Notes:

. His Oath of Allegiance on 11 March 1805 in York
“John Willson of Gwillimbury, Yeoman, 23 Years old a Protestant, Dark Brown Hair & Hazel Eyes 5 feet 6 Inches high."

. 1810 Jun 30 - Sept 4 - Advertisement: For sale freight or charter, the handsome & very fast sailing brig Franklin, burthen 156 Tons, lying at Pier No. 10. She was built at Portland during the present year, of the best White Oak & bone of the first workmen in the country. She is now in compleat order for sea. For terms & view of inventory apply to: Wm Codman, 28 South St.
. 1811 Jan 22 Arrived. Brig Franklin has coal, logwood & cotton to Strong & Davis.
. 1811 Feb 1 - By James Seton, Tomorrow, at 1 o'clock at the to mine coffee House, The Brig Franklin, burthen 165 5 95 tons - a substantial built & superior sailing vessel about 10 months old, well found & may be sent to sea with trifling expense. In venture & Terms attire of sale.
. 1811Jun 24 - Cleared NY harbor. Below. lat. 40, 15, long 70, spoke brig franklin from Kennebunk for the W. Indies, 8 days out.
marine List cleared. Brig Franklin, 10 days from St. Bartholomews, to Strong & Davis - gone up to Amboy [NJ].
. 1812 May 28 - cotton - 176 bales prime Upland Cotton, landing from brig Franklin, Coffee House slip & 200 blues do. in store, For sale by Post & MKinnie, 56 South St., NYC.
Ref: NY Evening Post newspaper. [there are many other reports & advertisement.]

. 1840 Census Sugar Grove Twp., Warren Co., Pennsylvania
John Willson, 1 Males bet 5-10y; 3 males bet 20-30; 1 male bet 50-60; 2 female bet 15-20; 2 females bet 40-50. Total 10 people. One Employed in Agriculture.

. 1844 Feb 23 - Public Meetings. Pursuant to public notice, a meeting of the citizens of Sugar-Gove Twp. was held at the school house in said village on the 17th ins. & organized by the appointment of J I Willson, chairman. The object of the meeting being stated we have received information from authentic sources that a citizen of Pennsylvania has recently been seized, ironed & removed from this state to New York State. It is alleged that the instigators of this outrage are persons residing in NY state who are governed more by a love of money than for the public good. Therefore we entirely disapprove of all in the rent arrest of a man by the name of Hires, a citizen of Penn & taking him without authority of law beyond the limits of this state. We approve of the course pursued by the people of Crawford County in holding meetings where Hires resided.
Signed, J I Willson, Chairman.
Ref: Jamestown Journal, NY.

. History of Sugar Grove Twp.
Sugar Grove Twp. was organized in 1821. The soil in the valleys is principally a gravelly loam, & on the highlands chestnut. The surface was originally covered with a dense growth of forest. Another prominent pioneer of this town & country was Captain John I. Willson. He was born at Pleasant Valley, Dutchess Co., NY., on the 15th of August, 1781. His wife, Mary Elliott, whom he married in New York City in 1807, was born in that metropolis on the 29th of August, 1789.
Captain Willson's ancestors were from Ireland; Mrs. Willson' parents were Scotch.*
Note*: XRef: His mother Catherine Kuhn's, surname is German.

Inclined to a seafaring life, he engaged on board a vessel sailing from New York when he was about 18 years of age. Commencing as a cabin boy, he rose to the command of the Brig Franklin, sailing from NY to the Bermudas, of which he also became part owner. After the enactment of the embargo on commerce & navigation under Jefferson, he left the ocean, & with his young wife removed to Upper Canada, where his elder brother, David Willson, had preceded him, & where he cultivated a small farm, & taught school winters. In 1819 he removed with his family to Sugar Grove. About 1821 he there opened a public house (which he purchased of Robert Miles, & which still forms a part of the present hotel), & made it for many years the most popular resort for travelers in that section of the country.

Having retained his fondness for navigation, in 1825 he bought an interest in the schooner Milan, of Buffalo, & took charge of her as master in the lake trade. When the steamer Chautauqua, on Chautauqua Lake, was built he took charge of her for one or two seasons. Then, having purchased an interest in the schooner Nucleus, on Lake Erie, he was made master. As this was before the era of steamboats on Lake Erie, the Nucleus participated largely in carrying passengers, & was fitted up specially for that business. In 1836 he disposed of his interest in the vessel, abandoned navigation, & returned to his family & home at Sugar Grove. He was a moral & an upright citizen, temperate in all his habits, & enjoyed the fullest confidence of the community. He had been educated in the Society of Friends, but was tolerant & friendly towards other societies. He read much & was a man of intelligence & culture.

The children of Captain Willson were Catharine Elliott, married to Charles Doane, of Aurora, Ontario, & residing there; Martha Clinger, who died in 1869, unmarried; Mark Willson, and Eliza Willson, who resides at Winona, unmarried. John I. Willson died on February 16, 1859; his wife died on the 9th of June, 1854. Both are buried in the village cemetery at Sugar Grove.

. Hotels - The only hotels of any prominence in the village of Sugar Grove have been that of John I. Willson & his successors, & that of Samuel Hall - the last building having been destroyed by fire about 13 years ago [1874], though it had not been kept as a hotel for some time previous to that date. As stated in the sketch of Captain Willson, he purchased the hotel (of Robert Miles) about 1821, & retained the property until about the year 1857, when he sold out to James Patterson. The Post Office was a little to the west of Willson's Hotel.
Ref: History of Warren Co., Penn., 1887.

. History of Capt. John I Willson: [varies slightly from the above]:
Capt. John I Willson was born August 15, 1781 in Pleasant Valley, Dutchess County, New York, d. February 16, 1859 in Sugar Grove, Warren County, Pennsylvania. Both John & Mary were buried in the Village of Sugar Grove Cemetery.
Mary's brother James Elliott was the first person buried in that cemetery about 1820. (He first went to sea at age 15 with relatives on, on The Farmer & was later pressed into service by the British & served 3 years. Rising from cabin boy he rose to command the brig, The Franklin, sailing from NY to the Bermudas of which he also became a part owner. The Brig Franklin was captured by Morocco in 1802 were 8 Americans were captured. No evidence that he was on board that ship then.
After the enactment of embargo on commerce by President Jefferson [1807] he left the sea & moved to Sharon, Ontario where his older brothers lived. He taught school & had a small farm. In 1818 he moved to Sugar Grove PA to a small farm he had purchased. In 1821 he opened a hotel there which was the most popular hotel in the region for many years. In 1825 he bought an interest in the schooner, The Milan, in Buffalo as was her master. After the steamer, Chautauqua was built on Chautauqua Lake he was her captain for two seasons. He then bought an interest in the schooner, The Nucleus, on Lake Erie & he was master. In 1836 he disposed of the The Nucleus & returned home to Sugar Grove.

He married Mary Ann Elliott, married 1807 in New York City, New York, U.S., b. August 29, 1789 in New York City, New York, U.S., (daughter of Mr. Elliot) d. June 19, 1854 in Sugar Grove, Warren County, Pennsylvania, U.S. Mary: burial: Sugar Grove Cemetery: Sugar Grove, Warren County, Pennsylvania, U.S.

. Children:
i. Martha Clinger Willson, b. in Chautauqua County, New York, d. 1869. never married.
ii. Elisa Willson, b. in Sugar Grove, Warren County, Pennsylvania, U.S., d. in Winona, Minnesota, U.S. never married.
iii. Catherine Elliott Willson, b. November 3, 1809 in Sugar Grove, Warren County, Pennsylvania, U.S., d. in Aurora, York, Ontario, Canada. Married Charles Doan, who was the husband of her cousin Mary Willson who died in childbirth. She married Charles Doan, b. November 6, 1808 in Sharon, Ontario, (son of John Doan & Elizabeth Stockdale) d. June 18, 1895 in Aurora, Ontario.
iv. Mark Willson b. 1815.
Ref: History of Chatuaqua, NY, Andrew W Young, 1875.

Obituary:
. 1859 Feb 16 - died, Capt. John I. Willson. Age 77. Resident of Sugar Grove, Pa. & father of Mark Willson, Esq.
Resided in Sugar Grove more than 40 years. Kept the only hotel there.
Born Poughkeepsie, 1781.
Removed to NYC where he married Mary Elliot. Early in life he was a mariner...it will be remembered he was the commander of the first steamboat on Chautauqua Lake & commanded a vessel several years on Lake Erie.
Ref: Condensed History of Chautauqua County, Jamestown Journal 1850 Jan 17.

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

Died:
Alt DOD: 1839 date is somewhat illegible.

Buried:
Sugar Grove, PA.

John married Mary Ann ELLIOTT in 1807 in New York, New York. Mary was born on 29 Aug 1789 in New York, New York; died on 9 Jun 1854 in Sugar Grove Twp., Warren Co., Pennsylvania; was buried in Cherry Hill Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Catherine Elliot WILLSON was born on 3 Nov 1809 in Sugar Grove Twp., Warren Co., Pennsylvania; died in in Aurora, Whitchurch Twp., York Co., Ontario.
2. Martha Clinger WILLSON was born in 1812 in Chautaqua County, New York; died in 1869.
3. Mark WILLSON, Esq. was born on 27 Feb 1820 in East Gwillimbury Twp., York Co., Ontario; died on 12 Apr 1900 in Winona, Minnesota.
4. Elisa WILLSON was born in 1821 in Sugar Grove Twp., Warren Co., Pennsylvania; died in in Winona, Minnesota.

Notes:

John is the son of Jane Ramsay (1701 Hexham, Northumberland, England - c1776
& Hugh Willson, (1700 Carrickfergus, Ireland - 1750 North Carolina?) Jane & Hugh Willson married in North Carolina.
* NOTE: This first, John Willson, husband of Catharine Kuhn is unrelated to the John Willson, Esq., 2nd husband of Catherine B Kuhn. - PJA

* John Willson, b. 1745, d. before 1791 Feb 12 Clinton.
Note: date wife was appointed administratrix. - PJA]

. He fled Ireland ahead of the authorities as he was outspoken against injustices & rigged trials, leaving his pregnant wife in his parents' care. The newspapers carried account of their flight.
. Hugh L. Willson was born in County Down while the family had been living in Carrickfergus County Antrim leads me to think that John's [first] wife was living on her brother-in-law's farm at the time of Hugh L Willson's birth.
He met & married Catherine in New York & they had a rented farm 12 miles east of Poughkeepsie near the Connecticut border.
John had little sympathy for the rebels & that before & after the actual declaration of war, he had been arrested several times, bound over to keep the peace, fined & even served a term of imprisonment for defending sometimes with his fists, his right to reject the excesses of the most militant of the colonists.

. Clinton, Dutchess Co., NY
Clinton was first settled around 1755. The town was part of the Great Nine Partners Patent of 1697. The town was established in 1786 from territory from the Towns of "Charlotte" & Rhinebeck.

Prior to the War of the Revolution Presbyterians at Poughkeepsie held services with more or less regularity. They shared the ministrations of a pastor now with the Rombout Church at Brinckerhoff & now with the Pleasant Valley Church. During the war the congregation at Poughkeepsie lapsed out of existence. In 1817 the congregation was revived & in 1826 it was formally organized. This lot of land was given to the church in 1821 for burial purposes. Since 1911 the lot has been sold by the church & a garage built upon it but legal difficulties have been encountered, in connection with passing the title, affording a specific instance of the fact that ground originally set aside for burial purposes can rarely be transferred with clear title.
Ref: Old Gravestones of Dutchess Co. NY, JW Poucher, 1924.

. The GREAT Nine Partners:
Located in the present Poughkeepsie Precinct (i.e. similar to a county).
Dutchess then comprised the following towns: Amenia, Beekman, Clinton (formed March 13, 1786, from portions of Charlotte & Rhinebeck Precincts), Fishkill, North East, Pawling, Poughkeepsie, Rhinebeck & Washington.A Presbyterian church was organized in Poughkeepsie as early as 1749, but failed to maintain itself or erect a building. - - -

Died:
Ref: Wife appointed administratrix of his estate.

Buried:

John married Catherine B KUHN in 1770 in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess Co., New York. Catherine was born on 10 Feb 1754 in Dutchess Co., New York; died on 10 Feb 1840 in Sharon, E Gwillimbury, York Co., Ontario; was buried in Sharon Burial Grounds. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Catherine's middle name of Barbara is unproven & subject to verification.)

Catherine B Kuhn's first husband was also named John Willson & he was born in 1745 Carrickfergus Ireland & died bef. 1788 Poughkeepsie, NJ. The widow Willson accompanied her son Hugh L Willson to Sharon, Ontario.
The Children of Catherine B Kuhn & her first husband John Willson of Nine Partners, Duchess Co., NY., were David, John J, Ann & Mary Willson. Her son is David Wilson of Children of Peace, Sharon, Ontario.

. KUHN SURNAME
KUHN is a German surname. Some biographers give Catherine's PARENTS being born in Scotland. In all certainty this is a misunderstanding of the surname Kuhn, perhaps thinking it was derived from the Scottish Colquhoun, which is pronounced Coon! (Likewise, her mother's name & nationality is also unknown at this time.) - PJA 2017.

* 1791 Feb 12. ADMINISTRATRIX
The People of the State of NY, by the Grace of God, Free & Independent.
To Catherine Willson, widow of John Willson, late of Clinton Town in Dutchess County, farmer, deceased.
Whereas the said John Willson, died intestate, having whilst living & at the time of his death, goods, chattels or credits within this State by means whereof, the ordering & granting Administration of all & singular said goods & also the the auditing allowing & final discharging the account there of doth appertain unto us, & we being desirous that the goods of the said diseased my be well & faithful administered, applied & disposed of do grant unto you the said Catharine Willson full power to the presents to administer & faithful dispose of all the singular said goods & receive debs at the time of his death …to cause to be exhibited into the Office of the Surrogate of Dutchess County before the expiration of 6 calendar months from the date here of, & also render a just & true account of administration & appoint you the said Catharine Willson, Administratrix of all goods, chattels & credits of the said John Willson.
In witness, signed, Gilbert Livingston, Esq., Surrogate of said County, Poughkeepsie, 12 February, 1791. p83.
. 1791 July 9., Inventory filed in the Surrogate Office for Dutchess Co., John Willson. p.195.
Ref: NY Wills & Probate, Dutchess, Letters Testamentary & of Administration, Vol A-B, P72 , p83 & p195).

. Catherine's son David Willson was the founder of the Children of Peace, in Sharon, Ontario. A favourite topic of Willson's was "Public Affairs, their Total Depravity," coupled with denunciations of the so-called Family Compact," of the ruling rich families. Catherine's 2nd husband, John Willson, UE., would no doubt have been sympathetic to this point of view. Gov. John Graves Simcoe in first appointments made John Willson a Magistrate in the new Upper Canada & Willson would soon be sidelined by the workings of the Family Compact.
. John Willson, Esq.'s first wife Rebecca Thickson died 6 June 1804 in Markham, Ontario.
. 1805 Sept. 18, Catherine & John Willson Sr. were married by the Rev. John Strachan in St. James Cathedral, Town of York.
Perhaps John Willson & Mrs. Catherine Kuhn Willson first met at York Mills (Wilson Avenue) where for some time son John Willson, Jr. operated a mill. John Willson, Jr. was also the trustee for a small chapel at York Mills which the David Willson & his Children of Peace used to hold services, much to the annoyances of Rev. Strachan. 15 years after they married, John & Katherine were living on Yonge Street in Markham where, on 15 June, 1820, John Willson filed a claim for this War of 1812 service. PJ Ahlberg, 2012

Hugh L. Willson who returned there from the York Mills area in 1819. John Sr. died 8 July 1829, aged 90, & his funeral was conducted by the Rev. Strachan in the meeting house of the Children of Peace. This is highly ironic as the Rev. Strachan preached in the same little chapel at York Mills as did David Willson “much to the annoyance of the inhabitants.” Soon after the death of John Willson Sr., the Rev. Strachan took control of this chapel without the consent of many of those who had contributed to its building, & banned David Willson from using it. Catherine Willson died 10 Feb. 1840, aged 86. Both John & Catherine are buried in the Children of Peace cemetery.

* In your letter of the 24th ult.,1829 you asked about one John Willson who died at Hope (Sharon, ON) about this old man was called Squire Willson. He was David Willson's stepfather, my father's stepmother's second husband (Katherine Kuhn). Her first husband, also called John Willson, died about 1788 in Duchess County, New York)*. She soon after married Squire Willson who was a man highly respected. He came, I believe form NS in Gov. Simcoe's time & was by the Governor much thought of. He had a large family by a former wife, but none by this one. There are a number of great grandchildren, living in the Twps. of York & Scarborough. There was a grandson of his, John Willson by name, in the service of the Canada Company at the time of the settling of Goderich & neighborhood.
When these old people became helpless, David Willson took them home & kept them until they died. They died poor but honest. They once had property which his children spent for them.
Ref: Extracted from a letter of 5 December, 1869, Holland Landing, Richard Titus Willson.
Note: First husband Jun Willson was still alive in 1788. His daughter Molly Willson was born June 1792. - PJA

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

The following page is for investigative reach only:

RESEARCH FOR CATHERINE B KHUN'S PARENTS & HISTORY:

Recorded for further research:
. 1828 Kate Koon Bovey visited Bischmisheim, Germany (near Saarbrucken) & saw the Lutheran Baptism records for Matthias Kuntz (born bet. 1660-67)
s/o Matthias Kuntz married1, Anna Margaretha Margaret, d. 2.2.1704
& married2, on 10.1. 1704 to Anna Margaretha Spitz of Frankfurt.
She also visited where Mathias lived in Clove, near the towns of Poughquag & Beekman in the Poughkeepsie Valley, NY. Later they lived in Germantown which is also on the Hudson River. Nicholas's wife was Philetta. Matthias Kuntz left for America in 1790, via Holland & England & landed 1710 Germantown, NY. 13 children by 2 marriages.
Ref: Koon & Coons families of eastern NY, Kate Koon Bovey, 1841-1912 of Minneapolis, Minn., published 1937.

History & Roster of Peter Khun Family in the USA.1932"
Red Hook, Duchess, New York (also known as Tivoli):
. Nicholas Bonesteel & Anna Margretha Kuhn, his wife, with some of their children, were among the early settlers. A portion of the village of Red Hook is now on the easterly part of their farm. Of their descendants, Philip N. Bonesteel was a merchant, magistrate & post-master in Red Hook for many years. His son, Virgil D., was Surrogate of Dutchess county in 1844.

. John, James, Daniel & Robert Wilson, 4 brothers, settled in the vicinity of Upper Red Hook before 1770, & engaged in farming. The 2 eldest married the Kuhn sisters, daughters of Simon Kuhn:
John married Elizabeth
& James married Anna Kuhn, d/o Catharine Linch & Simon Kuhn.
Ref: History of Dutchess Co., NY, 1882, by James H Smith.
Refs: Historical & Genealogical Record Dutchess & Putnam Counties.

* 1782 Mar 3, Reyn Beeck Dutch Reformed Church (now Redhood, NY)
Baptism: Child, John, Parents John Wilson & Elisabeth Kuhn
Witnesses: John Felder, Catharina Kuhn.
Note: this raises interesting possibilities, Catharina Kuhn would be Catherine Willson, not Kuhn at this date., or is this senior Catharine Kuhn?
Ref: Dutch Reformed Church, Reyn Beeck Book 40,( Red Hook, Duchess Co., NY)
. Rhinebeck Cemetery, Duchess Co., NY: John Wilson, born/baptized Mar 3, 1782 - died Jul 11, 1815, aged 33y 4m 8d.

. Anna Margaretha Kuhn, c172- died before 1744 other spellings: Coens, Coons .
d/o Elisabetha Kilmer c 1697 & Johann Wiliem Kuhn 1695 Germany Landed 1710 (some of 6 children born Camp east bank, Columbia Co. NY) see #8.

. KUHN - 10/29/00 - looking for information on the Kuhn dairy farm in Pine Bush NY around the late 1800's to about 1910
. PITCHER - 1/07/05 - Heinrich Pitcher born 1762 around Rhinebeck, N.Y. -11.4.1800, Clermont, Columbia, NY. He was married 4.30.1786, NY to Catharine Kuhn born 1762 Germantown, NY-11.4.1800 Clermont, Columbia, NY,
& had a daughter, Polly Pitcher on Feb. 24, 1794. I'm looking for parents of Heinrich & Catharine. Polly married Peter Van Etten in 1813. They lived in Sodus Twnshp. Wayne Co., N.Y. & both died there. [email protected]

. My Ed Kuhn & brother John Kuhn lived in Pine Bush New York they had a farm there. John married Grace DeWitt & Fred lived in Middle town N.Y
7. Smith (1881) has the following: "John Wilson & Elizabeth Kuhn had children as follows: Catharine, baptized March 27, 1774, married Col. Philip Pitcher, of Upper Red Hook; " (p. 204).

. ANNA ELISABETHA KILMER (GEORG KILLMER, GEORG was born August 14, 1698 in Altengronau, Hessen, Germany, & died Unknown in Red Hook, Dutchess County, New York, USA. She married JOHANNAS WILHELM KUHN 1719 in Red Hook, Dutchess Co., New York, USA. He was born Bet. 1697 - 1699 in Germany, & died Unknown in Red Hook, Dutchess County, New York, USA.

. Working research: Looking for family:
Poughkeepsie is 22 miles from Red Hook., Dutchess Co., NY
Titusville is six miles from Nine Partners.
Nine Partners & Poughkeepsie are about 12 miles away.

. Catharina Kuhn, c 1745, d/o Anna Gertrud Falckerberg 1711, West Camp, Ulster, NY, married 1734 to Henry Kuhn, 17k08, Columbia & died Clermont, Columbia NY
Red Hook, NY: Nicholas Bonesteel married Anna Margretha Kuhn.

. John, James, Daniel & Robert Wilson, four brothers, settled in the vicinity of Upper Red Hook before 1770, & engaged in farming. The two eldest married the Kuhn sisters, daughters of Simon Kuhn. *
Ref: Historical & Genealogical Record, Dutchess & Putum Co., 1912, pg. 45.

*1751, Jul 11. Advertisement: Lottery in the Borough of Lancaster for purchasing a fire engine & other public uses. The following persons are appointed managers of the lottery:...Simon Kuhn.
. 1751 Aug 19, Lancaster Lottery Tickets to dispose of Adam Simon Kuhn.
. 1772 Mar 26 - Phila. General Assembly the following laws were passed: An Act for confirming the estate of Adam Simon Khun, in & to a certain lot of ground borough of Lancaster, one of the title deeds where of is lost.
. 1786 Jan 12 & 1791 Phila. Meeting of American Philosophical Society, Fri. Last, elected the following: Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Esq. President. Dr. Adam Kuhn, Counsellor.
Ref: Pennsylvania Gazette, Philadelphia, PA . - - -

Birth:
Verify exact location. NOTE: Kuhn is German & NOT that she was Scotch, but that 'Her parents were Scotch.' Mistaken for Colquhoun, pronounced Coon!

Died:
Granite monument with 3 rounded peaks, 15.5" -wide, 32” high, 3.5” thick.

Buried:
Children of Peace. Monument erected by D.W.