Billa Flint
Armand P. La Barge / Kirby Books

Billa Flint was the King of Hastings County.
He transformed the mouth of the Bay of Quinte at Belleville into a thriving commercial centre, but almost destroyed the Moira River.
He built company towns at Bridgewater and Flinton, and aggressively exploited the rich pine forests of Hastings County to feed his voracious mills, nearly ruining them for future generations in the process.
He used his immense influence to unilaterally change the community of ‘York River’ into ‘Bancroft’ against the wishes of its residents.
He was also one of the county's most generous philanthropists driven by a strong Methodist belief to improve health, education and welfare.
In this new biography, historian Armand La Barge undertakes an in-depth and critical study of a complex, fiercely independent, self-made man who influenced life in 19th century Hastings County like no other had done before, or will ever again.