Once upon a time, long, long ago, (this is no fairy tale), among the rocks and creeks, hills and forests of Ontario, a few men with vision decided to lay a railroad across the provinces.
In 1877, a surveyor named Gamsby passed through this area marking out a proposed route for the Canadian Pacific Railroad. The route became known as the "Gamsby Trail Line."
In later years, the Mackenzie Mann and Company bought and largely used this survey route as the "Northern Ontario Railway Line." This was laid out by their surveyor named Wicksteed from 1900-1910, thus the Township of Wicksteed.
Construction of this line began about 1911-1912, working from both ends at the same time. It joined just west of Hillsport (mileage 45.5) in 1915.
Why the exact location of the townsite Fitzback was chosen is a matter of much discussion. Many believe that it was located in this area as a divisional point because of its distance from other towns, approximately 150 miles, for servicing trains and changing crews.
Out of the wilderness sprang a town. The first train, carrying officials, went through on October 15, 1915. A Passenger service began immediately, followed shortly by freight trains. The town consisted of a few boarding cars, four houses and a small station located at the west end of the yard. These houses are still here, although somewhat changed.
No roads, just trails, linked these houses together. The Jackfish River was the only water supply.
Previous to this, in the 1900's three families of the Cree Indians moved into the Nagagamisis Lake area from Fort Albany. The three families were George Taylor, Chief of the tribe; B. Taylor and Shaganash. They left the James Bay area because the living was hard. They came by canoe down the Albany and Shekak Rivers to the Nagagamisis area and found it abundant in fish and wildlife.
The Hudson Bay Company set up a trading post at the Narrows of the Nagagamisis Lake where they traded their furs. Chief George Taylor and his wife Anne ran this trading post. Part of this old trading post can still be seen at the Narrows of Nagagamisis.
Then in 1915, when the railroad came through, there was less need for these posts and business moved to the Hudson Bay store in town. In 1920 the Indian people relocated near the settlement. Some of the original descendants still lice and work in town.
In 1914, one of our original pioneers, Mr. John G. Leggat built a store located in the old townsite now known as the West End. This was the centre of railroad activity with the station being located there also. Milt Tompkins writes of the year May 4th, 1920 when he came as a clerk to Hornepayne. "The Superintendent at the time (G.M. Goad) occupied about one half of the space at the rear of the station. The general office staff occupied about the same space, maybe eight of ten desks. It was almost necessary to walk on top of the desks to reach your desk. Upstairs was the dispatching staff and maybe three private small offices for officials and storage space for records. I do not remember if there was a washroom, space was so scarce."
Mr. Leggat's store was the Post Office, Trading Post, and Social Centre of the Community. Under a government bond, he delivered mail weekly to the village of Fitzback from Oba, a round trip of 80 miles weekly, at a rate of pay of $100.00 a year.
In May of 1915, he was joined by his wife and daughter, who came from Oba by hand car. Acting at his own expense, Mr. Jack Leggat was the first Clerk-Treasurer in the early years 1915-1920's. He also organized the first school system. After having lost his store twice by fire, he rebuilt in the new location in partnership with his brothers Leo and Chris. One of the original councilors in 1928, he continued serving the community for many years. Among his many posts were Masonic secretary-treasurer, St. Luke's secretary-treasurer and Justice of the Peace.
There are many more original settlers who gave Hornepayne its early beginnings. We owe much to these early settlers.
In 1917 the Canadian Northern Ontario Railways, became part of Canadian National when the latter was formed in 1919. From the fall of 1918 till the end of 1921, various railway buildings and cottages for employees were built in Hornepayne.
Under new management the town was renamed Hornepayne in honour of Robert Montgomery Horne-Payne, a British railroad financier of that time. Along with a new name came a new station which is still in use today.
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