Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Living

Notes:

Jonathan A R married Ella May Fry, Daughter of Matilda Jane Addison & Henry Fry, Two Lawrence children.

Birth:
Clairville (Brampton), Ontario. Age one year.

Died:
'Alex'.

Jonathan married Ella Mabel FRY est 1917. Ella was born on 24 Jan 1888 in King Twp., York Co., Ontario; died on 7 Aug 1976 in Weston, York Co., Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Two children: John Addison 1918 - 29 Dec 1967. Married Patricia Naish, born 1928, with 3 Lawrence children.

Bruce Henry 1920 - 23 Jan 1943, died WWII flying training accident in Western Canada. - - -

Notes:

John is the son of Sarah Devins & Elisha Lawrence.

Two Lawrence brothers married two Kersey sisters:
John Rezeau Lawrence married Ann Kersey &
Isaac Huver Lawrence marred the younger sister Mary Kersey.

. 1855 - Lot 9, Con 2, Toronto Gore, Humber Post Office, 110 Acres, registered to John R Lawrence. Beside brother Isaac H Lawrence, 58 A.
Ref: York Co. Atlas, printed 1877.

> For a complete family history on the Devins, please see:
Abraham Devins & His Descendants in Canada & United States
May be found at the Richmond Hill Library, Yonge & Major MacKenzie Streets, Richmond Hill. CR 929.2 Devins.

. John Rezeau Lawrence raised shorthorn cattle on the northerly half of his father Elisha's farm.

Upon the death of both Mary & Isaac Lawrence's death, John & his wife Ann raised the youngest of his brother's children.

. 1866 Toronto Peel Directory Toronto Gore. N.D. Lawrence John R, Con 10, Lot 2.

. 1879 Apr 28 For W Riding & Vaughan Twp. Spring Fair - spring exhibition of horses, cattle & implements at Woodbridge:
Cattle: John Lawrence of Humber, obtained first for his 2 year old Durham bull.
Ref: Toronto Globe & Mail newspaper.

. 1883 Oct 25, West York & Vaughan Agricultural Societies: J R Lawrence, Durham heifer 1 yr old; Isaac Lawrence: Herd of Cattle, 1 male & 4 females.
. 1886 Oct 21, Thurs. Woodbridge Fair, Prize winner of West York & Vaughan Twps. Agricultural society's Fall Fair. John R Lawrence: Trotting or pacing Speed horse 3yrs old; Heifer 1 yr old Grade J; Durham bull calf under 1 year; Durham heifer 2 yrs; Poultry, Plymouth Rocks;
. 1887 Oct 27, Woodbridge Fair Prize list: John R Lawrence: Not imported Durham heifer calf under 1 year; Grade Heifer 1 year old.
. 1888 Oct 13 - Woodbridge Fair, Prize Winners: John R Lawrence: Cattle: Not imported Durham Bull 1 year old, 1s prize; Cow any age in milk; 2 yrs old Heifer, 3rd prize. Heifer 1 under year old 2nd prize; Fat Cattle Herd. (Jersey?) Grade Heifer 2 yers old 3rd prize; Herd of cattle 1 male & 4 families, 2nd prize..
Ref: York Herald newspaper.

. 1911 June 9th Census, Gore of Toronto:
John R Lawrence & wife reside on their farm at Con 9, Lot 2, with their children & grandchildren.

American Civil War
. John R Lawrence went to settle in Louisiana & then fought for the Confederacy in US Civil War. Prisoner of war of Union Army. Returned to Canada March 1863.
2nd Louisiana, Starke's Brigade, Commanded by Col. Jesse M Williams.

. Company G, 2nd Regiment Louisiana Infantry.
Organization 1st pt. of Oct. 1861.
Enlisted May 11, 1861, New Orleans, by J N Galt,
Period 1 year, Last paid by H Lemu ? to May 21, 186X? Present
John R Lawrence.
( Handwriting is too faint on this printed form. - PJA)

. Co. G Reg. Louisiana Engagements for 1862:
Seven Pines, May 30, 31; Williamsburg June 23, King's School House June 25, Malvern Hill, July 1; Manassas No 2, Aug 28-30; Chantilly, Sept; Harper's Ferry, Sharpsburg, Sept 17 - wounded.
Fredericksburg, Dec 13 & Chancellorsville May 1-3, 1863. Absent wounded.

* Confederate 1st (Nelligan's) Louisiana
J R Lawrence, B Lieut. - Roster of commissioned officers, dated near Port Royal, Dec 26, 1862.
Absent. Wounded severely at Sharpsburg, Sept 17, 1862. Leg amputated. Never Reported. Now on furlough to LA. Spotsylvania., wounded, 2nd Lieut.
John R Lawrence Lieut., Amputated left leg Nov 23, 1862, General Hospital Federick, Md.
. 1862 May 1, $42.47 Com. clothing pd. Shoes dedd(?).
wounded & Disabled Sep 1862. Residence Covington /Carrington, LA.
recommend to take advantage of Invalid Ace in Accord with Gent. orders. Feb 27, 1865.

. The men of 2nd Louisiana Volunteer Infantry participated in the capture of Harper's Ferry, September 12-15, 1862. After Harper's Ferry 2nd fought in the Battle of Sharpsburg, September 14 South Mountain & Shaprsburg the 17th Sept, 1862. 
[Detailed Battle accounts, follows below]:

. Details of Battle of Sharpsbury, Washington Co., Maryland ( In the North, more often called the Battle of Antietam) & South Mountain where John R Lawrence was wounded:

. The original officers of the 2nd Louisiana earned a reputation for drunkenness. The regiment was reorganized in May 1862 with J. T. Norwood as colonel and Williams as lieutenant colonel. he regiment was reorganized in May 1862 with Colonel J. T. Norwood & Lieutenant Colonel Williams who as wounded in the chest at Antietam in the fighting along the Hagerstown Road.

. 1862 Sept 17. The day was foggy, overcast, drizzly as Sunday's battle that gave way to sunshine that glinted off the bayonets & rifle barrels., 5 miles from Boonesborough on the Shepardstown Road to the high bluffs on this side of the Antietam River, a short distance beyond Sharpsburg the battle begun the evening before was resumed commanded by General Jackson. The fight at the center was terribly severe but the troops of General D.H. Hill resolutely & to the end maintained their ground. But it was of the utmost moment to the enemy to turn our right flank in order to cut off our communication with the Virginia…The battle continued uninterruptedly for 13 hours. Never have our troops, exhausted as they were, exhibited their courage & endurance to such advantage; never has the enemy contested a field so obstinately. Our loss in killed was not too great though we are called upon to lament the fall of several gallant and distinguished officers. The day succeeding the battle our troops were under arms. The dead were buried, the wounded removed to Shepardstown & with the night fall came the general order under which the trains and troops were sent across the river by the next morning's dawn without loss or casualty but the enemy did not attempt to cross the river. On the next morning, however, they advance of the enemy was heralded by heavy cannonading and subsequently one or two brigades attempted to cross the river. A part were suffered to ascend the bank upon this side to receive a very warm reception from the troops of Jackson.
Their column, thrown into confusion, attempted to re-cross the river when the grape of our masked batteries told a fearful tale of death and destruction.The troops were the flower of Burnside's division &the ford of the Potomac was filled with them. Few could have escaped.
Ref: 1862 Oct 15, North Carolina Standard Newspaper, Raleigh. {slightly abbreviated). -.-

. Battle of Antietam, Midday at Sunken Road, later remembered as Bloody Lane:
Under fire from sharpshooters and artillery, the first of French's brigades crested a little rise; less than 100 yards below them in a sunken farm road were 3 Confederate brigades of Maj. Gen. Daniel Harvey Hill's division. A sheet of flame erupted from the sunken road & the crest of the ridge was covered with a blue blanket of dead or wounded Union soldiers. The brigade fell back; another took its place, with the same result. The Irishmen engaged regiment had been sent to reinforce Hill. The men fought at a distance of 30–50 paces from each other, finally Hill's troops were were out numbered. At the crucial moment, Maj. Gen. A. P. Hill, wearing his red battle shirt, arrived from Harpers Ferry with the Light Division. Hill had driven his men - many of them wearing Union uniforms taken at Harpers Ferry - northward mercilessly, sometimes beating them with the flat of his sword to keep them moving at the double-quick. The Light Division fell upon Burnside's Union flank, disordering his men and convincing the cautious Union officer that he'd done enough for one day. The Battle of Antietam was, for all intents and purposes, over.

. The Battle of South Mountain, 38,00 Union Troops attached 12,000 Confederated.
The following highly interesting letter written by a soldier in the 2nd NCR to his wife & mother is dated Charlestown, Va., 21st Sept. [1862]:

We left our camp near Frederick City on Wednesday morning, 10th inst., and marched through the city in the direction of Hagerstown. As we passed through the city a respectable show of favor was shown to us by the lady secessionists of the burg but it was not very large and had the appearance of cordiality mixed with a lively fear of the consequences. We marched all day over a beautiful mountain turnpike that at times gave us beautiful views of the country & camped at night at South Mountain Gap of the Blue Ridge, having passed through during the day several little villages that lay nestled down among the valleys. The largest was Middleton, a village of perhaps 1,000 inhabitants, who showed by their signs that they were for the most part hostile to our cause.

Little did I think as I stood that night on picket duty on the mountain that in a few short days a battle would be fought on the very spot I then stood. I had a beautiful view of sun rise from the top of the mountain the next morning but was too sleepy to appreciate it. Soon we were again inline and trudged over the mountain gap & then down into the Allegheny Valley. The tops of the mountains could be seen away to the west. Here we rested on Friday & Saturday the first two days rest we had since leaving Richmond. I had a good opportunity while there to ascertain the sentiments of the people, two thirds of whom I found hostile to us. Indeed but few families did I find but had brothers or sons in the Yankee army. Here our army split divisions. D.H. Hill's division, remained. A report the enemy was advancing in force with a column of 20,000 men.

South Mountain is on the south side of the road and is entirely wooded. The north side of the road, is more or less open and for the most part, farmed. Away in the distance we could see the long lines of the enemy approaching. Artillery was put in position and by sunrise the reverberation of its thunder went rolling up over the cliffs. The enemy also opened and a sharp artillery duel was kept up for over an hour. Very soon the rattle of musketry was heard from the woods on the right.

In half an hour we heard firing which continued and a canopy of smoke hung over us in the vicinity of that place from which the sound of the musketry came. Still we were not attacked & I believe Hill began to think that the enemy threw their whole force on the right flank. He became restless & unease. We passed through lots of wounded limping down the mountain, trickling blood at every step, then again in stretchers containing some more desperately wounded.

Our artillery was retreating when, a galloping courier arrived & directed General Hill to change his front to his left. Quickly we faced to the left, marched through a growing field of corn. In a few moments I could see the advancing line of Yankees. of 3 heavy columns were approaching us as far as we can see. To oppose was Hill's weak little division, scarce one quarter as large & my very heart sank within me as I heard General Anderson say to one of his aids to hurry to the rear & tell General Hill for God's sake send reinforcements as it was hopeless to contend against the approaching columns. About 8:00 the battle had also begun on the right of our first position and Jackson was hotly engaged. Sharpshooters were sent about 50 yards to the front of us and our line ordered to lay down in the land and hold our fire until the enemy was close to us. Our little corps seemed doomed to destruction but not an eye flinched nor a nerve quivered & I then felt sure we would do honor to our noble old state though we would not life to see it again.

Our skirmishers began to fire on the advancing line & we returned to ours. Slowly they approached up the hill & slowly our skirmishers retired before them, firing as they came. Our men reloaded & waited for them to approach again, while the first column of the enemy met the second, rallied and moved forward again. They then approached the top of the hill cautiously & laying down we poured into them a shower of leaden hail for 4 long, mortal hours. The whole air resounded with the din of arms. Our men were protected by about 6 or 8 inches of the rear of the road but that is great protection but not complete. Many were shot as they took aim at the enemy & the groans of the wounded could be heard amidst the guns.

At last the order was given to fall back & the very few that remained uninjured fell back sullenly. The enemy, however, had been so badly punished that they were not able to follow us immediately. We rallied behind a stone fence & awaited their approach. Reinforcements arrived and the enemy approached but fell back in disorders. The day was ours but little won. Six to 8,000 of our brave boys lay around dead or wounded in the days fray. The Yankees left fully 4 only 100 out of the fight, just one third it carried in while other regiments suffered worse. The next morning the Yankees sent in a flag asking permission to bury their dead and all day that was devoted to that purpose & we took care of the wounded who are now in hospitals at Sharpsburg, Maryland, Harper's Ferry and Charlestown, Winchester and throughout the country on the Virginia side of the Potomac. I do not know what will happen next.

Now as I have given you an account of the battle I will give an account of myself. I was slightly wounded in the head & on the right foot about 1:00 by a bursting shell. I was able to get off the field myself and did so without being hit again; & many others tried it but I may the only one that I know of who attempted to leave the field wounded & was not shot again. I went to the rear & had my wounds dressed, hired a horse & knowing the vicinity of the battle field would be crowded with wounded came to this place. There are about 400 wounded in the hospitals here & they are treated as well as if they were at home. I would come home & see you but my wounds are not respectable enough to ask for a furlough. For 3 or 4 days before the battles, we suffered much. We had to lay out in the line of battle without blankets & take the sun, rain & dew & I never got a mouthful to eat but green corn from Saturday night until Wednesday night.

. Somewhere here John Rezeau Lawrence laid wounded & no doubt rueing the day he left the farm in the Gore of Toronto. - PJA. Transcription by P J Ahlberg 2015. - - -

Birth:
Cherry Wood Farm L2, C9, Clairville (Brampton), Ontario

Died:
Aged 89y 3m 5d. COD: old age.

Buried:
Gore Rd., Peel Co. Very tall red granite pillar, slightly off kilter.

John married ANNnie KERSEY on 13 Dec 1860 in Vaughan Twp., York Co., Ontario. ANNnie (daughter of William KERSEY and Margaret BEATON) was born on 9 Mar 1845 in Coleraine, Gore of Toronto Twp., Peel Co., Ontario; died on 11 Feb 1927 in Claireville, Gore Twp., Peel Co., Ontario; was buried in Hilltop Gore Cemetery, Clairville, Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

. 1911 Jun 9 Census, Gore of Toronto
Ann Lawrence, Con 9, Lot 2, Age 66, born March 1845, Ontario.

Two Lawrence brothers married two Kersey sisters:
John Rezeau Lawrence married Ann Kersey &
Isaac Huver Lawrence marred the younger sister Mary Kersey.

. When the lights were turned on in the Gore, it was Annie Kersey Lawrence was the person who turned the button from Ebenezer School. - - -

Birth:
Sister of Mrs. Isaac Huver Lawrence, Mary Kersey

Died:


Buried:
Aged 82 years = 1845.

Notes:

Married:
Home of Ann Kersey, Coleraine, Vaughan Twp.

Notes:

. Elisha Lawrence son to John & Mary Lawrence was born on Friday morning about 7 o'clock the 21 Day of Feb. 1800. - On 5 July 1825, at York, mother Mary Rezeau Lawrence swore she saw her husband, John Lawrence when he wrote down their children's names & birth dates.

Note: The names of those children were equally carefully chosen. The following choice assuredly contributed to their name choice:

. Elisha Lawrence, is a Lawrence heritage name. He was named 1. for his father's brother Elisha Lawrence & 2. for his great uncle, Lieut. Colonel Elisha Lawrence who raised the three battalions of the New Jersey Volunteers where his father John Lawrence first served as an Ensign. - P J Ahlberg, 2010.

. Elisha Lawrence came to Toronto Gore Twp. from New Brunswick in 1821.

. 1815-24 Lawrence, Elisha, UCLP. Summary, Road Building in Gore.
Your Petitioner will cut a Road half a chain wide between 9th & 10th Concession, Gore [Peel County]; from Lot 1 to Lot 17. Level all stumps 10 feet in width in the road to admit sleighs to travel without difficulty or interruption. To be completed by June 1st [1822]; in favour of Lot 2, Con 9, Gore. 400 Acres in total. Elisha Lawrence, Alexander McVean Petitioners further pray, new agreement with Alex. McVean Senior to join to cut the road a Chain in width & cutting small Stumps the width of 18 feet. In favour of 600 Acres of their choice in Gore [of Toronto Twp.]

. 1818, Survey Diaries indicated that the original timber stands within Toronto Gore township included oak, ash, maple, beech, elm, basswood, hemlock & pine. The survey crew working in the township in the summer of 1819 suffered under extreme conditions. One of the complaints noted by the surveyor was that of "musquetoes miserable thick."

. 1821 November 12, York. Quite a formable task, originally Elisha Lawrence petitioned to cut the road by himself & then revised his request to include John McVean & for Alex McVean:
From enormous trees Elisha & the McVeans cleared the wilds of the Gore Road from Clairville to Wildfield, now called Rexdale Blvd., Islington (Toronto) Ontario.
The Humber River's west branch meander & the Gore Road (*Old Malton Road * now Dixon Road) was to cut the north-south concessions road. In November 1833 the McVean Side road was built to give access to the Village of Weston's mills, also on the Humber River.
Elisha Lawrence made extensive hand written contracts for road building in favour of land grants. (including the following sample:)
. Statutes of the Province of Upper Canada: The First Year of William IV 1831, 11th UC Parliament:
Statute XVII. That the sum granted to the Home district, be appropriated & expended as follows, that is to say... & Elisha Lawrence, of the Gore of Toronto, be commissioners for expending the same.

. UCLPetition 9, T Bundle 16, C1836, p182
To Lt. Gov. John Colborne, In Council, Petition of Inhabitants of Gore of Toronto & part of Chinguacousy Twp.
The principle Mille site of the Gore of Toronto is on the Clergy Reserve about 12 miles of Gore. The inhabitants are delirious that a mill on said Lot should be built a grist mill capable making goods Merchaneable flour.
Signed, February 1830, John Mordill Sr., & 104 persons including Elisha Lawrence
Envelope: Lot 5, 8, Gore of Toronto, Containing 200 Acres is a Clergy Reserve. In Council, 6 Feb 1830. Recommended Commissioner John Beitinz (?) of Crown lands to ascertained whether there is a good Mill Site upon as stated.

. 1831 Home District, That the same of £1900, granted to the Home District, be appropriated & expended as follows:
- For the erection of a Bridge across the Humber R., on the road leading from York to Caledon, commonly called Campbell's Road, the sum of £100, & that David Jardine, Nathan Martin of Etobicoke, & Elisha Lawrence of the Gore of Toronto, be Commissioners for expending the same.
Ref: Statues of Her Majesty's Province of Upper Canada, 11th Provincial Parliament.

. 1837 City of Toronto & Home District Commercial Directory: Elisha Lawrence, Con 9, Lot 2, Gore of Toronto, Peel Co., Ontario.

. 1838 April 17, Upper Canada Sundries, Index C9824, Image 757 & Page106499-502
Special Session, Case of Treason. Petition for pardon & other papers in the case of J. C. Divins. 200+ signatures, including Elisha Lawrence, Wm & John, Wm. Munshaw, William Lyon McKenzie, Isaac, James, B. Devins, Polly Divins, Peter, Richard Vanderburg, Jonathan, John Langstaff, T. & Ed. Shepard. [Clearly J C Divins was well liked.].

. 1841 - Weston Plank Road: About the year 1841, the old corduroy road was changed into a modern Plank Road. The road was 18 miles long & ran through Weston to Thistletown, to Claireville, & finally to Coleraine. The building of the road took 2,250,000 feet of pine planking, which was purchased from the mills around West at $4.00 per thousand feet. [Cost = $9,000 for sold ancient pine for 18 miles of road! PJA]
The building of the Toronto Gore or Malton Road did much to help the mills at Weston, in the early days. At certain seasons of the year, the Toronto Gore road was a notorious mud road & farmers from the district, hauling their gain to the mill at Weston, with teams of oxen, were obliged to take 2 days to compete the trip.
Ref: History of Weston, by F D Cruckshank, MD, 1937.
Transcription by P J Ahlberg 2015. -.-

. 1846 Smith's Canadian Gazetter, Province of Canada West:
Toronto Gore Twp, Home District, a small wedge shaped twp., Humber river runs through it, good land, one grist mill, Population 1842, 1,145.

. 1847 Feb 19 - His Excellency the Gov. General makes the following nominations: Ninth Battalion, York: To be Captains: Charles E Lawrence; Lieutenants: Miles Langstaff, John Arnold, Peter Vanderburg Gentlemen; To be Quarter-Master: Elisha Lawrence, Gentlemen.

Quarterly Sessions of Peace, York County
. 1850 Jul 2, Tues., S B Harrison, Esq, chairman, Grand Jury, Elisha Lawrence, Peter Lawrence. Queen VS Nathan & Wm. Dennis, Nuisance.

. 1857 - Collapse of the wheat market (English Tariffs) lead to decline of farm land values.
. 1859 Dec 30 -
. 1861 Census, Peel Co.
Elisha Lawrence, Age 61, b 1800, NB, Episcopalian, Log house.

. Elisha stood 5 feet 9 inch tall. Elisha & wife Sarah cleared the thick woods & planted wheat on the cleared patches. Elisha carried a sack of grain on his back, north to Bolton & then from the Gore through the path in the woods to Richmond Hill, 15 miles distant.
His love of horses led him to introduce the first horses to the area In 1842 he build the first field & creek stone bank barn in the area with the help of neighbors & a barn-raising barn was built close to a hill allowing easy access to the top floor of a barn. Most barns of the time were only single story.
When he married in 1823 there were still plenty of packs of wolves to follow Elisha on his journey to the grist mill. 'Once he had a narrow escape from a pack of these fierce creatures, he was carrying meat in a sack on his back, & got to his cabin in time to start a fire, this being the most effective protection.' They made wool & flax clothing from their own land.

Brother Peter R. Lawrence attended Elisha's barn raising in 1842 & prevailed on them to dump the whiskey because it causes accidents at barn raising. This was the first barn bank in the Gore for many years. At the same time mother sow & piglets invited themselves to the barn raising banquet, but their squeals alerted the building bee of the impending disaster. In the Census of Gore Twp. in 1852 Peter's son, Peter Lawrence, Jr. lived on the adjacent frontside of the farm lot of Uncle Elisha Lawrence, (i.e. at Lot 9, Con 2, Elisha R Lawrence was on the adjacent adjoining backside of Lot 8, Con One.)

Reports of cases decided in the Court of Common Pleas of Upper Canada, Volume 3. By Edward C Jones., Upper Canada. Court of Common Pleas, 1883. Summary:
The by-law recites, that the inhabitants of Union School Section No. 5, in the Gore of Toronto, at a meeting held at the school-house on Saturday, the 18th January, 1851, determined to build a new school-house for that section, & to raise the funds to pay for the construction by assessment upon the rateable property in the Gore.: that Wm. Doubloon, Elisha Lawrence, & Wm. Heugell, trustees for the year 1851, did petition the Municipality of the Gore of Toronto to raise, by assessment 1001: & that the said council, on the 25th February, 1851, pass a by-law authorizing the raising of the said sum. ...It is therefore enacted by the Municipality of the Gore of Toronto, that the special rate of six-sevenths of a penny in the pound should be raised for the year 1852, property in the union school section No. 5 of the Gore of Toronto ...That it should be lawful for the said secretary-treasurer to retain for his own use 5%, on the gross sum collected under this by-law, for his trouble in assessing & collecting the same, & as such treasurer hold the balance thereof subject to the order of the trustees of school section No. 5 aforesaid, to be applied by them in liquidating the expense of building a new school house in the said section, & to no other purpose whatsoever.

Elisha Lawrence, Sarah wife of the above, & Mary their dau., wife of John Bailey: Gorgeous very tall red granite round pillar, is a slight till (2013).Gore Hill Top Cemetery is on Concession 9, lot 3 & 4 one mile north of Claireville on the Gore Road. It is on top of a high bank sloping up from the road & is immediately south of the present day Highway #7.

. 1863 Son John R Lawrence returns from American Civil War with an amputated leg at Spotsylvania.
. 1683 Elisha Lawrence transfers to sons John R. Lawrence & Isaac H Lawrence
Con 2 Lot 9 North, 35 Acres EACH as a gift.

. 1869 Jun 18th inst. Died at his residence, Gore of Toronto, Elisha Lawrence, Esq., aged 69 years; one of the first settlers in the township. Ref: York Herald newspaper.

. Recorded for further research: The Canadian Freeman Newspaper, Toronto: 24 July, 1834, Elisha Lawrence.

. Ontario Land Registry Abstract, Toronto Gore Book, P 8-10.
Lot 2, Con 9, North Dundas Street, Twp of Toronto Gore,
. 1868 Aug 28, WILL, Elisha Lawrence, R Lawrence et all N Half E 130 A & S of East 130 Acres.
. 1875 Jan 1, Mortgage, J R Lawrence et ux, et all, to C H Green $600 South part, discharged.
. 1877 Dec 20, Mort, Isaac H Lawrence, et, to Thomas Kersey, $800, S, 70 Acres., disc. 1929 Jun 18.
. 1887 Mar 15, Bargain&Sale, Margaret A Burton, et all, to John R Lawrence $480. S
. 1893 Jan 6, B&S, Margaret A Burton, et all, to John R Lawrence $4800. SHalf.
. 1904 Jan 2, B&S, Townley R Lawrence, to, JRL, $584, SHalf
. 1905 Aug 31, B&S, Charles J Lawrence to,
. 1920 May 29, Isaac J Lawrence, to Ann Lawrence, Part & O.L.
. 1926 Apr 1, Grant, Elisha W Lawrence, et all, Executors of Joh R Lawrence Estate. to Jos. Creech., $5, 000. Part acres.
. 1926 Apr 1, Grant, EWL et all Exts. of JRL Estate, to Albert Hewson. $4,000, Part.
. 1932 Jun 22, Grant, EWL et all Exts. of JRL Estate, to Isaac J Lawrence, $1. SHalf except W Acres.
. 1941 Jun 14, Mort. Isaac J Lawrence et al, to H R Lawrence Trust, $3,200. SHalf.
. 1943 Sep 30, Discharge Mort., Harold R Lawrence, to Isaac J Lawrence.
. 1943 Aug 17, Grant, Isaac J Lawrence, Widower, to Eugene & Loretta LeMay as joint Tenants. $1.

. 1869 Jun 18, Died, At his residence, Gore of Toronto, on the 18th inst., Elisha Lawrence, Esq., aged 69 years; one of the first settlers in the township.

Research & transcriptions by PJ Ahlberg. Thank you. - - -

Birth:
Born Queensbury Parish, York Co, NB.

Died:
Stone says 18 June 1689; Family history records his death of 25th June, 1869.

Buried:
Aged 69y 4m 28d, Brampton, Con 9, Gore Rd. a mile north of Claireville.

Elisha married Sarah DEVINS on 18 Dec 1823 in Toronto, York Co., Ontario. Sarah (daughter of Isaac DEVINS and Mary POLLY CHAPMAN) was born on 1 Sep 1799 in York Twp., York Co., Ontario; died on 8 Oct 1867 in Gore of Toronto Twp., Peel Co., Ontario; was buried in Hilltop Gore Cemetery, Clairville, Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

. 1823 Dec 18, Toronto Banns Proclaimed,
Elisha Lawrence married Sarah Devins.
Witnesses: Isaac Devins & Peter Lawrence.
Marriage #117 by Rev. William Jenkins, Richmond Hill.

HILLTOP GORE PIONEER CEMETERY was made unique; lacking common characteristics that typically served to distinguish a village.
In the place of a formal church stood a schoolhouse. With a removable altar, for use on Sundays, the school became an available and convenient resource to various religious denominations.
It was often referred to as "The Schoolhouse Burying Ground" and sometimes as the Anglican and Methodist Cemetery.

This Protestant school, built in 1835, was the first in Toronto Gore. It stood on top of the hill, on the northern edge of the cemetery. It was one room, about 30 square feet, built of hardwood logs lined with dressed lumber. At capacity, the schoolhouse held as many as 80 pupils.

. 1966, the cemetery was again set in order; the brush cleared, the ground leveled and the larger stones set on concrete foundations, and re-lettered. The monuments that were flat were built into a concrete cairn with a central monument
Research & transcriptions by PJ Ahlberg. Thank you. - - -

Birth:
Born near Humber River. Alt DOB 18 Sep 1799.

Died:
Clairville (Brampton), Ontario. Monument reads died O t 10, 1867.

Buried:
Aged 68y 1m 22d [17 Aug 1799.] Red pillar monument is off kilter.

Notes:

Married:
by Rev Wm. Jenkins, #117, Published Bands. Wit Isaac Devins, Peter Lawrence.

Notes:

The Kerseys, who had originally settled in the Gore but later moved to Vaughan, reappeared in the township when 2 of the Kersey boys married Elisha Lawrence's daughters in the 1870s.
Ref: Families & Land in Toronto Gore Twp., Peel Co. 1820-1890., Herbert J Mays, Oct 1979.

. 1878 Jan 3, Provincial Municipal Nominations: Toronto Gore, Reeve, William Kersey.
. 1880 Jan 2, Provincial Municipal Nominations: Toronto Gore, Reeves Wm Porter & William Kersey.
Ref: The Globe Newspaper, Toronto.

Ontario cultural Heritage Assessment Report, Hwy. 50 & Mayfield Rd. Environmental Assessment, Peel & York Region, Ontario, 2010 Feb.
. 1860, Con 10, Lot 22, William Kersey, Homestead
. 1860, Con 10, Lot 22, Thomas Kersey, Homestead, orchard
. 1859, Con 12, Lot 13, William Kersey, Historic Inn,
. 1877, Con 12, Lot 13, Estate of Wm. Kersey, Homestead, orchard, Coleraine Post Office
- - -

Died:
Lot 21, Con 9, Coleraine, Ontario. Indian Line, Hwy 50, York-Peel Co., Ontario

William married Margaret BEATON. Margaret (daughter of William BEATON and Catherine MCFEE) was born on 8 Nov 1809 in Kilfinichen Par. Mull, Scotland; died on 23 Apr 1899 in Woodbridge Twp., Middlesex Co., New Jersey. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Margaret is the daughter of Catherine McFee and Wm. Beaton.

Margaret's children: Thomas born 1836, Catherine 1838, William 1840, Mary, 1843, Ann, 1845, Margaret 1851 and Jonathon Kersey 1854.

. Obituary of son:
1922 Sep 6, Woodbridge, Jonathan Kersey, a veteran Vaughan Twp. farmer, died last night from injuries he receive serval days ago when he was kicked by a cow in the stable. In an attempt to save his life an operation was performed on Saturday, Mr. Kersey was born in Coleraine & his father, Wm. Kersey, was one of the first settlers of Toronto Gore, He was an Anglican in religion & a conservative in politics. Besides his wife, he is survive by 4 sons
Edward & Wm of Coleraine, Thomas & William at home; 2 daughters, Miss Annie & Miss May at home;
a brother Thomas of Weston & 2 sisters, Mrs. Margaret Burton, Brampton & Mrs. J R Lawrence, Coleraine.
Ref: The Globe Newspaper, Toronto.

. Obituary Mrs. Wm. Kersey
1925 Oct 5 - Brampton, The death occurred in Castlemore, near her on Friday, Mrs. Wm. Kersey, a resident of Toronto Gore Twp. for theist 54 years.
the late Mrs. Kersey, whose maiden name was miss Agnes Laurie, was a daughter of the late John Laurie of Woodbridge 7 was in her 78th year. She was an Anglican & a member of the St. John's church, Castlemore. Mrs. Kersey was predeceased 14 years ago by her husband & is survived by 4 sons,
Wm. & John of Toronto Gore;
Thomas of Vaughan Twp. York,
& Robert of Vancouver;
2 daughters, Mrs. Wm. Taylor of Toronto & Mrs. Adam Agar of Nashville; and
2 sisters Mrs. Robert Kellam of Vaughan Twp. and Mrs. John Nattress of Woodbridge.
Ref: The Globe Newspaper, Toronto. - - -

Died:
Died in her new home, Lot 2, William St., Woodbridge, aged 91, Bronchitis, 2 weeks.