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]

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]

Notes:

died age 13

Notes:

marriage witnessed by Nathan Griffith and Francis Jarvis (who is this??)
-the Ontario Marriage Record says Harriet married Hiram Perkins Oct 29, 1833; this must be an error and Hiram is really Harris; the 1852 census says Harris's wife is Harriet and they have 4 children, including Curtis; Curtis's Ontario Death Record 1911 identifies his mother as Harriet McNames.
-Harriet was age 50 when she gave birth to Helen.
-is she buried at BSC? Died in Strathroy or Caradoc

Harriet married Harris Perkins* on 29 Oct 1833 in Upper Canada. Harris (son of Roger Perkins* and Betsy Candee) was born in 1812 in Vermont, U.S.A.; died on 20 Apr 1886. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

no children [A Brink Book]

Mary married Abraham Newberry on 02 Mar 1836 in St. Thomas, UC. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

McNames 4
among the oldest stones at BSC 1821

Notes:

died age 28
no children [A Brink Book]
but the Delaware/Westminster book and 1851 census says Mary A. born 1847
Manniing 3

Lois married Alonzo Manning* on 28 Dec 1840. Alonzo (son of Joseph Manning* and Hannah Schriver*) was born about 1818 in Quebec; died on 31 Jul 1887. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

a Reverend
died age 40

Silas married Eurania Griffith in 1852. Eurania (daughter of Nathan Griffith* and Jane McAdam*) was born in 1833; died about 1925. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

died East Williams of nephritis [Ont Death Record]
McNames/Norton

Lucian married Julia Maria Norton* on 07 Oct 1849. Julia (daughter of George Norton* and Sabrina Manning*) was born on 30 Nov 1827 in Westminster, Middlesex, Ontario; died on 28 Apr 1919 in East Williams, Middlesex, Ontario. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

died age 5

Notes:

Glen Curnoe notes suggest that Mary Ann Richards, buried at BSC, was the daughter of Alonzo & Lois Manning; no record to prove this
1851 census: living with parents, age 4

Mary married William Richards. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

-married his cousin
-buried at Mt Pleasant
-kept what was formerly known as the Wharncliffe Inn; charged in 1890 with selling liquor without a licence; fined $50

Silas married Rosella Jane Monger. Rosella (daughter of William Franklin Monger and Elizabeth Jane Norton*) was born in 1852; died in 1900. [Group Sheet]

Peter married Elizabeth Ramsay. Elizabeth died on 29 Jan 1925. [Group Sheet]

Huldah married William H. Simms. William died on 06 Jun 1900; was buried in St. Anne's, Byron. [Group Sheet]

Louis married Willmer Nixon. [Group Sheet]

Margaret married Donald Mclacan. Donald was born in 1883; died in 1960. [Group Sheet]

Nobel married Edith Roberts. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

died age 12