Notes:

Abigail Willson married Alex Dickson. Their children were born in Holland Landing. They are:

1. Albert J. Dickson, b: 1860 Jul 4,
2. Elizabeth Dickson b: 1861 Nov 10
3. Minerva Dickson b: 1863 or 1864.

Notes:

. Ontario Birth Registration #14358-71 (York Co.)
WILLSON, David Tomlinson, male, b. 7 Mar. 1871, father - Richard Titus WILLSON, farmer; mother - Mary Jane TOMLINSON, infm. - R.T. Willson, North Gwillimbury Twp.

. 1804 Mar 15 - Letters uncalled for at York P.O. Richard Wilson.

. 1812 his father embarked for Quebec to engage in lumbering on the Trent. Their raft being wrecked near Kingston. Refitting in the Cataract Creek. War being declared [1812]. Two frigates brought there raft into Kingston. During the war he was stationed at Presque Isle Point & other places. He was placed in charge of 2 supply boats from York to Lake Simcoe & transparent provisions for the troops at the Sault St. Marie.

. 1813 Nov. he was hired by the Hon. Duncan Cameron, to manage the transporting of 2 boats up Yonge Street for trans-shipping supplies of flour & clothing to Ft. Michilmackinac, Michigan. The supplies were taken from Barrie by horses, to the head of Ft. Willow Creek, (E. Nottawasaga River. The 20 or so horses that carried the flour were taken from near Aurora to Barrie employing a Snake Island Indian guide.
The frost set in & the supplies had to remain there until the next Spring.

. In the winter of 1814 he assisted Capt. Dennis, grandfather of Lieut. Col. J S Dennis, went over to Ft. Willow Creek & built lumber boats of the Lake service. In the Spring he was required at York to perform military duty. Peace was declared 1 Apr 1816.
His father-in-law, Mr. Emes, a son, a married daughter & her husband & an Indian were drowned crossing from Holland River to Roach's Point. After Peace he returned to farming.

WAR of 1812 MUSTER
. 1814 May 15, York Muster Day: Priv. Richd. Wilson of Capt Dennison Company who were captured at York on the 27th April, 1814. Signed, Lt Col. W. Chewett, 3 Yk Militia, 1814.5.15.

. 1814 Mar 27-Apr 16, Titus Willson, Days 21 pd. 1s 8p. discharged 16 Apr. Substitute for S Clark. Capt. Jeremiah Travis, 1st York Militia.
. 1814 Jan 25 - Jan 30, Titus Willson, Days 31, pd. £2 1s 4p. also, Garret Vanzantee Days 21, pd, 19s 5p, Public Service at York, 1 York Militia commanded by Capt. Reuben Richardson.
. Col. Cotter of Newmarket had orders to raise a company there for 6months, or longer if necessary. In this company with my sons, David, Hugh &
Hiram, I enlisted a full private for 6 months.
Ref: Memoirs of RT Willson.

. 1814 - Mr. Willson became a member of the Order of Free & Accepted masons & continued to the day of his death and is supposed to have been the oldest member in the Dominion. Several loges from the neighbouring villages assembled in regalia to honor him. After this service his remains were taken to St. Paul's church where Rev Dean Givens performed the funeral Church of England Service. A large concourse of sorrowing fiends and relatives followed him to the burial place of his family, by Sharon, East Gwillimbury.
Mr. Wilson's family consisted of 12 children, 7 of whom survived him;
he left 61 (?) grandchildren, 78 great-grandchildren - 158 in all.
Ref: Newmarket Era Newspaper, Ontario, quarter page long.

. UCLPetition 215, W Bundle 12, C2954, p643.
To Samuel Smith, Esq., Administrator of Gov. of Province of Upper Canada, In Council,
Petition of Richard Titus Willson, East Gwillimbury Twp., Yeoman. Petitioner is a native of New York State, age 26 years [1894] resided in this Province upwards of 21 years [1799]; has a wife & 4 children. He has never received & Crown Land, & has means to improve lands, humbly pays for a land grant.
Signed, Richard Titus Willson, York, 10 June, 1820.
Envelope: Granted 12 Jun 1820, 100 Acres. Entd. in Land Book x {Y?] Page 433. Read 15 Jun 1820.
Note: The petitions of brothers John & Richard Willson are 2 weeks apart & both appear to be in handwriting of Richard Titus Willson.

. UCLPetition 11, W Bundle 4, C2963, p285
To James Earl of Elgin & Kincardine, Captain Gen. & Gov in Chief, Canada. Petition Richard Titus Wilson, East Gwillimbury Twp., York Co. Yeoman & Alfred Wilson, Innisfail Twp., Simcoe co. Petitions lived nearly the whole of their lives upwards of 47 years in this part of the Province & having seen the rapid growth & advancement in agricultural in this section of the Province, especially West Gwillimbury, Tecumseh & adjoining Townships, & having from time to time for years past seen the difficulties & privations under which the inhabitants of this section labour for the want of sufficient water power, upon which to erect mills for the purposes of grinding grains & converting it into flour, for exportation. Have continued to enrich a standard & merchant mill for which undertaking, the Petitions team themselves full able & competent & with a view to that object have been making inquiry for the situation of the most suitable location upon which end such mill & fixed upon the front part Lot 110, on Yonge Street, Con 3, East Gwillimbury as the most eligible site for the erection of such mill. With a view of obtaining the said Lot 110, application to Mr. John Alexander, District Land Agent, Barrie. Petitions were unable to learn anything definite fro him, in regard to said Lot of land.
Wherefore your Petitioners pray your Excellency in Council, will well said Lot at such a valuation deem reasonable.
Signed, 1847 March 2, Holland Landing, R.T. Willson* & Alfred Willson
Note: Signature of Richard T Willson is precise but more brittle than the fluid signature of 1820. - PJA
Envelope: Lot 110, 1st Con Yonge Street is a Clergy Glebe, that might be sold at its estimated value. Signed, D B Papineau, 19 Mar 1847.

. 1832, CHOLERA made its appearance in Canada. Death columns in newspapers became longer each day. The disease spread out on immigrant ships sailing from England & Ireland and also along the St. Lawrence. In a manuscript written by Titus Willson of Sharon, he relates that while working in the Coldwater district, cholera broke out among the large number of immigrants camped at Bass Lake waiting for their shanties to be built by the Government and a great many of them dies. He tells that he himself contracted the disease & was carried on a litter to Orillia where he lay for 2 weeks. He was then taken in a bark canoe across Lake Simcoe to Holland Landing.
Ref: East Gwillimbury in the Nineteenth Century, Gladys M Rolling, 1978 & New market Era Newspaper, 1951.7.5, p9.

. 1833 the Government contracted Mr. Willson to cut roads & a toll house. That year was noted for a dreadful visitation of Cholera. This scourge followed the emigrates. Mr. Willson tool it & narrowed cost his life. For several years he was occupied in settling & improving the roads & life of settlers. On the out breaking of the Rebellion in 1837, Mr. Willson's loyalty induce him to stand up for the philosophies of his ancestors. With his three sons, he joined the company raised by Col. Colter. At Toronto the Lieut-Governor commended officers with "This is Titus Willson, & a more loyal man does not live". He was elected as Reeve of East Gwillimbury on 2 occasions & several times as Reeve of Holland Landing.

For several years previous to his death, Mr. Willson's sight failed him. His tedious confinement was alleviated by the attentions of his late & affectionate family to whom he was warmly attached. He calmly contemplated death approach & prepared for it. Surround by members of the Temperance Society & himself always a intemperate man, he said he could not join them in their whole rule condemnation of pique, thought he was willing to abstain how great a coarse it was then abutted.
Many years ago, when public duties obliged him to travel from Penetanguishene to where Barrie now stands, it was almost an unbroken wilderness, & he had to travel on foot throughout deep snow, in very severe weather. When several miles from a place of shelter he found his strength falling him & his feet so cold that he feared they would freeze. He had with him what travelers usually carried in these days, a small wooden keg called canine, containing spirits. Fearing if he drank the contents, it might injury him, contented the idea of pour some in this boots as an experiment, & to his delight he found it at once warmed his feet & so refreshed his whole system that he was enabled to reach a place of shelter. Perhaps the most rigid tee-totaler could not object to this ode of using.

. 1838 Jan - Toronto Recognizance of Wm Miller & Richard Titus Willson against Aaron Friel & Wm. Laughton, JP.
Home District, You William Miller acknowledge to each, the sum of £50 &you Richard Titus Willson acknowledge the sum of £50 to be levied of your goods & chattels, lands & tenements for the use of the Crown if default shall be made in the condition following, that is to say, if you Wm. Miller & you Richard Titus Willson appear before any of her Majesties courts of general goal delivery to give evidence when so requested to do so against Aaron Friel now forwarded as prisoner to Toronto charged with sedition & treasonable practices, then this obligation shall be void. Signed, W. Laughton, J.P.
Ref: UCSundries, Index C9824, Image 596; C /p102560-1.

. List of Witnesses & places of abode & additions who are to be produced & examined however against Wm. Read the younger for High Treason, 20 signatures, inc. Richard Titus Wilson of Twp. of East Gwilliambury, Home District, yeoman, Robt. Baldwin, Alex. Wood, John G Spragge, David Bridgford, Jacob Snyder, Jacob Lundy.

. 1838 May 26 Upper Canada Sundries: C-9824, page 702, P702 index & C6898, Images 105375-82, p142:
Petition of William Reid for pardon. Petitioner is now a prisoner of Home District Goal (Toronto) changed with hit treason committed in this Province & a Bill of Insurrection (?) has been found. Your Petitioner is deeply sensible of the heinous office which he has committed against the laws of the country & desirous of ming the only repression now in his power by avowal hoped that his case for Royal Clemency. Please take in to consideration he is an aged father, with a wife & 2 children wholly dependent upon him for support. He was deluded & mislead with false representations to take a part in the recent rebellion. That after your Petitioner was fully aware of the vile intention of McKenzie & his party, he tried to escape but was prevented. He did his utmost exertion to liberate those who were detained by Mckenzie as prisoners & actually did release the sad prisoners. He did finally escape from said McKenzie on Wednesday the day before the Battle on Yonge Street.
Signed, William Reid, Jr, 26 March 1838.
Read 21 May1838. Entered into Bail for 3 years.

. 1851 Agricultural Census, East Gwillimbury Twp., York Co.
R T Willson, Con 3. Lot 13-14, 100 Acres; 60 A under cultivation; 36 A under crops in 1851; 12 A Under pasture 1851;
2 A Gardens or orchards; 4 Acres under wood or wild;
8 A yielded 215 bushels Wheat; 3 A yielded 70 bsh. Barley.
3 Bulls, oxen; 3 Steers; 5 Milch Cows; 6 Calves/heifers, 6 horses of all ages, 14 sheep, 10 pigs;
300 Lbs. Butter; 0 Cheese, 0 Beef Barrels or Cwts, 16 Pork, Barrels or Cows; 0 Quantity of fish cured.
Remarks for E Gwillimbury: The soil in this land is generally clay, with a mixture of sand & limestone gravel in some parts. Generally very productive when properly managed. Midling well natured by springs. There is one heavy stream crosses the west end of the corner. I should think the land on an average is worth about £8 an acre.

. 1858 Feb 20, Ward 1 Expenditure paid R Wilson for work on townline, Markham & York, £7.10s.
Ref: York Heard Newspaper, published 1859 May 20.

Letters remaining in Richmond Hill Post Office:
. 1858 Jun 1st - Richard Wilson.
. 1858 Dec 10 - Richard Wilson, M Teefy, Postmaster.
Ref: British Tribune & York Ridings' Gazette Newspaper. Richmond Hill, ON. Published 1858 Jun 25, Friday.
. 1860 July 2 - Richard Wilson.
Ref: York Herald (Richmond Hill, ON), 13 Jul 1860, p. 3.

. Richard Titus Willson, wrote "Reminiscences of Richard Titus Willson" Published by the Newmarket Historical Society. As I recall, the handwritten copy may be found at the Richmond Hill Public Library, on Yonge Street.

. 1859 Mar 18 - Magistrate for East Gwillimbury Twp., R. T. Willson, J. H. Willson.
Ref: York Commonwealth Newspaper.

. 1860 May 23, Wed. - Richmond Hill Fair - Entire Colts for General Purposes dropped in 1857, 3rd prize, Richard Willson.
Ref: York Herald Newspaper, Richmond Hill, published 1.6.1860.

. 1861 Agricultural Census, Markham Twp., p 9540
Richard Willson, Front of Con 1, Part of Lot 57 & 52
Acres 54 [?}, Total held 100, Under Cultivation 40A, Uncer Crops in 1860 30;
Pasture 1860 10A, Orchards or Garden 1A; Woods or Wild 52A, Cashvalue of Farm $600, Implements & Machinery, $175;
Fall What 7 A Produced 230 Bu., Spring Wheat 6 A Produced 125Bu,
Peas 5 A Produced 150 bu; Oats 4 A Produced 160 Bu.,
Potatoes 2 A Produced 240 bu; Turnips 1.5 A Produced 170; Carrots 147 bushels, Hay 5 bundles of Tons.

Quarter Sessions of Peace.
. 1861 Mar 19, Special General Sessions, JP Weeler, Esq, Chairman. 92 present, including, Abner Arnold, R L Dennison, R T Willson, R E Playter, W Marsh, Rev W Strachan, John Wilson, 4th. Carried York & Peel Co., should separate from city of Toronto for judicial purposes. Sent to Legislature.

. 1878 Apr 26 - OBITUARY -
The Late Richard Titus Willson, Esq. (Slightly abbreviated version.)
Willson's memoranda his family was of Norman descent, came to England with William the Conquer, and settled in Northumberland. The family engaged in the linen trade till 1776, when his father Hugh William, emigrated to Poughkeepsie on the Hudson River, NY, then a British Colony.
"We came by sloop to Albany, thence by wagon to Schenectady. We there bought a boat. In this we passed up the Mohawk River as far as where Rome now stands and thence by military call? and wood and we passed into Oneida Lake & down the river to Oswego - thence across the foot of Lake Ontario to Kingston." "We emigrated in the wet month of April & found it extremely long & tedious.
We first settled on Wolf Island, opposite Kingston where we underwent severe trails. Then in 1810 we proceed to East Gwillimbury where my family have since resided."

Transcribed by P J Ahlberg, 2014. Thank you. - - -

Birth:
Ref: Obituary Newmarket Era.

Died:
COD: Old Age. Aged 86y 13d.

Buried:
E. Gwillimbury, L7, con 4.

Richard married Eleanor PENELOPE EMES in Aug 1814 in East Gwillimbury Twp., York Co., Ontario. Eleanor (daughter of Calvin EMES, Capt. and Matha DRURY) was born on 12 Aug 1796 in Montpelier, Washington Co., Vermont; died on 9 Oct 1851 in Sharon, E. Gwillimbury, York Co., Ontario; was buried in Pegg Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Eleanor is the daughter of Mary Drury & Calvin Emes.

. Richard Titus Willson's family bible was discovered in a trunk in some lake side cabin. I have a copy of an extract of the bible. Eleanor's birth is recorded as Thursday 12 of Aug. 1796 at Montpelier. m. Richard Titus Willson in East Gwillimbury, County of York, Upper Canada on the 8th day of August 1814. d. 9th Oct at night 1851. Aged 55 years & 2 months less 3 days.
Interred on lot 7-4th Con in East Gwillimbury. The death date is supported by the 1851 census of Ontario, Ref: Film 283616, East Gwillimbury Part II. P. 67 R.T. - - -

Birth:
Alt Spelling Eames

Died:
COD: 55Y. Inflammation on the bowels. Ref: 1851 Census

Buried:
East Gwillimbury.

Notes:

Hugh L. is the son of his first wife Sarah Savage & John WILLSON.

. The infant Hugh was left in Ireland with his Uncle Hugh, & eventually joined his father in American where his father John Willson had remarried Katherine B Kuhn.

Hugh had been destined for the Presbyterian ministry, but the economic disruption of the Seven Years' War he (1756-1763) had led to a downturn in the family fortunes & put an end to Hugh's schooling.

. 1775, Hugh followed his brother John Willson to America, bringing with him John's son, Hugh L., who went to live with his father & stepmother, Katherine Kuhn Willson.

UCLPetition 28, W Bundle 7, C2952, p21
. To Lt. Gov. Peter Hunter, In Council
Petition of John Willson, East Gwillimbury, yeoman. Petitioner has been upwards of 16 months [Nov 1803] in the Province, subscribed the Oath of Allegiances; sufficient ability to cultivate land & is desirous to occupy & improve a vacant lot of Crown land:
Signed, John Wilson, York, 12 Mar, 1805.
. Receipt #44, John Wilson has paid in this office £5 19s, 4p. for a Patent Grant of 200 Acres, also £1 6s for surveying fees there on. Peter Russell, Survey General.
. Yonge Street, 7 days 3rd month 1805. To the governor Council to look upon this long man to be a friendly man, a good farmer, very honest worth $300 & wishes to settle with Friends in the corner of Uxbridge, His name is John Wilson, late of from New York Sate, Signed, Timothy Rogers, His mother is a widow & moved in with him.

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 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.
Carolyn Mann found in ancient documents from Poughkeepsie that 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 fist!

Hugh was the son of John's first wife who died shortly after his birth. Sometime between 1768 & 1775 his father emigrated to America leaving Hugh in the care of his Uncle Hugh Willson until the entire family left for America. On the death of his father John, Hugh took over the rented family farm near Poughkeepsie, New York. In 1790 he married Mary Titus, eldest daughter of Austin Titus, a Quaker minister & blacksmith, & Waite Giddley, a "Dutch" woman. In 1798 Hugh moved to New York City where purchased a share in the sloop, "The Farmer", a trade ship which ran between New York & the West Indies. In the Spring of 1800, he sold his share in The Farmer & moved to upper Canada.
Ref: Ian David Roberts, Scarborough, Ontario, 2006, Rootsweb.

. 1804 Dec 18 - To be sold, the Place Whereon the Subscriber Now Lives
Situated in Clinton town, one mile north of where Judge Bloom lived, at the end of the Large Bridge over Wappenger's creek, 1 mile forth of Friends Meeting House, on the great road to Albany - the place contains 12 acres of land, of superior quality, one half of the best of meadows the other an orchard of 100 bearing apple trees, a good house with 3 rooms & 3 fire places, a bard of good garden containing a great variety of fruit, such as currents, pears, plumbs of different kinds & cherries - there is 2 never failing springs of water at the back & front door - but a few rods from a grist, saw & fulling mill & a store & is every ay suited for cooper, blacksmith, shoemaker, weaver, tanner or any other mechanic; it has been rented at £30 a yer for several years, payment made easy. For terms apply to the subscriber on the premises, by whom an indisputable title will be given.
Signed, Hugh Wilson.
N.B. If not sold by the first of April, to be rented.
Ref: Pouhkeepsie Journal Newspaper, New York, published variously 1805.3.12 - 1805.3.26.

COMPARE NEXT ADVERTISEMENT:
. 1809 Sep 20 - For Sale, The Farm on which the subscriber now lives, situated in the town of Washington, one & an half miles north of Philip Hart's on the road leading to Bangall & 17 miles from Pougkeepsie. The farm contains about 84 acres of land, which is divided into meadow, arable & timberland; has a tolerably good dwelling house, barn, blacksmith shop & a number of other out houses, is well watered & has a good orchard & a variety of other fruit trees. The situation is a good one for an industrious blacksmith or any other kind of mechanical business Enquire on the premises of Richard Titus, Jun.
Ref: Pouhkeepsie Journal Newspaper, New York.

. 1806 Aug 12 - Broke into the inclosure of the subscriber on the 7th inst., a bay Mare, with a small star in her forehead, about 14 hands high, 3 or 4 yers old. The owner is requested to all, prove property, pay charges & take her away.
Signed, Richard Titus, Washington, NY.
Ref: Pougkeepsie Journal Newspaper. - - -

Died:


Buried:
Plot Row 1.

Hugh married Mary TITUS in 1790 in Nine Partners, Dutchess Co., New York. Mary (daughter of Augustine TITUS and Waite Giddley HALL) was born on 5 Jan 1769 in Nine Partners, Dutchess Co., New York; died on 3 Jun 1857 in Sharon, E. Gwillimbury, York Co., Ontario; was buried in Sharon Burial Grounds. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

cu . Mary is the daughter of Waite Hall, Portsmouth Newport, RI & Augustine Titus, b 1747 Westbury, Nassau, NY] a Quaker minister & blacksmith.

. Mary & Phoebe Titus were two Quaker sisters. Their father as a Quaker Elder & they were disowned upon marrying the Willsons. Much latter the two Willsons became Quakers in Upper Canada, & eventually a member of the Children of Peace at Sharon, Ontario.

. 1790 Clinton, Duchess, New York Census
Augustine Titus, Males 3, Boys under 16Y 2, Females 5 [Total 10 Persons], & next person is
John Willson, Males 3, boys under 16Y - 2, Females 6 [Total 11 Persons].
The children of Mary Titus & Hugh L Wiillson are:

John Hugh Willson, 10 Jul 1791 - 29 Dec 1863; 
1 Richard Titus Willson, 5 Apr 1793 - 18 Apr 1878; 
2. Mary Willson, 26 Mar 1795 - 2 Aug 1869; 
3. Louisa Willson, 26 Mar 1795 - 2 Aug 1869;  
4. Catherine Willson, 22 Oct 1795 - 19 Nov 1855; 
5. Augustine Willson, 4 May 1798 - 1798;  
6. Hiram Robinson Willson, 4 Dec 1799 - 30 Aug 1876;  
7. Hugh Henry Willson, 17 May 1803 - 22 Aug 1871;  
8. David Willson, 18 Aug 1807 - 13 Oct 1807;  
9. Alfred Willson, 3 Mar 1809 - 26 Feb 1888; 
10. Waite Ann Willson, 15 Aug 1811 - 3 Sep 1898.

Obituary:
. 1857 Jun 3, Wednesday Died at Sharon, East Gwilimbury, Mary, relic to the late Mr. Hugh Willson, aged 89 years, less 2 days.
The subject of this Obituary was born in Duchess County, NY & immigrated to this country soon after the American Revolution. Her early education & ideas of mind was received amongst the religious under Friends, to which communion her parents belonged & many branches of her Fathers’s family have been & are conspicuous members. She maintained through all the vicissitudes of her long life, an unblemished reputation - remarkable for love, of quietude & the society of the good. Towards the close her mind seems to revisit the scenes of the childhood & youth & to mingle with the Society of her Father’s house, where a recollection of early antidotes & familiar of early principles seemed to comfort her; & is several that from this stand point she took her view of her Heavenly home. The Lord granted me the privilege to visiting her several times previous to her death - to speak of Jesus - to read to her the previous promises & to pray of her. With others we stood at her bedside & with hearts lifted to the Father, of spirits, in humbleness begged that he would receive the dear depart soul, which seemed while stretching its opinion of light for its wondrous flight, to have left on the fair features an indication of salvation by shedding over them a smile of indescribable sweetness.
She lived to see the 4th generation of her offspring & has left behind her now living nearly all in this section of county, 16 children, including sons-in-law & daughters-in-law; 92 grandchildren, 90 great grandchildren & one great-great grand child. Her children & grandchildren are included the usual & respectable class of community. HHW.
Ref: Newmarket New Era Newspaper.

Transcripts by PJ Ahlberg. Thank you. - - -

Birth:
Clinton

Died:
Aged 89y less two days.

Notes:

Calvin is the son of Ann McCollister & Arnold Ames of Hopkinton, Massachusetts.

. UCLPetition 4, E Bundle 8, C1887, p764
To UC Government, Petition of Calvin Ems of North Gwiimbury, yeoman.
Your Petitioner has been 3 years in the Province & has a family consisting of a wife & 11 children, he as property amount of £500 Prince Currency.. He taken the Oath of Allegiance & desires to occupy & improve a vance Lot of land. He is prepared & undertakes in care his petitionshall be favorable answered, to pay within 3 days the whole feels allowed by his majesty to be chaired on the patent.
Signed, York 8 July 1806, Calvin Ems.
. Receipt 253, 3 July 1806 Calvin Ems paid £6 19sh 4p for Patent Fee. Signed, Peter Russell, Survey General.
. Envelope Granted 200 Aces of Land. Entered in Land Book G, page 96.

As an instance he stated the melancholy fact that his own father-in-law, Mr. Emes, with a son, a married daughter, her husband, a grandson & a hired man were drowned in sight of home & family in where they had to go for supplies. The late Mr. Emes was a United Empire Loyalist &d fought for George III when the States gained their independence. Mr. Emes gave up home & friends rather than live under a foreign flag. He settled with his family in Toronto, then called Muddy York, from there he moved to Roaches Point where the brave old Loyalist lost his life & part of his family in sight of his agonizing wife who stood watching on the shore.

Calvin Emes was in the 6th Massachusetts regiment in revolutionary War. Born Sudbury, Mass. . Lived in New Hampshire and Canada. Calvin Eames enlisted in Holdens Company 6th Massachusetts 5 May 1778 for term of 3 years. Sept. 9th 1778 listed as a private in Captain Abel Holden's Company, Col. Thomas Nixon's
battalion of Massachusetts By Forces. sep 1779 listed as On duty at Camp Bedford. July 1780 listed in Capt. Chambers Co, 6th mass, commanded by Col. Thomas Nixson. Aug & Sept 1780 - Oct 6 1780 at Camp Orangetown. Oct 1780-Nov 9, 1780 at Camp Totoway? March 1779-Apr. 1779 5th Mass at Kings Ferry, on commandant the barracks. April 1779-May 1, 1779 at Kings ferry. May 1779-June 12, 1779
at Camp Highlands (sick in general hospital).
Ref: US National Archives.

. 1812 May 13, 1812, Wed, Last Sunday morning a man of the name of Ames, his son, daughter,
son-in-law& an Indian, upset in a skiff crossing Cook's Bay, & were all unfortunately drowned. The skiff together with a small key containing some whiskey were take up in Lake Simcoe. Neither of the bodies have yet been found that we could hear of.
Ref: Upper Canada Gazette.
Note: Calvine drown in sight of his agonizing wife who stood watching on the shore. Cook's bay on on Lake Simone & crossing from Holland River to Roaches Point, (empties into Lake Simcoe).

. 1812 Mar 10. "Home District, to wit, By virtue of a Writ of Beri Facias, issued out of his Majesty's Court of King's Bench and to me directed, against the Lands & Tenements of Calvin Emes, at the suit of Duncan Cameron, I have seised & taken in Execution all that parcel or tract of Land being composed of Lot 24, Concession 4 of North Gwilliambury, containing by an measurement about 300 acres & 30 acres of which are cleared, and under a good state of cultivation, a good House and Barn, & other buildings erected thereon, all of which property will be adjudged to the highest bidder, at Mr. Abbot's Tavern, Town of York, on Saturday the 4th of April next. Sale to begin at 12 o'clock. Any person having any claim either by mortgage or otherwise, are
requested to make the same known to me before the day of sale. Signed, John Beike, Sheriff. Sheriff's Office.
Ref: Upper Canada Gazette, York.

Transcriptions by PJ Ahlberg. Thank you. - - -

Birth:
Alt Spelling Eames

Died:
COD: Downed. Lot 24, Con 4.

Calvin married Matha DRURY. Matha was born on 20 Jan 1765 in Massachuesetts; died after 1874 in East Gwillimbury Twp., York Co., Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Martha is the daughter of Martha Eames & Thomas Drury of Massachusetts.

. 1873 - Claim of Widow Emes of the Township of North Gwilimbury for 6 hogs, & 2 two young cattle, killed by the Indians at the following period:

. 1873 Aug. 20th - 1 Hog value £2 10 shillings
. 1873 Sep 22nd - 2 Hogs value £6
. 1873 Dec 10th 1- Heifer 1 yr old, value £3
. 1874 July 16 - 1 Hog value £1 10s
. 1874 Oct 15 -1 Steer 2 yr old value £3 15s
. 1874 Dec 1 - 2 hogs value £6.

I Martha Emes of the Township of North Gwillimbury, do hear by solemnly declare that I have actually sustained the damage in the accompanying Claim set forth and that I have not received any renumeration whatever either from His Majesty's Government, from the Individuals who committed the damage Claimed for, or from any person or persons for them.
Signed, Martha Emes."
Testimony of Silas Emes & Lewis Fountain that the damage was "sustained by her, from Indians from Michilmackinac going to York & returning on His Majesty's Service. - - -

Notes:

. John is the son of Jane Ramsay & Hugh Willson, born 1700 Ireland.
John's first wife died 1768 in Ireland. He then married Catherine Kuhn in New York.
> NOTE: This first 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 xx & 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.

. 1790 Clinton, Duchess, New York Census
Augustine Titus, Males 3, Boys under 16Y 2, Females 5 [Total 10 Persons], (& next person is )
John Willson, Males 3, boys under 16Y - 2, Females 6 [Total 11 Persons].

. 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" & Rinebeck.

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:
(Nine Partners is near Poughkeepsie, NY & also borders on Connecticut.)

John married Catherine B KUHN in 1770 in New York State. Catherine was born on 10 Feb 1754 in Dutchess County, 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. -PJA)

. 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.) - PJ Ahlberg, 2018.

Catherine B Kuhn's first husband was also named John Willson. He was born in 1745 Carrickfergus Ireland & died bef. 1791 Poughkeepsie, NJ. The widow Willson accompanied her son Hugh L Willson to Sharon, Ontario. 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.

* 1791 Feb 112. 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 Duchess County, farmer, dereased,
Whereas the said John Willson, installer, having whilst living & at the time of his death, goods, chattels or credits within this State by mans whereof, the ordering & granting Administration of all & singular said goods & also 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.
Ref: NY Wills & Probate, Dutchess, Letters Testamentary and of Administration, Vol A-B, P.72 (83).

. 1928 Kate Koon Bovey visited Bischmisheim, Germany (near Saarbrucken) & saw the Luthern 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.

. The children of Catherine B Kuhn & her first husband, John Willson, were:
David Willson; Ann Willson b 1786, Dutchess Co. NY; Mary Wilson b. 1792.

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 was soon sidelined by the Family Compact. - 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.

John Willson, Esq. 's first wife Rebecca Thickson died 6 June 1804 in Markham, Ontario.
. 1805 Sep 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

> 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 from 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.

. Red Hook, Dutchess Co.
Ncholas 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, four 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.
Ref: Dutchess Co. Genealogy & History.

. Story of Sharon, by Ethel Willson Trewhella, The Story of Sharon
Wild turkeys & wild pigeons were one of the worst pests as well as a ready supply of food. When they settled on the ground one old timer has described the scene as a heaving sea of blue, They ate the crops, stripped the wild fruit trees. The pigeons roosted in trees in such numbers that branches broke from the weight & many birds fell to the ground. At these times which came to be anticipated, women & children the settlement went with baskets & scooped up these disabled bits. they were acted & put away for the coming winter. As late as June 12 18757 a Newmarket Era story speaks of wild pigeons have been very plentiful in this section during the past 10 days. The are very wild & difficult to kill. In 1865 5h same aper remarked they were much diminished in numbers. A few years later notice of the Pigeon Shoots in Sharon but few pigeons appeared because of uncontrolled ruthless slaughter.
Black Frost of 1816. in the summer of 1816 the black first again swept the clearings & reduced the inhabitants to starvation. Nothing was saved, herbage was blackened, the wheat was unfit fo sale & unfit for read. It began to snow in June & continued intermittently until the next spring.
Ref: Newmarket Era & Express, published 1951.6.28, p3.

Transcriptions by PJ Ahlberg. Thank you. - - -

RESEARCH FOR CATHERINE B KHUN'S PARENTS & HISTORY:

History & Roster of Peter Khun Family in the USA.1932

Red Hook, Duchess, NJ
. 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.
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 any info. wiill help E-Mail nil add

. 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 three rounded peaks, 15.5" -wide, 32” high, 3.5” thick.

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

Notes:

Augustine is the daughter of Mary Smith & Richard Titus.

. 1800 Census Clinton, Dutchess Co., New York
Augustine Titus: Males 2, boys 10 -15y 1, Males 16-25y 1, Men 26-44y 1, Males 45+1y,
Girls 10 under 2, Females 16-25y 2, Women 26-44y.1, Females 45+y 1,
Number of members under 16: five, householders over 26y 4. Total 12 people.

AUGUSTINE TITUS MORTGAGE DEFAULTS ON FARMS:
. 1807 Apr 28 - Whereas Augustine Titus & Waite, his wife & Richard Titus, all of the town of Clinton, did by a certain indenture dated 28 July 1803 to secures the payment of $750 with the interest thereof, mortgage unto George Peters Oakley of Town of Poughkepsie. All that certain tract of land situated in Town of Clinton, Duchess county, which in a certain indenture thereof made between Daniel S Dean & Ann his wife of the first part & the said Augustine Titus & Richard Titus of the second part, bearing date 25 May, 1803, is described as follows:

BEGINNING AT A WALNUT SAPLING MARKED STANDING at the 4 east corner of land formerly belong Daniel Ward, now in the possession of Zacheus Newcomb, thence other in side line 22 chairs & 7 links to a stake & stones between several saplings marked, these north 37 degrees east 23 chains & 63 links to a stake & stones, then forth 70 degrees 10 minutes east 5 chains & 44 links to a certain tree marked standing the west side of the said road, thence 59 degrees east 7 chains & 33 links to the lands belonging the said Augustine Titus, tense southerly & westerly in the line of said Titus' land, however it runs to the line between Nine-Partners & Beekman town, whence southerly in said line to the place of beginning containing 55 acres & 17 roods of land.
Also all certain indenture thereof made between the widow Sarah Ward of the one part & the said Augustine Titus of the other part bearing date 25 Nov 1784, is described as situated lying & being in Charlotte precinct as a aforesaid in a patent known & described by the name of the creator lowered Nine Partners Lot 9, in the 2nd for general division of said patent, butted & bound as following:
BEGININING AT A WALNUT that standing on the east side of the road that leads by Capt. Joseph Hick's to Oswego, thence north 86 degrees east 16 xx 14 links to a stake & sonnets 27 cans & 2 chains to a walnut tree marked standing near chain's line, thence south 2 degrees west 2 chains 89 links to at the above said road runs to the first mentioned bends or place or beginning containing 50 aces of land, said land is bordered on the north by the lands of the said Widow Sara Ward on the east ty land of the said Sarah Ward & the fourth by the lands formerly Col. Bateman's on Bateman's precinct & on the west by the above said road.
AND whereas desalt had been made in the payment of the above sum of money with the interest thereon according to the condition of the said indenture. Now I do hereby give public notice according to an act of the Legislature of New York State entitled, an act concerning mortgages passed 6 April, 1801, & pursuant to power continued inside mortgage that I will sell the above described premises with the appurtenances, at public venue at the Hotel of Garwood H Cunningham in Pougkeepsie on the 13 October, next, 7 o'clock the forenoon, & all execute a conveyance to the purchaser.
Dated April 2, 1807, George Peters Oakley, Emott & Oakley, Attory.
Ref: Pougkeepsie Journal newspaper.

. 1812 Feb 12. Letters of Administration, To Benjamin Titus, Town of Broome, Scholarie County, NY. Austin Titus died intestate; granted administration
- Benjamin Titus affirmed Augustine Titus was dead. He was old son. He had no Will. Signed, John Ebhard, Surrogate Court.

Died:
WILL Probated 7 Feb, 1812..

Augustine married Waite Giddley HALL in 1767 in Union Vale, Dutchess Co., New York. Waite was born est 1738 in Nine Partners, Dutchess Co., New York; died on 15 May 1803 in New York State. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Verify exact location. Waite Giddley was Dutch.

Died: