Excerpt from “Colborne Centennial” Published by the Village of Colborne (incorporated in 1859) June 27 – July 1, 1959.
“Originally, this municipality of some sixty-four acres was known as the Port of Cramahe. Then the name was changed to Colborne Harbour. Among the sailor and Schooner Days the name most often heard was Cat Hollow, the origin of which is unknown.
The story of Lakeport began in the year 1793 when Joseph Keeler and his family, arrived from the United States. He was given a free grant of land by the Crown. He landed at what is still known as Keeler’s Creek, and making his way inland through the forest primeval, arrived at the top of the hill now known as Kelwood. There he settled, and instructed an American surveyor, Aaron Greeley, to lay out a townsite. Greely’s daughter, Miss Susan Greely, taught in the Presbyterian Sunday school for 75 years, and died in 1904 at the age of 98.
The Colborne Registry Office shows under the date of June 29, 1803 and later, records of several lots owned by Joseph Keeler in the district.
The Keelers were responsible for much of the development of Colborne and Colborne Harbour.
Joseph Keeler’s son was the founder of Colborne. He was a merchant and Justice of the Peace. The first Post Office was opened in his store in 1815, and he became the most important man in the locality. He laid out Victoria Park and gave free sites to the different Churches.
Joseph Keeler’s grandson represented East Northumberland from 1867 to 1873 in the Dominion Parliament and published the first newspaper in Colborne, known as The Transcript.”