Sylvester Neelon:

Building a Better Life in 19th Century Niagara

Abby Fuller

Niagara - 2024

Born in the state of New York and a resident of the city of St. Catharine's, Sylvester Neelon was a prominent businessman and politician whose life highlights how money, power, and the Great Lakes were connected in the Niagara Peninsula during the 19th century. As a young man he worked as a sailor, he eventually worked his way up the ladder to become a captain. He was a husband and father, and served the community through his involvement in the shipping and milling industry. Later in life, his influence in the Niagara community would earn him an impressive reputation, as he entered the world of politics.¹ He would eventually move to Toronto at the end of his career.² By examining his life, business, and political legacy, this essay documents the career of a key figure in Niagara history and his importance to the economic development of the Niagara Region.

Neelon is a prime example of a typical Canadian businessman in the late 19th century. As Canada was a growing nation, his life provided a representation of a population of men who were seeking a better life in a new place. It is unknown when he moved to Canada, but he began his career as a sailor in Port Dalhousie, and became a captain after only seven years. In 1852 he started a business with James Norris, another local ship captain, which they aptly named Norris and Neelon. Together, they owned and operated several mills in the Niagara Region. In itself, their business is an example of the growing industry in what was soon to become Canada, and the economic shifts that were occurring. More importantly however, the pair were involved in the ship-owning side of the shipping industry they had previously been part of. Records show that they owned a fleet of ships, many of which were built in Shickluna Shipyard, in St. Catharines.³ While there are no available records of what they were shipping, it is fair to assume it was in connection with their mills and used to import and export resources and products. Neelon was also involved with the Dominion Board of Trade, which discussed important matters related to the industry.⁴ He valued the community, as he was already putting in work to not only advance his own career, but to help his peers as well. Activities such as these contributed to the legacy that he held in the Niagara Region. Not only is he a success story from within the community, but he used his success to help build a stronger home for all those around him.

Pictured in Figure 2 is one of their ships, the Augusta, which was built in 1871.⁵ It appears to be a three masted schooner, which was popular in the Great Lakes trade system.⁶ While running businesses has long been a means to great success, evident in the life of Neelon and many other men who he worked with, the industries that he was involved with were particularly importance to the growth of the Niagara Region, and broader Canadian society, as shipping was one of Canada's first major industries. 

Throughout his career, Neelon profited from several technological advancements in the industry to allow for increased volume of trade. The first Welland Canal opened in 1829.⁷ It bypassed the Niagara River rapids, and Niagara Falls to connect Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, which allowed the shipping industry to thrive in these regions.⁸ Throughout the century, changes were made to improve its efficiency, and the canal greatly contributed to further industrial development of the region.⁹ However, Neelon also played a role in these improvements. During the construction of the third canal throughout the 1870s, he advocated to the Board of Trade for it to be enlarged, citing the struggles that other men in his community had faced with the canal in the state it was in.¹⁰ Once again, his actions show his continued dedication to the Niagara community, and the foundation of his future endeavours is beginning to be laid. While he also profited from these changes, it was a reciprocal relationship. Without these advancements, especially the Welland Canal, the Niagara Region would not have maintained its prosperity for men like Neelon.

Neelon's success in the business world provided him with notoriety in the region, as he would eventually join the town council. Having gained a reputation of "unimpeachable integrity and purity of life," Sylvester Neelon would then run for the Ontario Legislative Assembly in Lincoln in 1875 as the Liberal Party candidate.¹¹ Pictured in Figure 4 is a map of the Lincoln electoral riding in which he ran.¹² He did campaign work in the mill by printing and handing out literature.¹³ He also had men campaigning for him, telling others to "vote for Neelon!"¹⁴ His opposition who would later become the MP for Lincoln, John Rykert, was involved in a scandal during the campaign period, which led to Neelon's success in becoming the MPP.¹⁵ Afterwards Rykert's friends claimed that Neelon had bought votes and a longstanding dispute occurred which affected his personal and business relationships. Neelon was adamant that he did not want the support of anyone who did not truly believe his story.¹⁶ A by-election was held, with Neelon winning once again, and officially representing Lincoln in the third Parliament of Ontario under the leadership of Oliver Mowat, head of the Provincial Liberals.¹⁷ He won the two following elections, in 1879 and 1883, and remained in office until 1886.¹⁸

During his time in the fourth and fifth parliaments, Neelon was an active politician, taking part in several committees. These included the Committees on Municipal Law, Railways, Private Bills, Privileges and Elections, and more.¹⁹ Certainly, his time as a businessman and his involvement in local politics prepared him greatly for this role, as well as his previous work on committees in the Niagara Region. The economy of Canada was still largely based on natural resources, and his familiarity with the shipping industry likely would have made him well aware of what goods were moving across the country, especially as he lived in such a vital region of overseas trade.²⁰

Since Neelon was a member of the Provincial Parliament representing Lincoln, undoubtedly his political success was owed to his popularity amongst his hometown community. Nevertheless, his experience in business would have provided him with practical skills and knowledge that allowed him to be a leader in his community. Simply looking back to his early career as a ship captain then business owner shows his abilities to be a leader, and to be held responsible for other people's interests. However, many of the important political issues at the time would have been policies that had affected him a short time earlier while running his businesses. For example, having become a politician shortly after the Confederation of Canada occurred, one of the major topics was Macdonald's National Policy, which included tariffs.²¹ While he was not in the Federal Parliament, these policies were still important on a localized level. Having been majorly involved with trade, Neelon had a firm grasp on what this policy meant for citizens, and what his government could do to help. Politics also had a big impact on international trade in the Great Lakes Region, and tensions with the United States, and he would have understood both the fears and advantages of working closely with their southern neighbours.²²

As noted above, he was part of the Committee on Railways for several years, which was an evolving industry at the time.²³ The competition it provided to transporting resources and goods put many shipping companies out of business.²⁴ Neelon's personal experiences likely would have helped him also to understand both the benefits and the drawbacks of this changing technology. Luckily, the Niagara Region did not face a dismal outcome as the result of growing technology as railway systems and the Welland Canal were complementary to each other and improved the efficiency of the trading system.²⁵ Trade and the shipping industry was an essential part of Canada during the late 19th Century. While this helped men like Neelon obtain great levels of success, it is also what allowed them to diversify his investments. As shipping was integral to the economy, whether it be within the border or international, it was a major part of the political system at the time. Therefore, Neelon's knowledge of this industry is fundamental to understanding how he could move into a political career. 

Following his political career in the provincial parliament, Neelon would move to Toronto and continued his work in the construction business.²⁶ Through the late 19^th^ century, there was a decline in shipping volume between Canada and the United States, which may have contributed to his change in business.²⁷ The nature of business was constantly evolving during this period of great advancement, as described above, so it is not surprising to see a successful man change alongside it in order to support himself. With his new business partner John Elliott, he won a contract to construct what is now called the 'Old Toronto City Hall and York County Courthouse' in 1884.²⁸ While the construction began in 1889, Neelon unfortunately would never see the site completely finished.²⁹ Pictured in Figure 5 is the Old Town Hall in 2007, over 100 years after its construction was complete.³⁰ Although it is no longer used for its intended purpose, it remains a national historic site of Canada.³¹ On January 1, 1898, Sylvester Neelon's death was announced in local Toronto newspapers.³² While there was no mention of his important work in St. Catharine's in the milling and shipping industry, the paper noted his political contributions, and those to the city of Toronto in the construction of the town hall.³³ It was reported that he died of apoplexy, a brain hemorrhage, while visiting a friend in the city.³⁴ His funeral was to be held in his hometown of St. Catharine's, which was the site of his final resting place.³⁵ His return to the Niagara Region is symbolic not only of what the area meant to him, but of what he meant to the area.

Sylvester Neelon is not necessarily a unique man, despite the various opportunities that he capitalised on during his life. However, by learning about his personal experiences, so much more can be understood about the broader picture of Niagara history. While he is symbolic of a typical businessman during the mid-nineteenth century, he is also a symbol of how Canada was founded by hardworking immigrants, prior to Confederation. He does not represent the whole population, as Canadian history cannot be studied without the acknowledgement of Indigenous Peoples, both their losses and success, or the contributions made by many women. Yet so much can be learned about Canada simply from the life of one man thanks to his involvement in several different sectors. As mentioned above, Neelon's involvement in the shipping industry was so important because it was an integral part of uniting Canada and building an economy, as countless men and women were involved in marine transportation and manufacturing industries.³⁶ However, while the early economy of Canada was studied in this paper, the importance of it goes far beyond the financial benefits. Scholars have argued the idea that Canada is a maritime nation, and it becomes clear that it truly is when the facts are laid out.³⁷

Studying the life of a man like Sylvester Neelon teaches so much more than just his personal life. Early businessmen used resources around them, in this case the Great Lakes system, to benefit themselves and helping to grow their communities. Simultaneously, the economic patterns and marine technology that they created would also shape how the waterways were changing the men themselves. Like many other small communities in Southern Ontario, the Niagara Region would not be the place it is today if its geography and maritime landscape was any different. By studying Neelon, a snapshot is revealed of how this maritime identity came to be, and how it has influenced citizens differently over time within their own towns and cities. This can help us gain a better understanding not only of what life was like for Niagara citizens in the past, but also how maritime history has been shaped broader Canadian history and has in turn shaped us today.