Peter McNames*

Notes:

born near Saratoga Springs, NY
"that I came into this province with my father" in 1804, settling in Oxford County (land grant document)
-a private in Carroll's Company, Oxford militia 1812
-a private in Curtis's Company, Oxford militia 1813
-donated land for the cemetery
McNames 2

In 1829 or 1830, William Allen
was shot by one Underwood in the swamp between Caradoc and Lobo.
It appears that Allen and William Vanmur stole a horse from Peter
McNames, of Brick street, and were pursued, when Underwood fired
and killed tlie horse-thief, leaving Vanmur to escape. At this time a
great number of horse and cattle thieves existed in Delaware, and in
later years some desperate characters resided there. [History of the county of Middlesex, Canada. From the earliest time to the present, and including a department devoted to the preservation of personal and private records, etc
. ]

Seth Dutton, a Lower Canadian, who was possibly of American origin, settled in the south half of lot 34. He too returned to the United States at the time of the War of 1812. Shortly after the war, however, he somehow managed to sell his location, comprising 12 acres of cleared land, to Peter McNames, who paid $200 for it." [Byron: Pioneer Days in Westminster Township, Guy St.-Denis]

"Peter McNames, possibly a brother to James McNames who settled on the north half of lot 37, was a post-war squatter. Shortly after the War of 1812 he had purchased the improvements of Seth Dutton on the south half of lot 34 in the first concession. These consisted of a barn and 12 acres of cleared land. Dutton was the original locatee who had been placed on the lot by Watson, but later returned to the United States during the war. McNames was himself a native of the United States who apparently resided in present-day Oxford County prior to their removal to the Byron area. It seems that Peter and James were possibly sons of Amos McNames who lived on lot 38 until he returned to the United States [!!??] After Peter took over Duton's improvements he constructed a house near the Commissioners' Road and continuied to clear the lot of trees up to the road, even though Dutton's location consisted only of the southern half.
Of course, on January 17, 1816, as noted Hungerford's sketch, the govenrment allowed Burtch the north part of this lot, ignorant of McNames' presence. On February 28 McNames brought the problem to the attention of the Executive Council in the form of a petition. In their report, which followed on March 5, the Council noted that it appeared as though Peter Teeple, Burtch's father-in-law, and thus likely Burthch himself, had known that McNames had a house on the lot when Burtch solicited the location. Prbably as a result, the Council recommended that the north half of the lot be confirmed to McNames and that Burtch be located on the south half, which he later surrendered. Consequently, on January 20, 1820 McNames was granted the lot where he probably continued to live for the remainder of his life. On November 30, 1853 McNames and his wife Rachel sold most of the farm to their son Silas C. McNames. The couple retained 20 acres on the east side of the lot. Later, on May 3, 1855 Silas McNames was allowed to purchase this parcel as well. On August 11 of the same year Peter McNames died.
Earlier, on April 3, 1824, McNames had sold seven-tenths of an acre situated in the north-east corner of his lot to George Jervis Goodhue. This small parcel of land, which fronted Commissioners' Road, was likely used in conjunction with Goodhue's other commercial interests on adjacent lot 33. It was there that Goodhue built his pioneer general store, which formed the nucleus for the development of commerce in the Byron area - and all Westminster for that matter.
In religion McNames was a staunch adherent to the Methodist Episcopal Church. On August 5, 1851 he sold to the Trustees of that congregation - Nathan Griffith, Ezra D. Griffith, Thomas Summers, Nelson Norton and Lucian L. McNames - one acre of ground on the Commessioners' Road to be used as a burial ground and the site of a church. The following year a church was built which first served the congregation for which it was originally intended and now serves as a place of worship for members of the Free Reform Church. There was no need to establish a cemetery as one had already existed there for some years. The History of the County of Middlesex claims that this cemetery was commecned on land belonging to both Peter McNames and James Shelden, which is a mistake. No part of the cemetery is situated on what was Shelden's location. Goodspeed also states that the cemetery was established in 1815. This could very well be true, as the earliest known burial took place only five years later, that of the infant Eliza Griffith who died June 16, 1819. The cemetery probably originated as the McNames family burial ground, a not uncommon beginning for graveyards in the days of the pineers. Over the years this cemetery, now known as the Brick street Cemetery, has provided the last resting place for many of the area's pioneers including Peter McNames himself." [Byron: Pioneer Days in Westminster Township - Guy St-Denis]

Peter married Phoebe Brink* on 25 Dec 1813 in Upper Canada. Phoebe (daughter of Nicholas Brink and Elizabeth Moger) was born on 27 Jul 1797 in Pennsylvania, USA; died on 23 Mar 1824. [Group Sheet]

1. Laura McNames* was born on 04 Oct 1814; died on 23 Aug 1828.
2. Harriet McNames was born on 02 Oct 1816; died on 07 Jun 1897.
3. Mary McNames* was born on 30 Jun 1818; died on 07 Apr 1847.
4. Elizabeth Ann McNames* was born about Mar 1820; died on 10 Apr 1821.
5. Hester Ann McNames was born on 27 Mar 1820.
6. Lois Ann McNames* was born on 07 Sep 1822 in Canada West; died on 10 Jul 1861.

Peter married Rachel Curtis* in 1824. Rachel (daughter of Silas Curtis and Rachel) was born on 19 Dec 1786 in Warren, Litchfield, Connecticut; died on 01 Jan 1877. [Group Sheet]

1. Silas Curtis McNames* was born on 12 May 1825; died on 30 Aug 1864.
2. Lucian LaFayette McNames* was born on 30 May 1827 in Westminster, M; died on 14 Nov 1911 in East Williams, Middlesex, Ontario.
3. Phebe McNames* was born on 14 Jul 1828; died on 16 Sep 1833.

Abraham married Maria Hoachdeel. [Group Sheet]