Lambton County, Ontario Canada Petition of the District Council

The Petition of the District Council of the Western District, in Council assembled:

Humbly Sheweth:
That the present Act of the Provincial Parliament, setting aside the new District of Kent, ought, in the opinion of this Council, to be amended, by setting apart the ten Northern Townships of said District, viz: Bosanquet, Plympton, Warwick, Sarnia, Brooke, Enniskillen, Moore, Sombra, Dawn and Zone (or such other equitable division as your Honourable House may deem fit) which would constitute a New District, as soon as the population shall amount to 7,000, and they shall consider themselves able to defray the expenses of a New District; at which time the District of Kent, should repay to the aforesaid Townships such sums of money as they may have contributed towards the erection of the public buildings in the District of Kent. They are also of opinion that the site of the public buildings for the proposed New District, should be in the Township of Enniskillen, and selected by the Councilors of the above named ten Townships. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that the above mentioned Act may be amended in conformity with the prayer of this petition.

And your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray, etc.

On the 28th day of February, 1852, a Provisional County was authorized, by order of the Governor-in-Council, and on the 15th day of April, 1852, the first meeting of the Provisional Council of the County of Lambton was held at Port Sarnia, now Sarnia, Thomas Fisher of Moore, being elected Provisional Warden. It had not yet the full Status of a County 'Council, as the union with Essex still subsisted.

On the 30th September, 1853, the union between Essex and Lambton was dissolved by order of the Administrator-in-Council, and on the 24th day of October, 1853, the first meeting of the County Council of the County of Lambton took place at Port Sarnia, now Sarnia; and from the 30th day of September, 1853, the County had the full status of a County Council.

From the 15th day of April, 1852, to October 24th, 1853, the Warden was called Provisional Warden, Mr. Thomas Fisher, being the first to occupy that position during the year 1852. He was succeeded by Mr. Henry Glass who was elected Provisional Warden in January, 1853, but, having been unseated, or having resigned, it is not clear which, his successful opponent in Sarnia Township, Mr. Archibald Young, was elected Provisional Warden in June, 1853, and held that office until 24th October, 1853; and from that date, until the election of his successor in January, 1854, held the office of Warden under the Act 13 and 14 Victoria (1850), Chapter 64, Section 12. He was succeeded in January, 1854, by his former opponent, Mr. Henry Glass.

The partial municipal independence, therefore, of Lambton dates from the year 1852, when it withdrew from its connection with Essex, for except County Council purposes, and was formed into a "Provisional County." Its full independence dates from 30th September, 1853, when it became a complete County.

By 16 Victoria, Chapter 152 (1853), the County of Lambton was formed into an electoral division (up to this time it was joined to Kent for Parliamentary purposes), to take effect after the end of the then present Provincial Parliament, which came into force at the general elections held in 1854.

Lambton County

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