The CAIPS Retriever

Joseph Shepard's turning point of history

Television channels are in the course of presenting what they name "turning points of history." We would like to share a different vision on which past events influence our present lives and which do not. We are not historians and, at least for that matter, neither can we back our vision with exhaustive research, nor can we suggest impartiality in our findings. But alternative approaches are always beneficial.

In truth, one might find it difficult to isolate specific events - developing at specific days, hours and places - that bear consequences for centuries to come. Obviously, 20/20 hindsight helps a lot. Even so, it is quite hard to ascertain which specific action generated a stream whose flow later generations cannot escape. Instead of isolating events, we prefer to isolate tendencies, ideas, fashions (yes, fashions) that bear fruit in communities and generations.

We also differ in allotting politicians and their perennial actions - wars, oppression, taxation, pointless spending - the upper hand in determining the future course of our lives. We think that facts bringing improvements are more consequential than those causing destruction and suffering. Thus, we allot the front stage to non-political figures: business people, academics, artists and so forth.

A note: two contrasting examples

To fully understand our vision, think of two examples: the Great Chinese Wall and John Nash's contribution to game theory.

• Historians and laypeople alike marvel at the Great Chinese Wall but they all fail to acknowledge that such a colossal effort imposed by Chinese kings depleted China's resources and led the way to centuries of Mongolian occupation. In the end, why was the Wall built?
• John Nash's contribution to game theory - which he described as his "most trivial work" - steadily developed into a multitude of economic applications that improved our lives in various fields. "A Beautiful Mind" indeed.

A humbling example of what a turning point of history is

In the the early to mid eighteen hundreds, local Torontonian business people turned a page in Canada’s history when they began providing to their neighbors, rather than just exporting raw goods over to Europe. In precarious circumstances, they were building what today has become a cherished place. It was a moment when Canada "stood on its own ground," because it started thinking of itself as of a "home." Joseph Shepard is totally suitable to personify this turning point of Canada's (or Toronto's) history because he started as a fur trader and ended up as a settled land owner on the banks of the Don River, where he owned and operated a number of mills that supplied lumber and flour locally and across Canada.

Today, the land the Shepards owned and the surrounding area are home to many and resting place to many others buried in the beautiful York cemetery. The Shepards left three houses to Toronto, two private dwellings and a place of business. The latter one, the place of business, is an appropriate shrine for Toronto's past and future. Torontonians preserved it and created the peaceful Dempsey park around it.* Finally, Joseph Shepard left his name to an important street in Toronto (North York); one street less to bear the name of a politician - governor or prime minister - in Ottawa.

Included is a picture of Shepard son's general store, later known as "The Dempsey Brothers Hardware Store". It was built in 1860 and it stood on the corner of Yonge and Sheppard streets until 1996 - a business landmark in the community.

The Shepards built on a scale commensurate to their earning power and got their money by way of serving others, not of taxation. They helped establish a community that today many wish it were theirs. This was the turning point: unassuming people created a new home out of wilderness with just the determination to find their way.

*Notes: A future post will be dedicated to Toronto's parks, a defining feature for the city.