CHARLES DUNCOMBE

Plaque on the east side of the Elgin Pioneer Museum on the southwest corner of Talbot Road and Pleasant Street, St. Thomas

Dr. Charles Duncombe (1791-1867) commanded the patriots of Oxford, Norfolk and Middlesex. In November 1837 many people gathered at Oakland Village under Joshua Doan, Robert Anderson and Henry Fisher. Yarmouth Reformers and those from Bayham marched to join them. Duncombe’s contingent planned to meet up with William Lyon Mackenzie in Toronto, but news of the Montgomery Tavern defeat undermined this plan and Duncombe disbanded the force at Scotland Village. A proposal to retire to the forests and make a stand against the militia was voted down.

The plaque reads:

. . . Dr. Charles Duncombe, born in Connecticut, came to Upper Canada in 1819 and settled (here) shortly thereafter. In 1824, with Dr. John Rolph, he opened at St. Thomas, the province’s first medical school, named The Talbot Dispensatory in honour of Col. Thomas Talbot. Charles Duncombe later moved to Burford township and in 1830 was elected to the legislature as a Reform member for Oxford. An ardent supporter of William Lyon Mackenzie, he raised an insurgent force during the Rebellion of 1837 which was dispersed by loyal militia. Duncombe then fled to the United States where he remained until his death.