One
of our oldest pioneers, passed away to his rest on the 10th of Oct.
1881, deeply regretted. He was born in 1794, in what was then called
Niagara District, near St. Catharines, came to the Township of
Woodhouse in 1799, and lived there the remainder of his life, except
for five years during which period he found a home in the Township of
Malahide.
He returned to
Woodhouse in 1822, and settled down for the rest of his days on the
farm where he died. He was one of the defenders of his country in the
war of 1812.
He was married
three times, and buried his third wife just five weeks before he was
called away to join them. He was the father of twelve
children -- six sons and six daughters -- ten of whom survive him.
There are fifty-two grandchildren and twenty-two great- grandchildren
now living.
His father was
born in Long Island, New York, and came to Canada shortly after the
Revolutionary War as a U.E. Loyalist; he returned to Long Island in
1794, to settle some money matters; he got his money and started back
for his home in Canada, and never was heard of after, but it is
supposed he was murdered on his way, as the country at that time
was nearly all wilderness.
His mother
subsequently married James Clendening, he being a miller by trade,
they then came to Port Ryerse in 1799, and he died at or near there
some years afterwards; he came to take charge of a grist mill
belonging to the late Col. Joseph Ryerson, it being at that time the
only mill in what was called the Long Point County. [Compiler's
Comment: other accounts say thiis mill belonged to the Colonel's
brother, Samuel Ryerse]
In moving from
what is now St. Catharines they crossed the Grand River where the City
of Brantford now stands; only one log house stood there at that time,
and one in Simcoe on the Kent farm, just south of where the Brewery
now stands.
The subject of
this notice had one brother, John, who was killed in the battle of
Fort Erie, in 1813, and one sister, who married the late Col. Isaac
Gilbert, and who died about ten years ago. After his brother was
killed he was left alone, in a new country, to struggle for a
livelihood for himself and widowed mother.
Our deceased
friend was an adherent and supporter of the Methodist Church for the
greater part of his life; he formally united with that Church in 1862,
and continued faithful until the end. He was a very industrious and
upright man, and a peaceable and obliging neighbor -- during his whole
life he never had a case in Court. To know him was to respect him. --
Com.
