The Rear of Leeds and Lansdowne: The Making of Community on the Gananoque River Frontier, 1796–1996 by Glenn J. Lockwood. A substantial local history and genealogy volume documents two centuries of settlement, conflict, and community formation in eastern Ontario, Canada, focusing on the Rear of Leeds and Lansdowne township along the Gananoque River. Written by noted historian Glenn J. Lockwood, the book traces the region’s development from Lewis Grant’s 1796 survey—famously describing a land of “swamps, rocks and stagnated water”—through bicentennial reflections at the end of the 20th century.

Rich in primary research, the narrative explores early exploration of Gananoque Country, the founding of Furnace Falls, and the establishment of Ontario’s first iron smelter. It details the British government’s settlement of Anglo-Irish immigrants from Wexford, along with military veterans, and follows the rise of rival villages such as Seeley’s Bay and Lyndhurst. The book brings to life colorful figures including Erastus Hotchkiss, ironworks leaders accused of treason, smugglers and timber pirates like the Leeds Gang, and the legendary heroine of Charleston Lake.

Major historical themes include road and bridge construction, early industrialization, militia musters and firings, legal disputes, infanticide cases, murder, and the so-called Outlet War. Lockwood also gives sustained attention to social history, examining village formation, rural women’s culture, temperance movements, tourism along the Gananoque River and Rideau Canal corridor, youth independence, and the role of women in building public institutions. The evolution from the “unity of improvement” era to recreation-based economies and modern township governance is carefully documented.

Closely tied to the broader history of the Leeds and Grenville United Counties, the book situates the Rear of Leeds and Lansdowne within the political, economic, and cultural landscape of eastern Ontario, from Loyalist settlement after the American Revolution through the War of 1812 and into the modern era. This makes it an essential reference for researchers interested in Ontario local history, Canadian settlement patterns, family history, and genealogy connected to the Gananoque River, Thousand Islands region, and surrounding townships.

Illustrated with numerous photographs, maps, and archival images, and supported by a detailed index, this volume is especially valuable for genealogists tracing families in Leeds County, Lansdowne Township, Gananoque, Seeley’s Bay, Lyndhurst, Charleston Lake, and adjacent communities.

Publisher: The Township of Rear of Leeds and Lansdowne / local historical publication
Date of publication: 1996
Format: Hardcover with dust jacket
Pages: 636 pages
Condition: Very good; clean interior pages, solid binding; dust jacket present
ISBN: not stated