Happy Birthday to the Sachem
Barbara A. Martindale- For What It's Worth
Most long-time readers of this newspaper will know the Sachem celebrates a birthday at this time of the year; February 6 to be exact.
This column usually recognizes the 160-year-old institution by delving into some early history of Caledonia's newspaper since 1856.
Known as the Caledonia Advertiser for a short time from February 6, 1856 to November 26 of that same year, Thomas Messenger had originally commenced his Sachem newspaper in Cayuga, the county town as they called it with a population of approximately 400, about half the size of Caledonia's 800. These were 1851 census figures.
If we could know Messenger's thoughts about why Caledonia was chosen for his newspaper, they might reveal far more than his written editorial of March 12, 1856.
"It is not our intention just now to dwell for any considerable length on the present position and future prospects of Caledonia - neither time or space admits of it," he said.
"We consider it a fast place for its size - and those who like to differ with our opinion are at liberty so to do - to be sure, it boasts not a market building, court house or jail, but then it has its churches, its school houses and its Press, its mills and factories, its mercantile establishments, foundries and machine shops and other notable possessions, only to be found in places of present importance or bright prospects ahead.
"Even ten years ago, Caledonia held forth no great inducements. Its appearance was anything save preposing, nor was it one that would favourably command the stranger's attention. It had a wild, shabby, d - l-may-care sort of look, that excited doubt and suspicion in the mind of the would be settler, as to the certainty of his personal security - things appeared in so primitive a state and rows occurred so frequently - that it seemed almost madness for a man to fix his tent here-about, unless he could fight, and fight too with an amiable indifference as to consequence.
"A few years however has produced a remarkable and delightful change. Caledonia, at this moment, is one of the busiest and most thriving villages in the Province, with an energetic, hardworking, wide awake population.
"Its mills and manufactories are inferior to none in the quality of their work. Some of its stores would vie favorably with those of Provincial Cities. While its mechanics for sobriety and cunning workmanship can hold a candle to the best.
"The water-power here, and now being made available, must in a brief period place Caledonia in an enviable position among the manufacturing towns of Canada. No place on the Grand River possesses superior advantages in this respect, and glad are we to learn that some of our monied men regard those advantages in a proper light and are determined not only to make them subservient to their own, but also to the prosperity of the Municipality. We see nothing in the world to impede the rapid advancement of Caledonia. Nature has been lavish of her favours and the duty of every member of the community is to make the best possible use thereof."
Well, that was Caledonia's 1856 bright future, according to the publisher of that day.
And for what it's worth, thus began what having a newspaper in the village meant for Caledonians... Happy Birthday!
