Tee-totaler Ontario magnate led champagne life
In 1837, the mouth of the Moira was bristling with a new complex of wharves, warehouses and a steam sawmill — one of the province’s first, all thanks to Flint. He saw himself as the conduit funnelling the goods from the interior of Upper Canada across Lake Ontario to markets in the United States and bringing products from America into the interior of what was becoming Ontario.
The year 1837 also brought rebellion in Upper Canada, and Flint was made commissary of the 1st Regiment of Hastings cavalry.
With the stability that followed, Flint expanded up the Moira into the Skottamatta and Elzevir Township. In 1853, he had mill sites all along the rivers and tributaries. What started off as Troy became Bridgewater and later Actinolite, named for the mineral that was mined there. Flint also went in for the gold craze in the area, developing mines and smelters.
In 1860 he added chair factories, flour and sawmills and machine shops in Kaladar Township. The town of Flint’s Mills was named by him.
Timber fell under his axes, and ore and marble were mined with his picks.
All of this was often brought to market with steamers he owned or had an interest in or carried on rails he had a share of or through canals he helped get built or roads he pushed to be constructed.
Flint’s skill at getting things done did not go unnoticed. He served as reeve of Elzevir Township, reeve and mayor of Belleville and warden of Hastings County, was MP for Hastings and voted against Confederation. He also voted against a non-elected Senate, although he served as a senator from 1867 until his death, 25 years later.
A tough negotiator and stern in regards to drink, he loved children and apparently was often mistaken for Santa Claus because of his white beard and friendliness towards kids.
He also was generous towards charities, schools and churches.
Flint died in Ottawa, doing Senate business. The Kingston British Whig described him as “a loose fish,” meaning he didn’t really fit any political description. — Tom Villemaire is a writer based in Toronto and the Bruce Peninsula. Tom@historylab.ca