Updated Tuesday, April 21, 1998
Compiled by St Joseph Island Historical Society

1622  Etienne Brule arrived in Sault Ste Marie. Enroute there he was likely 
      the first white man to set eyes on St Joseph Island 

1641  Joques and Raymbault were missionaried in this area.

1763  St Joseph Island passes from French control to English

1778  Jean Batiste Rousseau , a trader for the Hudsons Bay Company arrived 
      on St Joseph Island .

1783  North West Company establishs a fur trading company.

1791  St Joseph Island included as part of Upper Canada

1792  North West Company builds an establishment on Rains Point

1796  British arrive and start Fort St Joseph

1798  Chippewa Indians sell St Joseph Island to the English

1802  Fort  bakehouse burned

1812  War declared against the U.S.

1814  Fort St Joe burned by Americans

1828  Fort abandoned by British

1835  Major Rains , Archibald Hamilton Scott , and Charles Thompson start 
      settlement at Milford Haven/Pembroke/Pecksville
      First saw mill set up at Milford Haven on Collins Creek (Scotts Mill)

1838  Rains, Scott and Thompson partnership dissolved
      Samuel Peck runs store at Milford Haven for Thompson. Area called 
      Pecksville/Pembroke
      Major Rains moves to Rains Point/Hentlan

1846  Bruce Mines settlement started

1848  Bruce Mines has 3 frame buildings, 30 log houses, 2 wharfs and 
      population of 250

1849  Major Rains moves to Loch Rains

1850  Hilton/Marksville established and a wharf built

1851  Tudor Rains builds doc at Sailors Encampment

1852  T.N. Molesworth begins survey.

1855  Molesworth survey completed
      David Coulter comes to St Joseph Island

1856  Alexander Trainor takes out patent for land in Hilton Beach 

1858  District of Algoma organized, St Joseph Island part of Algoma

1860  John Bishop family arrive
      Hugh and John Jones,Cox family,Wiley family,Gordon family,Murray family,
      Belval family, Andrew and Nelson Desjardins, Collins family, Howard family,
      Richmond family, Rousseau family, Ricollett family, and Trainor family
      all settle in or near Hilton Beach 

1861  census shows 174

1863  John Marks builds a dock  at Sailors Encampment
  
1866  John Richards has store in Bruce Mines

1867  Confederation of Canada, Upper Canada reorganized as province of Ontario
      First elections on Island

1868  Homestead Act insiituted

1872  John Marks moves from Sailors Encampment to Hilton/Marksville
      S.S. Cumberland frozen in ice all winter at Sailors Encampment
      E.J. Pink becomes first teacher.

1875  Archie and John McGuigan start saw mill on Richardsons creek
      Joseph Ridley Kent and family arrive

1876  John Richards starts settlement at Richards Landing
      St. Joseph Township organized , John Richards as Reeve
      First post office called St Joseph Island postoffice opened in 
      Richards Landing at home of John Richards
      families of John Campbell , Joseph Kent, and Christopher Young arrive
      John Morton and family arrive with John Richards
      John Ross family arrive
      Miss Alice Stirling hired as first school teacher for St Joseph township

1877  School house built at Hilton/Marksville
      First church (Church of Mary) built at Sailors Encampment
      Eliz. Bishop first woman to locate land
      Richards Landing postoffice moved to John Richards store and called 
      Richards Landing postoffice

1878  Map of Marksville drawn up for John Marks
      Bethel church built on Hilton Road and 15th side road
      Methodist churchs at Hilton Beach and Richards Landing
      Christopher Young and family arrive.
      Daniel Dunn and family arrive
      Henry Bookman arrives

1879  Archibald Hotel  built by J. Archibald at corner of Cedar and 
      Maple streets in Hilton Beach 
      William Fremlin came to Island as timber buyer
      Bolt family arrives
      Henry Joseph Brown arrives

1880  First hotel in Marksville started by Mr. Archibald
      Cheer school built on corner of 10th and F&G line
      Cedar Grove Methodist and Presbyterian Church at corner of A line and D Line
      Patrick Trainor family arrives
      Catholic Chapel at Sailors Encampment built
      Tax role for St Joseph Township was 49
      Alex Duncan arrives
      Andrew Clifford arrives

1881  First Anglican churchs built in Marksville and Jocelyn
      St Joseph Island post office changed to Richards Landing
      2nd post office opened at Marksville. John Marks postmaster
      postoffice started in Jocelyn (July 1)
      B.P. Morgan and N.J. Murphy build saw mill in Richards Landing
      census shows 1235
      John Brownlee arrives
      Alex McMaster arrives


1882  Bessy Young family arrives
      John Ross arrives at Sailors Encampment, purchases store from 
      Hoel Rains and opens Sea Gull postoffice.

1883  Thomas Brandon opens the Brandon House(hotel)in John Richards former home

1884  C Line school built on corner of C Line and A Line
      Mountain church on P line erected

1885  Kaskewan school built. Miss McQueen teacher.
      Quinton McQueen runs saw mill at Milford Haven

1886  Jocelyn township formed - Reeve was Jesse G. Reesor
      Dr. Hector Ross first Island resident Doctor
      Hilton Township organized.  A.G. Duncan first Reeve

1887  F.B. Kent builds grist mill on Richardsons creek
      John and Irwin Dean have saw mill at Twin Lakes
      McQueen builds saw mill at Milford Haven
      Presbyterian Church Hilton Beach ( burned in 1927)
      new families to Hilton Beach area
      Chas Diboll
      J.W. Weurgik
      Dan and Wm. See
      Alf Kitchen and Martin Kitchen
      Margaret McDermott
      Mrs F. Campbell
      J. A. Dingle

    

1888  Businesses in Hilton Beach
      Hotel   M. Archibald
      General store  S.T. Bowker
      Shoemaker R. Chester
      Wagonmaker   J.C. Cooper
      General store and sawmill  A.G. Duncan
      sawmill Dean and Davis
      Blacksmith  T. Steinburg
      Justice of the Peace   A.G. Duncan , D. McPhail , John Marks
      George Lines builds saw mill at Two Tree River
      E.O. Van Horn builds a grist mill

1889  Van Horn sells grist mill to Dickson
      P.T. Chesterfield builds saw mill at Richards Landing 
      Kents start mill at Kentvale


1890  Public school built in Richards Landing 
      Archibald Hotel moved to present location on Marks st.
      Population of  St. Joseph Township was 529
      John Ross builds hotel at Sailors Encampment

1891  census shows 1258
      Robert Armstrong arrives

1892  Alex Browns mill built on U Line
      Population of Hilton Township was 279
      John Axworthy arrives

1893  McGuigan brothers (John and Archie) start saw mill in Hilton Beach 
      Church built on corner of Base Line and Hilton Road
      Mountain Presbyterian church built in Jocelyn
      Population of Jocelyn Township was 341

1894  David McGregor family arrives on Island
      Melville Church (Presbyterian) built in Richards Landing
      Kaskewan Presbyterian Church
      Ferguson Memorial Pres. church corner A Line and I Line
      Nelson family arrives

1896  Lyons school/church built on A line at Two Tree River
      Population of Hilton Township was 367
      Brick school in Hilton Beach built
      Tenby bay school built

1897  Free Methodist Church corner 10th Side Road and Hilton Road
      Population of St Joseph Township was 900

1898  Joseph Rickaby starts Island Herald newspaper
      mention of a Dr. Ross on Island

1899  Population of Jocelyn Township was 435
      School erected at Harmony

1900  Church built on land donated by Bruce Prout at Tenby Bay
      Zion 1900 Church built on I line

1901  Humphrey and Heber Young begin a telephone system
      census shows 1928

1903  Peter Chesterfield begins milling
      J.E. Murphy runs the saw mill at Milford Haven
  
1904  Charles Jagger arrives

1906  St Boniface Catholic Church in Hilton Beach 

1907  Fire in Richards Landing .
      Eleven buildings destroyed Population of St Joseph Township was 1136
      Kaskewan (stone) school built

1908  Population of Hilton Township was 415

1909  Population of Jocelyn Township was 406

1910  Stone Lumber Co. started. Buys saw mill from McGuigan brothers
      Stone Lumber Co. builds railway track

1911  Chapel of the Intercession built at Llewellyn Beach
      Dr Rowenthwaite on Island
      Dr. Allen Blackwell on Island - opens Drug store

1915  116 Islanders go to war

1916  Fire in Richards Landing

1917  Joseph Diboll arrives

1919  Imperial Bank of Canada opens in Richards Landing
      Ferry started at Kensington Point by George Langstaff

1920  Library opened in Hilton/Marksville by Women's Institute
      Ed Whicher runs saw mill at Milford Haven
      Dr. Arthur Lipminn on Island
  
1921  Marksville becomes Hilton Beach 
      Dr. G.E. Lepsett on Island

1922  Fire in Richards Landing

1923  Hilton Beach incorporated as a police village
      Dr. E.G. Case on Island
      Ferry at Pine Island started by Walter Lay

1924  a hospital with 3 beds opened in rented space in Richards Landing

1925  Richards Landing Continuation School built
      St Joseph Island Hospital Association formed

1927  Dr. Webb on island

1928  St Marks United Church in Richards Landing 
      Mrs. Orrell builds cottage next to Rainsmere Hotel

1929  Mathews Memorial Hospital built in memory of Mortimer Mathews

1930  Great Lakes brings power to Island
      Dr. A.N. Morphy on Island

1931  census indicates 1882 people on St Joseph Island 


1935  Childrens Library started using funding from Mrs. Orrell

1937  Dr. Harold S.Trefry on Island

1946  Fire in Richards Landing

1953  Ferry 'St Joseph Islander" starts at Humbug point

1961  Richards Landing High School opened

1963  St Joseph Island Museum opens

1967  Bell Canada takes over Island phone system

1972  Canadian Bank of Commerce opens in Richards Landing
      Richards Landing High School closed

1973  all schools move to cass