The following is an excerpt from The Green Pastures of Old Brock by James Gordon.
Shortly after Brock Township was surveyed in the year 1817, settlers began to arrive as they wanted to take advantage of the free grants of land. The practice of giving away land as a means of attracting newcomers ended in 1827. From that point on settlers were required to purchase land outright, or alternatively they could enter into a lease agreement either with private landowners or with the powerful church of England — holders of land referred to as Clergy Reserve. By 1837, Brock had 305 adult men, 251 adult women and 684 children under sixteen years of age.