Most of the Briar Hill area is located in the former township of the Rear of Leeds and Lansdowne but the present Fortune Line Road is shared with South Crosby Ward. A small pioneer cemetery remains within South Crosby – the “Briar Hill Cemetery” consisting of individuals from the Middleton, Lincoln, Summers, White, Denney and Beers families.  The cemetery appears to date from the 1850s to the 1870s and some of the stones are from the Allyn Marbleworks in Delta, a main producer of local headstones in the area. 

The Briar Hill area (including Leeds and the 1000 Islands) is most noted for the infamous Chase gang. From 1865-1868 a gang of men from both townships including several members of the Chase family raided local homes at night stealing horses, sheep, poultry, grain, and buffalo robes.  As well they assaulted various people on the road in broad daylight.  Part of their business was smuggling horses to New York State.  Most of the robberies were in the Lyndhurst, Delta, Elgin and Phillipsville area.  A group of concerned local citizens formed the Ontario Mutual Detective League and confronted the Chases at home.  There was a scuffle involving revolvers and even a wooden log swung by one of the women in the family.  Members of the gang eventually either quickly left for the United States or were jailed.  In 1880, a new gang emerged in the same district composed of some of the original members but it was quickly taken under control. 

The South Crosby side follows Morton creek, a beautiful place for canoeing and kayaking.