Page 10 - Dictionary of Heraldry and Related Subjects

sponsors. Arthur Hopper nnirt have known Gowan in Orange circler in Dublin, where
the latter had edited an Orange newspaper, and they were to becolne associated in
lodge business again in Canada. In 1830 he war among the Ovangemen who met with
Gowan in Brockville to ertablirh the Grand Lodge of British North Anlerica.(lqj
Like sonie other Tipperary Protestants in Montreal, Rrthur Hopper moved to the
Ottawa area The nxlve probably occurred in the year 1&35.(15) huit nn ,loly 25, 1836
he purchazed two acrer at the north-east corner of Lot 10, Concession 3 of 'iuntley
Tovllrhip from J. 6. Forryth, a leading Montreal merchant.(l&) shortly thereafter
mor!gaging it for L2O0.(17) On April 30. 1838 he pjrchared four acrer of the east
half of Lot 13.(18) Hopper purrued a mercantile linc of buiine;~, includirig the
locnl P03t office in his Store along with a jewellery burinerr. His account book
indicates, however. that the latter consisted merely of the odd watch repair.(lg)
Hapler rold a wide range of groceries, hardware, and dry goods, but especially the
pioleer rta2ler of whiskey and tubaLco. He received payment by cash, note, labour.
and goads, particularly pot ash, which he processed hintrelf and rent to Gytown. He
rented a "Pot Arh works'' from John 4crer far three yearr callmencing in 1836 for
L3.(20) In 1839 at least he also rented a farm fran Oarby Evoy.(21) The infant
hamlet at the site of his store was called Hopperville, arcd on April 6, 1837 the
government authorized the holding of a fair there.(22)
Hopper was also active in romvnity life. On October 16, 1837 a meeting war
held at Hopper's store to consider building a stone church in Huntley, and prup.~,alb
and estimates were to be given to him. It war probably poor economic condltlons
that defeated the plan, and Christ Church, Huntley was not built for another two
years. and then of frame canstruction.(23) Hopper participated in other religious
endeavours: he became a camnittee mmber of the Richtnond branch of the Brltirh and
Foreign Bible Society at its establirhnrent on February 21. 1838, and was a rub-
scriber ta the Anglican newspaper Tiie (:hwch.(24) Yhile in Huntley Hopper faonded
the township's firit Orangr lodge. and he is credited with establishing other
lodges in Carleton County.125) He war elected a mmber af the grand cormittee of
Goran's Grznd Lodge in 1838.(26)
Mercantile trade war always a hazardous hciriries5, far even the lllort enterprising
and intelligent of merchants was at the mercy of the market arid subject to the same-
times violent fluctuations of the credit system. Hopper's balance of payments was
and
~ntdv~~rable at the end of August 1839 he was forced to close his accounts and
sell the Lot I0 property to his creditor W.lliam Hunton of Bytown:77) Arthur
continued to live in Huntley and may have operated the store for the firln of Hunton I,
Rotlth, for there are several journal entries for "goods gat fraln MT Huntan" after
the sale of the store.(28) He may hare been in business for himself aqain by
January 1842 when there are severel references to ar yet unsettled accounts being
"t-dnsf~r~ed to present account'' or "to the new baok".(29) On hlovenlber 25, 1843
Arthur's son Willidm bought the property back from the attorney far tiunton I, Co.'s
creditors for L90 secured by mortgage.(30) This he paid off, but on December 27,
1895 he rold the p-operty to Jonathan Appleyard (or C200.(31) On the same day
Arthur sold Appleyard the Lot 13 property, where he had lately been living, for
LZO. (32)
Willlam had been married slnce August and wa, ihui ir8 need of a secure incomc.
It IS not clear who made the decision to leave business for agriculture, but Arthur
appears to have retired at this time. being then over sixty yearr of age. The sale
of the Huntley properties to Appleyard netted LIZ0 cash. but Appleyard seems not to
have met the rmainder of his obligations untll 1855.(33) The Hoppers mved to land