The Volunteers

The 39th Norfolk Battalion of Rifles was organizated in 1866 out of the then existing six independent companies, namely:
No. 1. Company, Captain Tisdale, Simcoe.
No. 2.          "                   "        McLairen, Villa Nova.
No. 3.          "                   "        Mabee, Port Rowan.
No. 4.          "                   "        Morgan, Pleasant Hill.
No. 5.          "                   "        Walcott, Waterford.
No. 6.          "                   "        Swinton, Simcoe.

On the formation of the Battalion, Capt. David Tisdale from No. 1 Company was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel, with Capt. Mabee and Lieutenant Matheson as Majors. Capt. McLairen, Paymaster; Capt. Heath, Adjutant; W. W. Livingstone, Quarter-Master; Dr. Phelan, Surgeon, and Dr. Covernton, jr., as Assistant Surgeon. Since 1866, over eleven years, many changes have taken place through resignation and death. Two more Companies were added to the Regiment in 1871, No. 7 Company, Capt. Green of Windham; No 8 Company, Capt. Chrysler of Middleton; giving the Regiment eight Companies. The Regiment now stands with Lieutenant-Colonel Mabee commanding, whose address is Port Rowan, with Regimental Head Quarters at Simcoe; with Lieutenant-Colonel Ryan and Major McLairen as Majors; Major Heath, Adujant; W. W. Livingstone, Paymaster; Drs. Phelan and Hayes, Surgeons; W. Griffin, Quarter-Master.
No. 1 Company, Captain Combs, Head Quarters, Simcoe.
No. 2          "                    "       Thompson,      "                 Villa Nova.
No. 3          "                    "       Price,                 "                  Port Rowan.
No. 4          "                    "       Morgan,            "                 Walsingham Ct.
No. 5          "                    "       Zerk,                   "                 Waterford.
No. 6          "                    "       Matheson,        "                 Simcoe.
No. 7          "                    "       Green,                "                 Windham Ct.
No. 8          "                    "       Chrysler,           "                 Delhi.

The 39th is one of the best Regiments in the Second Military District. It has always ranked high for efficientcy and disipline, and the County of Norfolk may well feel proud of it. The band conducted by Mr. John Williamson has but few equals as a military band, -- at the annual brigade drills it has frequently been honored and has taken precedence of bands with double the number of performers.

The Sedentary Militia

are divided into two regiments, one from the North Riding, the other from the South Riding.

The north regimental division is commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas W. Clark, of Waterford. The names of the officers at the last appointment (1870) were as follows.

No. 1 Company, Windham -- Captain, Geo. Snider, Lieut., John Matthews, Ensign, Thomas Herron.

No. 2 Company, Windham -- Captain, Wm. B. Ball, Lieut., Stephen B. Pettitt, Ensign, Wm. Bartholomew.

No. 3 Company, Townsend -- Captain, Aaron McMichael, Lieut., David Parney, Ensign, James McMichael.

No. 4 Company, Townsend -- Captain, Nelson Boughner, Lieut., Nelson Clark, Ensign, James Upper.

No. 5 Company, Middleton -- Captain, Wm. Stillwell, Lieut., John Ostrander, Ensign, ____.

No. 6 Company, Middleton -- Captain, Jacob Sovereign, Lieut., James Whiteside, Ensign, Frederick Chrysler.

No. 7 Company, Simcoe -- Captain, A. G. Polly, Lieut., Wm. Falls, Ensign, John Allgo.

The southern regimental division is commanded by Major Edward Ryerse of Port Ryerse, a hearty old warrior of over eighty years of age. Owing to the long cintinuance of peace the Major was not in a position to give the names of the officers of his regiment.  

 
From page 55 of the Mika re-print of 1877 Illustrated Historical Atlas of Norfolk County
Copyright 1997-2012 John Cardiff and Norfolk Historical Society
 

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