On December 7, 1837, William Lyon Mackenzie's Patriot forces were defeated north of Toronto by Loyalist militia, and he fled toward the United States. Travelling little used routes to avoid government forces scouring the countryside, he reached this vicinity on December 11th. Capt. Samuel McAfee, who owned this property at the time, provided Mackenzie with a boat to cross the Niagara River. While the rebel leader was embarking, Col. James Kerby arrived with a detachment of militia, but the McAfee family distracted his attention until Mackenzie gained the safety of the American shore.