The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

PREFACE The compiling of this book has been made possible by the kind efforts of many people. We cannot make individual acknowledgements to people who have contributed references, historical brochure, maps, paintings and printing for their own families. References have been acknowledged by the writers throughout the book. The members of our Pickering Women's Institute, therefore, would like to thank the Township of Pickering for its contribution of $25.00, and the Pickering Rotary Club for its donation of $25.00. Mr. Mel. Carleton, contributed, as well as custom produced, many beautiful photostats. Mr. John Mills, Mr. William Murkar, Mr. C. L. Burton, Mrs. Lloyd Taylor, Mrs. Benjamin Lotton, Mr. Harold Mitchell, Mr. William Dunbar, Mrs. Russell Collins, Dr. William McKay, Mr. John Calvert, Mrs. A. Palmer, Mr. William G. Newman, Miss Majory Rogers, Mr, K. H. J. Clarke, Mr. Roy Morrish, Mrs. Sidney Morrish, Mrs. E. J. Annis, Mrs. Cyril Morley, Mrs. B. Riley, and Jack Boyes, all donatsd pictures. Dr. Conrad Lindemann, kindly painted the replica of the monument of Lount and Matthews at Niagara Falls. Mrs. Jessie Demaine, former Historical Convenor, who unfortunately left our Institute before the present book began, left behind her, as well as her articles, and maps, the beautiful Old English Script we have taken from the History of Pickering Village. Mr. Warren Willson also kindly supplied many references for the pioneer period. The beautiful cover kindly donated by, Mrs. Harry Newman Sr., and custom-made by Ina Le Gard, of West Rouge. We would also like to acknowledge references supplied by, Monseigneur nelligan S. J., the late Silas Tool, Mrs. Harry Boyes, the Toronto Reference Library, The Ontario County Registry Offices, the Library of the University of Toronto, Lloyd Johnson, The Pickering Township Records, the library of Allistair Grosshart, but above all, the innumerable references taken from W. R. Wood's, "Past Years in Pickering". Typing of "Years of Growth" and parts of "Current Events" was done by Amy C. Smith, and the remainder of the book was typed by Melba E. McKay. Script printing was kindly done by Macdonald Inrig. This book is concerned geographically with South Pickering, commencing at the lakefront and going north to the Fifth Concession. Ajax is not included except for a few pictures to show its development. The Ajax Institute may at a future date, start a history of its own. Although, in several instances, notably in the Matthews and Miller family histories, we have encroached on the north, this was done deliberately, since both families had a great influence on the lives of the southern farmers and both had branches living south of the 2nd Concession. This section, "Pioneer Days and Pioneer Families", is initially a documented essay on the Land Grants, and Rebellion of 1337, and since many southerners were jailed because of Matthews, we feel he should be included. All other sections of this book deals entirely with the south, since the northern Institutes of Pickering Township are compiling histories of their sections. We would like to acknowledge the great kindness of Mr. Guy Rogers, in lending the writer, the Diary of Timothy Rogers, after one single telephone call. And finally, we sadly acknowledge the work of our own Historical committee member, Mrs. Frank 0'Sullivan, who pasted and cut pages, at a time when she was suffering from the symptoms of the fatal disease which took her life shortly afterwards. A. C. S. Melba E. McKay, May 6th, 1960.