Cramahe Township

Cramahe Township, located in the United Counties of Northumberland and Durham, is bounded on the north by Percy Township, on the south by Lake Ontario, on the east by Brighton Township, and on the west by Halimand Township. Joseph Keeler was the first settler to the Cramahe Township region, coming from Rutland, Vermont, about 1789. In 1793, Keeler brought 40 settlers to the area and built a saw mill, a grist mill, a carding and woolen mill, an oil well and a distillery, all located near the mouth of Keeler's Creek, which was later to become Port Colborne. Joseph Keeler's son, Jospeh A. Keeler was the founder of the village of Colborne, which was later incorporated in 1859. Joseph A. was a merchant, postmaster and Justice of the Peace. Overall, like his father, Joseph A. was an extremely important member of the growing community. In 1815, the post office was established in Colborne. Lumber and grain were the chief exports of Cramahe Township. Two wharves, located at Port Colborne and Port Cramahe, provided links for the transportion of goods to the United States. By 1861, the population had grown to 3,041 made up largely of Native Peoples. The remainder of the population were settlers of English, Irish, Scottish, and American origin.