| Notes |
- Biography
John Hugh Willson, born 10 July 1791, died 29 Dec. 1863. He purchased his farm, “Spruce Dale” on Lot 13 & 14, Conc. 2, in 1815 with money he & his brother Richard made during the War of 1812. It had 15 acres cleared & a small house & barn.
He often told the story that during the initial settlement of the village he had been forced to grind his flour by placing it in a hollow stump & pounding it with a stone attached to a sapling. Richard worked the farm alone the first year, as John was hired to help build a schooner for the Hon. Peter Robinson at the mouth of the Nottawasaga River.
In 1821 John married Rebecca Burr, daughter of Reuben & Elizabeth Cleaver Burr, born 3 Aug. 1802 in Catawissa, Pa., died 5 March 1874. They were Quakers, & Rebecca was disowned for her marriage to a non-Friend 13 Dec. 1821. Her family had immigrated to Whitchurch twp. in 1805 (Lot 85, conc. 1). After a short stay near Richmond Hill, the Burr family had moved to Lot 17, Conc. 2 of E.G. in 1816. Rebecca’s sister Jane was married to Jeremiah Graham, another member of the Children of Peace. John was a member of the Children of Peace for only a short time; Rebecca never joined.
John & Richard worked for 2 years providing fresh beef for the naval establishment at Penetanguishene, but in 1823 split up the farm they had worked together. Although John had originally settled his farm with his brother Richard’s help, they were on opposite sides in the Rebellion of 1837. Richard wrote “I was then a Lieutenant & my brother John, a captain in East Gwillimbury. When I went to my brother’s ( John), to ask him to turn out he was not at home, but at Sharon. His wife said “He would not & should not go.” I then asked her for his arms, for we were in great want of them. She said “I know nothing about them.” I then went into another room to look for his rifle, which I could not see, but I saw his sword hanging by the head of his bed. This I took down & as I did so his wife, who had followed, caught hold of the hilt & jerked it partly out. To save myself from being stabbed I was obliged to pull her close to me & at the same time towards the door. I then wished myself clear of both her & the sword, but I dared not let go of her & seized the hilt of the sword giving her a heavy push, & walked off with it. But instead of following me she ran into the house & called for the rifle, the children following her. It was ridiculous to see one of her Britannic Majesty’s officers, with a sword in his hand, running from a woman, but run I did, & in a different way to what she had expected. I ran around the house when she looked for me in front, & before she saw me I got some 25 rods away. She, however, leveled the rifle at me, but did not fire. She told me afterwards her reason for not firing was that, as I was some distance away & in motion, & she greatly excited, she might not kill me, etc. She, however, went immediately for her husband who in short time came to my house not well pleased. I then demanded of him, in Her Majesty’s name, to either turn out in defense of the government or lend me his sword. He choose the latter & I still have the sword, as I bought him a new one some time after.” John was elected a Township Commissioner, councillor, in 1836-38, & again in 1850. John & Rebecca are both buried in the Sharon Burial Ground.
Richard Titus Willson, born 5 April 1793, died 18 April 1878; married Aug. 1814, Eleanor Emes, daughter of Calvin & Martha Drury Emes of Georgina Township. For further details see the notes for his brother John above. Richard served under Captains Selby & Traviss, both of East Gwillimbury, in the War of 1812, for which he was later granted a pension. He became a Mason in 1814, & at the time of his death was said to be the oldest Mason in the Dominion. He served as a magistrate for a number of years & was twice elected reeve of Holland Landing. His lengthy reminiscences were republished by the Newmarket Historical Society as one of their Occasional Papers (No. 1). He was a member of the Children of Peace for only a short time.
Ref: David Luny, 2014.
. 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; 40 A under wood or wild;
8 A yielded 215 bushels Wheat; 3 A yielded 70 bsh. Barley.
3 Bulls, oxen; 5 Steers; 1 Milch Cows; 2 Calves/heifers, 2horses of all ages, 11 sheep, 5 pigs;
100 Lbs. Butter; 0 Cheese, 6 Beef Barrels or Cwts, 15 Pork, Barrels or Cows; 0 Quantity of fish cured.
Note: shares property with Richard T Willson. - PJA
Monument White rectangular marble stone, 18” wide, 2 1/8” deep & approx. 37 3/4” high. Headed with an inscribed square enclosing a central monument with flanking willows. Name of deceased is arched:
JOHN H. WILLSON
died Dec. 29, 1863
Æ. 72 y’s, 5 mo. 19 d’
Inscription:
Here lies to all the world a friend,
While he did live to pray,
So did he live so was his end,
Untill his dying day.
His joys of life were in his home,
Nor did he seek abroad
He lived unto this world unknown
And placed his trust in God. - - -
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1791 - 1863 (72 years)