, the Erie shoreline covered in endless forest, clear to the Thames River. At this point in history, it was described as a place where “for the most part wolves and foxes, bears and deer inhabited the land unmolested except by one another.” At this point in history, John and Margaret Craford & family arrive here, at the mouth of a small swampy watercourse which later becomes known as Patterson’s Creek. The Craford’s became the first recorded settlers on the Chatham-Kent lakeshore. They had come to Canada from Mississippi in 1801 and had settled in Port Talbot prior to building their new life here. 

The Craford family start to clear about 10 acres from the surrounding bush with John “eaking out a precarious existence trapping wild animals and eventually tending cattle for river settlers in the marshes around Rondeau. The family interacted with many of the early Thames River settlers including the McCrae and Dolsen families. 

The family had a peaceful existence for all of a couple years. The war of 1812 broke out and John Craford joined the Kent Militia. 

Kent Volunteer militia list with John Craford (often spelt Crawford) 

War of 1812 and Craford's Settlement 

Craford's Settlement was a busy place during the war of 1812. Since their home was located on the shores of Lake Erie and at the end of an ancient trail to Chatham and because they tended cattle for the Thames River settlers, it became an area of interest to both sides of the conflict. In December 1813, a small group of British troops and Canadian militia led by Lt. Henry Metcalf arrived here looking for cattle. After finding out that the Americans had already seized the herd and retreated to McCrae's house near Chatham, they marched towards the American post then fired a volley of musket shot through the doors and windows. This resulted in the surrender of the Americans. 

In mid-February 1814, Lt. Rusland of the US Army raided this location, seizing more cattle, then fled towards the Thames River. His unit was pursued by Captain James Basden and his British detachment who forced the Americans to abandon the herd near the Thames. The cattle were not returned to John Craford, becoming a 'prize for his majesty.' 

In late February 1814, an American expedition, led by Captain Andrew Hunter Holmes with the 24th infantry was dispatched from Detroit with 180 men and two cannon along the Lake Erie shoreline. They joined up with Captain Gill's Michigan Rangers in Rondeau. John Craford woke up to find his home surrounded by horsemen. In the ensuing chaos he escaped to Port Talbot. The Americans, after seizing more livestock and household items eventually headed towards Longwoods Road where they met and defeated the British and their Indigenous allies at the Battle of the Longwoods on March 4, 1814. 

Captain Andrew Hunter Holmes (1782 - August 14, 1814) was an American army officer who was at Craford's homestead at Pointe Aux Pins (Rondeau) with his troops prior to the Battle of the Longwoods. After defeating the British there, he was promoted to Major. Holmes died later in the war during the attack on Fort Mackinac. 

One story during the war involves John Craford being captured during a raid at Port Talbot along with Lt-Col. Mahlon Burwell. While both men were being marched back to Fort Detroit, they were forced to 

stop in Rondeau by their captors and Craford was held prisoner in his own house. Burwell records that he was fed green pumpkins for supper that evening. John Craford later escaped from the Americans near Sandwich (Windsor). Burwell was not as fortunate and spent several months in US custody. 

Samuel Craford and the Parker Feud 

The years after the war were not peaceful ones for the Craford family. A feud developed between the neighbouring Parker family over property lines, and this led to accusations of misconduct on both sides. A hearing on October 3, 1832, before a magistrate at the Swamp schoolhouse on Talbot Trail, ended in the Craford's favour. After the hearing, both sides ended up at Lee's Tavern in Morpeth where words were exchanged. Samuel was attacked and later died. 

The Early History of Patterson's Creek 

This spot was the terminus of an ancient indigenous trail that led from Chatham to Pointe Aux Pins (Rondeau). This trail, although rudimentary, was known to early explorers and European settlers. Also, Patterson's Creek represented the last stopping spot before early lake travelers, heading west, navigated around the pointe and the first stopping point for those heading east after rounding the pointe. This area was known as the camping grounds and anyone travelling to Rondeau prior to 1900 would have had to pass through here whether travelling around the marsh or along the lakeshore. 

It is probable that one of the travellers stopping in this area was Sir William Johnson on August 28, 1761, on his way towards Fort Detroit. Major General Johnson was the British Superintendent of Indian Affairs for North America. He records a portage existing from the lake to Rondeau Bay but declares it as being more trouble than it is worth. 

Both Romantic Kent and Valley of the Lower Thames record this spot as the location of the wreck of the Wilkins Expedition on November 7, 1763. Major John Wilkins was leading a fleet of about fifty bateaux to Fort Detroit when a Lake Erie storm caused many of these flat bottom boats to flounder. Reportedly over sixty men lost their lives. Unlike the War of 1812 reports, there has never been evidence found here to support this as the wreckage site although it may have occurred farther out on the lake. 

The creek itself, if you look at municipal drainage maps, is called Ross Drain. The history books all refer to the waterway as Patterson's Creek. The historical name of Patterson's Creek was based on Lt Col Leslie Patterson who, along with Mahlon Burwell was a key member of Colonel Talbot's militia in the War of 1812. There was a problem with John Craford's deed to this land as it was given to him in error. He had purchased lot 100 Harwich Township rather than Howard Township as he intended. The discrepancy was allowed to exist until 1832 when Leslie Patterson bought this land from the rightful owner William Hands. Patterson had Craford evicted and his son, Joseph Patterson settled on the land afterward. 

Conclusion 

Today, this area doesn't appear to have been a site of significance, but it certainly did play a role throughout the ages as a stopping point for First Nations, explorers, European travellers and a busy spot during the War of 1812. We are happy to highlight the historical past of Craford's Settlement and hope it provides you with a different perspective of the creek and surrounding area.