Hamnett Kirkes Pinhey
(see also Pinhey's Point Historic Site)
Hamnett Kirkes Pinhey (December 11, 1784 – March 3, 1857) was a Canadian landowner and politician.
Pinhey was born in Devonshire, England, in 1784 to Mary Townley and William Pinhey. He was educated at Christ's Hospital in London and became a grocery and insurance merchant, a partner in Pinhey and Crosley: Merchant and Ship Insurance Brokers. Pinhey spoke fluent French and German, and was a King's messenger who also claimed to have been a secret spy of the Crown to the King of Prussia during the Napoleonic Wars. By the age of 35, Pinhey had made enough money to retire comfortably from business.
Pinhey married Mary Ann Tasker on December 12, 1812.
Hamnett Pinhey was now a wealthy middle class man, but thanks to the class system in place in England at the time, Pinhey was not able to gain the power or privilege he desired. Seeking greener pastures, Pinhey petitioned the Earl of Bathurst, Secretary of State for War and the Colonies at the time, for lands in Upper Canada and received a land grant. Originally, Pinhey requested 1,200 acres (4.9 km2). He was granted 200.
In 1820, Pinhey travelled to March Township in Upper Canada and settled at a site on the Ottawa River. He and his clerk spent the first winter in a one-room log cabin, but soon built a larger one and half story log house and stone kitchen. His wife, children and possessions followed in 1821. With the family came 55 crates with clothing, plate, furniture, books and other items to allow the family to live comfortably in Upper Canada.
Pinhey established himself as a gentleman farmer on his land and named this location Horaceville after his eldest son. Though he began building with the log house, Pinhey had always intended to build a large stone house on top of the hill, overlooking his land. The first part of the stone house was completed in 1825, and consisted of a large Parlour for entertaining and the servants quarters on the second floor. The second part of the house was not completed until 1841, and included the Grand Entrance, the original Dining Room, the Master Bedroom and a second stone kitchen for Mrs. Pinhey. By this point Horace Pinhey had married and moved into the log house with his wife. The last part of the stone house was completed in 1848, and housed Hamnett's Library, the Drawing Room, several bedrooms for the family and Hamnett's Sanctum Sanctorum (the Holiest of Holies, a second floor indoor privy.) Though the house was built in three different stages, it was designed as a whole in a symmetrical Georgian fashion.
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