In 1784, thousands of United Empire Loyalists settled in Upper Canada (what is now southern Ontario). Iroquois loyal to Britain arrived from the United States and were settled on reserves. Between 1788 and 1793, the townships at the Head-of-the-Lake were surveyed and named. John Ryckman, born in Barton township (where present day downtown Hamilton is), described the area in 1803 as he remembered it: "The city in 1803 was all forest. The shores of...