| Notes |
- PART ONE:
. Northumberland Co., New Brunswick, Deed Registry Books:
1793 June 27 - Stillwell Wilson to Joseph Sanders / Saunders, for £8 5s,
Ref: Vol 2, Pg. 46, Q.C.D., W.S. of N.W. Miramichi.
. UCLPetition 85, York 1797. C2951, p70. To The Hon. Peter Russell, Esq., President of His Majestic Province of Upper Canada Etc. Etc. Etc.
The Petition of Stillwill Willson, son of John Willson, Esq. at the Humber, Most Humbly shewth that your petitioner was a child in time of the American Revolution being under my Father's protection, went with him from Jerseys to Staten Island [ c Dec 1776.], & from thence to NB [May 1783]. & remained there with my father till he removed to this Province, when he left me to settle his Business there & in the State of New Jersey. [11 July, 1793.]
Now being desirous to become a Settler in this Prov. & to have discard of Some Lands, & other property their with that design. Most Humbly Prays your Honour in Council, pleased to grant to your Petitioner the Lot Number 32 on the east Side of Yonge Street with a town Lot & what ever more your Honour in his goodness shall think proper & your Petitioner as in Duty bound Shall ever pray. November 8th, 1797, Stillwell Willson.
X-Reference: Uncle Samuel Willson, & New Jersey land transactions in 1796 deed to John Willson. This Petition is in John Willson own neat handwriting, with Stilwell Willson signature. - PJA
Envelope: Confirmed if the Lot prayed for is vacant, & a Town Lot in York. PR. 13 Nov 1797.
XRef: UCLand Book C, p240.
. 1797 - An earlier owner of the lot*, at which we are now pausing, was Stillwell Wilson In 1799, at the annual York Twp. meeting, held on 4 march 1799 at York, we find Stillwell elected one of the Overseers of Highways & Fence views for Lot 26 to Lot 40 Yonge Street, in Markham & Vaughan.
. Golden Lion Inn / Hotel: The southwest corner of Yonge Street & Sheppard Avenue on Farm Lot 15 West of Yonge. One of the important landmarks & stagecoach stops on early Yonge Street was at the famous Golden Lion Inn or Hotel. The farm lot had been granted first to Thomas Hill in 1801, & he built a hotel at the Yonge corner. 4 years later he sold the Lot & hotel to Stillwell Wilson, who sold it to Adam Everson in 1806. What happened to this first building is not clear, but the site was purchased in 1824 by Thomas Shephard who built the hotel named the Golden Lion. Trained as a woodcarver, he made a sign for the hotel out of locally cut oak, & added putty to help fashion the lion’s mane. The hotel was a large square frame building with verandahs on the east & south sides. This Golden Lion may be found in a glass case at the North York Reference Library, Yonge St. (2016) Another building made of mud bricks was on the property, but its location is uncertain, & it may be the building known as Hill House.
Ref: JH Beers, Commemorative Biographical Record of County York.
. 1802 - 1809 Crown to Stilwell Willson, Part Lot sold to D'Arcy Boulton.
. 1802-1809, then Jacob Fisher 1815-1838. #360 Balliol St., Toronto, ES Yonge St., at Mount Pleasant St., near Davisville Ave. Native soils predominantly consisted of sand with trace to some silt, to silty. The local ground water flow direction was determined to be in a northwesterly direction. The ground water table is located above the bedrock in the native soil. Regional ground water flow as expected to be in a southerly direction, towards Lake Ontario.
Ref: Terraprobe Environmental Site Assessment, 2014. (Extracted from Ontario Land Registry - PJA)
. 1803-1808 - 108 -128 Balliol Street, North Toronto, Patented from Crown to Stillwell Willson in 1802. Next Residential Use, Nancy Boulton, Jacob Fisher, Wm. Proudfoot & in 1986 688288 Ontario Limited. Bailol St is near Yonge & Davisville Ave.The area under assessment is an irregular shaped parcel of land with an area fronting Balliol Street, located approximately 300 meters west of Yonge
Street in the City of Toronto. The municipal address of the Property is 118 Balliol Str. The property is currently developed as residential land uses with townhouses occupying a majority of the lands. Historical mapping resources & aerial photographs, the property was used
for residential purposes in the 1920s with several residential dwellings located on the property. The structures have subsequently been demolished & the construction of the rental townhouses that currently occupy the property. A review of the water well information system database from the Ministry of the Environment revealed that a total of 6 water wells have been installed.
Ref: Environmental Assessment 2014 by Ont. Ministry of Environment.
. 1803 - Upper Canada, Home District} York to wit:
I Stillwell Wilson of the Twp. of Vaughan, yeoman, do hereby give notice that I will claim before the Honorable Commissioners for ascertaining & securing titles to Lands in the Home District, at their sitting which shall be holden next after 15 days for the putting up of this notice, the Lot No. 30, East side of Yonge Street, in the Twp. of Markham, containing 190 acres: Thomson Maxwell being the original nominee. Witness my hand at York this 20th Day of October, 1803. Signed, Still. Willson
Ref: UC Heir & Devisee, Doc. page 205, H1148 film p. 591. Archives of Canada.
. 1806 Feb 22, the 2nd. Sat., Meeting held at Cooper's Tavern. Upper Canada Agricultural & Commercial Society.
Agriculture being the happiest mode which industry can be applied we unite for the purpose of promoting its advancement & protection: $2 annual membership. Signed, Peter Russell, Justice Powell, Thorpe, D'Arcy Boulton, Sol. Gen., Hon. Rob Hamilton, James Baby, John Chrysler, Sheriff Jos. Willcocks, Robt Baldwin, JP Rev G O Stuart, Fred. Baron De Hoen, John Ashbridge, Wm Chewett JP, Thos. Ridout, Elisha Began, JP & STILLWELL WILLSON.
Resolved, members will exert themselves to engage their neighbors among the farmers, to cultivate annually a portion of however small of ground with Hemp, specifying the portion, quality of ground, the expense of culture & cleaning the Hemp for marketer, & the quantity & quality of Hemp produced.
Ref: Report on the mCanadian Archives, 1892.
Note3: Stillwell was in the illustrious company of the gathering power of the Family Company members. PJA.
. TORONTO SUNDRIES, City of Toronto Archives: Jury Duty:
1804 June 22. King Vs. Eliphat Hale & Abraham Cutter. Charge: Riot.
Puts Petit Jury: 4. Stillwell Willson 5. Richard Lawrence.
Wit: Prisoner, John Vanzante, Duke Kendrick, T. Hamilton, Not Guilty. Adjourned Monday, 9 November next.
. 1807 Nov. 11 - Promotions in the Militia of the East Riding of the County of York, Ensign Stilwell Wilson, to be Lieutenant. Signed: John McGill, Lieut. of the County.
. 1808 - Stillwell Willson: 1 Man, 1 Woman, 2 male children under 16, Total 4.
. 1808 Mar 7, Monday, Annual Town Meeting held at Thos. Stoyells, Stillwell Wilson elected Assessor.
Ref: York, UC, Minutes of Town Meetings.
. Of the assault cases, it would seem the punishment imposed (usually a small fine) - that none of these was of an aggravated nature. In the York Home District Sessions records there is little indication of the lawlessness that caused some citizens in remote & frontier areas to live in fear of their lives. In a few cases, nonetheless, the magistrates did not hesitate to use their authority to protect citizens from their neighbours. In 1810 for example, Ephraim Payson told the court that he lived 'in continual bodily fear' of one Stillwell Willson & asked that Willson be 'bound under recognizance.' The magistrates ordered the fearsome Mr. Willson to be 'fined forthwith good & sufficient security for him to keep the peace towards all His Majesty's subjects for 1 year, himself in £100 & each surety in £50.
. 1808 Apr 16, Saturday. Stillwell Willson, the other assessor declared upon oath that John Denison has refused to act or do his duty of assessor which he had been nominated by the Town Meeting. Court are not aware Mr. Denison's objections are legal, & therefore this fine to be levied. John Cameron of York, Gent., to be appointed in his stead.
. 1808 Oct 22, the Upper Canada Gazette informs us, the sheriff, Miles Macdonell, is about to sell "at Barrett's Inn, in the Town of York," the goods & chattels of Henry Hale, at the suit of Elijah Ketchum. Likewise, at the same time, the goods & chattels of Stillwell Wilson, at the suit of James McCormack & others.
. 1808 Stilwell Willson sold the south east 3 quarters Lot 30, Markahm to d'Arcy Boulton. This land was turned over several times before 1819 when it was bought by Sir Alan McNab as a mill site.
. 1810 Willson sold 50 A north west corn to Sutton Fizzell who is believed to have built the house on Yonge St., near the corner of John St, occupied by Mrs. Richard Simpson.
St. John Street as it seems to have been called in the old days should have run along the north boundary of Lot 30, as a concession line, but the survey disclosed such deep ravines that the road allowance was put through the middle of the Lot. It is possible the John Street being the most direct route from Yonge St. to German Mills, follows the old Berczy trail.
Ref: The Liberal Newspaper, Richmond Hill, written by Doris M FitzGerald.
. 1809 May 17: Vaughan, I moved with my family into Stillwell Willson's hope on Yonge Street.
. 1809 Aug 10 - John Arnold & Ely Plater came home in the evening. Stillwell Willson & Arnold abused each other, stripped to fight but halted.
Ref: Eli Playters Diary.
. 1809 - 5086 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington.
The southeast part of Lot 5, Con 4 SDS (or BF), South of Dundas St., on the east bank of Appleby Creek, Burlington, was granted by the Crown to Stillwell Wilson; in 1809 (registered 1811) it was sold to Philip Triller Sr. 5086 & 7 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, located at the corner of Pineland Drive, opposite the Forlong or Furlong property on what is now Colonial Court. Large lot with row of conifers, mature trees.
Ref: Burlington Historical Society, 2012.
"Capital was coming into the area from Britain & the United States & the site of Thornhill, Lots 30 & 31, Con 1 ESYonge Street, which Robt. Jarrets shared with other Thornhill Citizens:
Capital was coming into the area from Britain & the US & the site of Lots 30 & 31, Thornhill was a favorite stopping place for travellers between York & farther north. As a result, Lot 30 granted to Daniel Soules in 1805, was divided into lots in 1816 & sold to newcomers who put up two shops in 1817. One of the shops closed in 1818, however, & the other in 1820. It was not until about 1830 that new shops were started & this community began to enjoy a steady growth. Lot 30, originally granted to John Wilson, Sr., in 1810, was sold in 1811 for £300 to Stilwell Wilson. It was bought in 1822 by Hon. William Allan & broken into lots in 1824. These were quickly sold & resold to such persons as John McGill & D'Arcy Boulton. In 120 Business man Mr. Thorne from Dorestshire settled at Thorne Hill.
Ref: Pioneering with Billy: The story of the Jarretts / Jarrots, Mary Jarrott Cassar, 2000.
WAR of 1812
. 1812 Sep 19th to Sep 22 6 o'clock evg. , retd. 22nd. Cpt Ridouts Company granted leave of absence.
. 1812 Sep 8 - 22, Capt Ridouts Company marched into York Garrison: Privates Stillwell Willson & Thos Johnston, Discharged afterward.
. 1813 Oct 10 - I went up Yonge St. after Mr. Ward's mare. She had strayed away. Was at Arnold's & Langstaff's. Could not find her. Came home early & found the mare at Stillwell Wilson's & brother's home. Prepared a roasting pig for dinner.
Ref: Ely Playter Diary.
Quarterly Sessions of Peace, York County:
. 1813 Jan 13. Tuesday, Thomas Ridout, Esq. Grand Jury Called: 1 John Dennison, Foreman 3. Henry Webster, 6. Samuel Heron, 7. Jacob Coomer, 8. Stillwell Willson, 9. Malcolm Wight, 10. Richard Lawrence, 12. John Weston, 15. John Arnold, 16. Daniels Soules, 14. Martin Snider, 18. Joseph Johnston. Withdrew & a true Bill of indictment. Isaac Pilkington Vs. Wm. S Forrier.
Returned Grand Jury were called & & sworn as follows: 1. John Denison, p 131 foreman, 7. Jacob Coomer, 8. Stillwell Willson, 10. Richard Lawrence, Thomas Ridout issued affidavit against Lewis Stiles a Petty Constable of Town of York.
. 1813 Aug 16 - Information of Stillwell Willson, York Twp., yeoman, taken an oath before me Thos. Ridout, a JP of Home District, who saith that on or doubt 1st day of present month August, he heard Gideon Orson, Markham Twp., Blacksmith says, that we would be better used by the American than the Gov. & he would soon have them him than under the present Govt. or words to that effect & further that he thins the said Gideon Orson to be a bad subject & a dangerous person.
Sworn, Still. Willson.
. 1813 Aug 16 - Information of Stillwell Willson, York Twp., yeoman, taken an oath before me Thos. Ridout, a JP of Home District, who deposseth that some time in the past month of August he told John Lyons that the American Fleet had been beaten, to which John Lyon answered that he was sorry for it that he wished it has been otherwise, & the he hoped to see the American colors flying in the Country again. That shortly after the last visit of the enemy to this place in the beginning of this month, he heard John Lyon say he had some wheels, a bathing machine which he & some other property belonging to Government which had been given to him last spring by General Dearborn, that he head been obliged to carry it back & that then the enemy came last he had applied for it & gotten the wheels again, then he had hauled down some public stores in its boats for the Americans, & had been all paid for his trouble.
Signed, 17 Aug., 1815, Thos. Ridout, Jr. & Still Wilson. Same day Timothy Wheeler, Markham Twp., yeoman, came with Lyon to the gaol & took a pair of dog irons & other articles belonging to Government
. Affidavit of Wm. Knott, Town of York, On Sunday, 1 August he saw John Lyon, Twp. Vaughan drawing with his waggon Public Stores down to the waterside for the Enemy. He saw no appearance of compulsion & appeared voluntary. Same Nathaniel Hastings, Twp. York, yeoman, who was liberated from the Goal by the Enemy came back to the goal & took by force several green rugs belonging to the goal. Wheeler said had they had been taken when the Enemy were in York in the Spring & had been forced to take.
Ref: Upper Canada Sundries, C4508, p6552-3, & 6561-2. Aug 17, 1813 (Pg. 370).
Note1: John Lyons, Lot 33 Con1 ESY, Patent 1796. Stillwell resided at Lot 30.
. 1815 Mar 6 - Annual Meeting Twp. of York at Aaron Leonard, clerk & watchmaker of the Union Inn, York. Assessor for the Town of York, Stilwell Wilson.
. Stillwell Willson at St. John's Road [Dundas St. West] & it was later owned by Sir Allan McNab.
. 1819-20 Stillwell Wilson is in command of a slip-keel shooter, carrying passengers & freight between York & Niagara.
. 1821 Stillwell Willson is landlord of the Waterloo House in York & is offering to let that stand; also to let or sell other valuable properties.
. 1820 Mar 25 - for sale or let, 4 imported farms on Yonge street, composed of Lots 20 & 20 on the west side & Lots 15 & 20 on Side of the street in Twps. of York & Vaughan. The lands are so well known that they require no further comments than the virtues they posses. Tor title of which please apply to the subscriber at Waterloo House, York, the proprietor of said lands.
P.S. The noted is known by the name of Waterloo House, which the subscriber at present posses, is also offered to be let on easy terms; as also an excellent Sawmill, in the third Concession York Twp., east of Yonge Street, only 10 miles from town, on the west Branch of the river Don. Stillwell Willson.
Ref: York Gazette Newspaper.
. 1828 Jan 31, for moneys due apparently to Jairus Ashley, some of Stillwell's property has been seized. Under the editorial head of the Loyalist of December 27th of that year, we find the following item:
. Sheriff's Sale: At the Court House, in the Town of York, on Saturday, 31st January next, will be sold, Lot No. 30, in the first Concession of the Township of Vaughan, taken in execution as belonging to Stillwell Wilson, at the suit of Jairus Ashley. Sale to commence at 12 o'clock noon.
Ref: Toronto of old; collections & recollections illustrative of the early settlement & social life of the capital of Ontario" By HENRY SCADDING, D.D.
Note2: Perhaps Jaris Ashley got wind of Stillwell ill health, as he died in July of 1828 or was it this Sheriff's sale that pushed Stillwell The Elder into deterioration?
. 1828 - Stillwell Wilson's mill, which was swept away by a flood caused by the bursting of a water-spout, about 1828. The property afterwards passed into the hands of Thomas Sheppard, who ran a grist-mill here for some time, until it was burned in 1869.
. Wm. Morton, of Cavan Twp. to Florida Burk of York Twp., Stillwell Wilson Sr., Innkeeper of Town of York, 28 Jun 1828.
. WILL of STILLWELL WILLSON, late of the Town of York, Upper Canada, carpenter, deceased, (to be registered pursuant to the Statues...) Devised to his wife Sarah Willson certain parcels of land in situated in Township of York East Side of Yonge street containing five? acres with a sawmill erected thereupon. Whereupon the said Stillwill Willson bequeath to Sarah his wife his right & title to certain building lot in the Market Square within Town of York, being Lot 9 at the Corner of Church Street & Market Square.
He leaves his wife Sarah certain lands in Gwillimbury township...east clergy reserve. ...eight (eighty?) acres more or less with a building & apperturances for use during her natural life.
Then to be divided equally between Thomas Willson & Catherine Willson. Also the proper in Whitby Twp., Lot 31, Con. 3. Died 18 Jul 1832, Signed & Sealed, Sarah Willson. Registered by John Ridout, 8 August 1832, Reg. County York.
Ref: Registry Office at York. [Sorry blurry copy - PJA.]
Ontario Land Registry, Toronto Book 685, p158, 228.
Lot 9, South side King St., Corner of Church Street, Town of York
. 1803 OCT 7, Patent, Crown to Peter Russ, A Shaw, Jno McGill & Henry Allcock, 5.5 Acres.
. 1832 Jun 16, WILL, Registred 7 Aug 1832, Stillwell Willson, to his wife. Lot 9, Corner Church & Market Lane.
Ontario Land Registry, North York Book 39, p3
Lot 12, Con 3 East of Yonge St. [Shepard Ave E & Leslie Street]
. 1807 Oct 26, Patent, Crown, to James Lymburn, All 200 Acres
. 1813 Mar 15, B&S, Wm. Marsh etux, to Alex Montgomery, £100, Half 100A.
. 1832 Jun 16, WILL, Stillwell Willson, Part 2 Acres
. 1833 Dec 31, B&S, Wm. Marsh Jr., to Sarah Wilson, £25, Part 2 Acres
. 1834 Apr 24, B&S, Jessie Ketchum, to James Elliot, £200, Part 98
Lot 15, Con 1 East Yonge St., North York Book 9, p3 & Markham Book 91, p311
. 1805 Feb 7, Patent, Crown, to John Everson, 190 Acres.
. 1819 Mar 26, Bargin&Sale, James Everson etux heir at law, to Stillwell Willson, £250, Part E 75A.
* 1820 Apr 2, B&S, James Everson et ux, to Stillwell Willson, £250. Part 87 A
. 1820 Apr 13, B&S, Thos. Humberston, to Thomas Wilson, £30. 13 A.
. 1822 May 8, Mortgage, Stillwell Willson to Wm Allan, £153, 190A
*1822 May 23, B&S, Stillwell Willson, to Wm. Allen etal, 5 Shillings, All 190A.
. 1823 Jun -, M., Thomas Wilson, to Simonson Washburn, £12.12.0, Part Half A
XRef: Ont Heir & Devisee, H1146, p455 - Quit Claim letter York, 3 Apr 1820, from James HISXMARK Everson & Dorothy HERXMARK EVERSON to Stillwell Willson.
XRef: Memoiral 4281 Indenture registred. 8 Oct 1822, York to Wm. Allan. Satisfied. Ref: OntHeir & Devisee, H1146, p483.
Lot 15, Con 1EYS , Book 9, p5
[Note 4 seperate patents 1828, for Lot 15 - only one PATENT to Stillwell Willson. - PJA]
. 1828 Nov 13, Patent, Crown, to Stillwell Willson, part 173 5/10 acre
. 1828 Nov 24 B&S Stillwell Willson, to Jacob Cummer, £400., Part 173A.
. 1830 Sep 17, Mortgage, Stillwell Willson, to Jacob Cummer, £400
. 1830 May 18 Jacob Cummer etux, to Jos Harrison, £275.
Lot 15, Con 1 WEST Yonge Street, North York Book 103, p3
. 1801 June 30, Patent, Crown, to Thos. Hill, 210 Acres
. 1805 Nov 23, B&S, Thos. Hill, to Stillwell, All acres
. 1805 Jan10, B&S, Stillwell Willson et ux, to Adam Everson, £200, All.
Ontario Land Registry
Lot 20, Con 1 East Yonge St. North York Book 12, p47
. 1800 Sep 4, Patent, Crown to Nicholas Johnson, All 190 arces
. 1807 Sep 19, Bargain & Sale, Nicholas Johnston, to Stilwell Willson et ux, £200, All 190A.
. 1819 Sep 10, Mortgage, Stillwell Willson to Wm. Allan 190 Acres.
. 1822 May 23, B&S, Stillwell Willson, to Wm. Allen, 5 shillings, All 190A.
Lot 20, Con 1 WEST Yonge Street, North York Book 108, p3
. 1800 Sep 4, Patent, Crown to Jos. Johnson, All 200 Acres
. 1816 May 25, B&S, Jos Johnson, to Stillwell Willson, £200. ALL
. 1820 Jan 20, Mortgage, Stillwell Willson etux, to Wm. Allan, £300, ALL
. 1822 May 23 B&S Trust, Stillwell Willson et ux, to Wm. Allan, 5 shillings, ALL.
Lot 30, Con 1, East Yonge St., Richmond Hill, Markham. Book 91, p311.
[Later renumbered as Lot 5, C1 WSY, Markham Twp.]
. 1808 Apr 8, Patent, Crown, to Stillwell Willson, All 190A
. 1808 Jun 21, B&S, Stillwell Willson, to Martin Holder, NW part 50A.
. 1808 May 10, Bargain&Sale, Stillwel Wilson et ux, to d'Arcy Boulton Jr., £200. SE Quarter
. 1808 July 27, Stillwell Willson, to Martin Holder, NW 50A.
. 1815 Jun 14, DArcy Boulton, Jr.
. 1817 Sep 3, Thomas Arnold, to Alan N McNabb, SE & NE pt, 100A.
Lot 40, Con 1, WYS, Richmond Hill, Abstract Book 170, p 99
. 1807 May 2, B&S, Daniel Laughlin, to Stillwell Willson, All 210A
. 1808 Mar 8, B&S, Stillwell Willson, to Julien LeBugel, £200, 210 Acres,
. 1820 Mar 11, B&S, Peter Vanderburgh et ux, to Richard Vanderburgh, £750, All 210A.
Lot 41, Con 1, WYS, Richmond Hill, Abstract Book 170, p 101
. 1807 May 2, B&S, Daniel Laughlin, to Stillwell Willson, [no amount registered], All Acres [100 acres?]
. 1807 Nov 5, B&S, Reg. 1824 Feb 16, Stillwell Willson et ux, to Nicholas Johnson, £200, All Acres, [100 acres?]
. 1815 Jun 14, B&S, Nicholas Johnston, to Henry Vanderburg, £131.5.0., 100 Ac. - - - [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
- PART 2 or THE FAMILY COMPACT vs STILLWELL WILLSON:
Early Victim* of 'Family Compact' 1824:
A interesting explanation of the how Stillwell lost his Yonge St. property may be found in:
Union is Strength, W. L. MacKenzie, the Children of Peace, & The emergence of joint stock democracy in Upper Canada, Albert Schrauwers.
. Stillwell Willson was a tavern keeper & land speculator who had attempted to develop the much conveyed land & mill site at what is now the village of Thornhill.
However, he has fallen deeply into debt of Wm. Allan & others, who in late 1821 launched suits in the Court of Kings Bench. Willson's lawyer was none other than Henry John Boulton, whose legal bill amounted to £12 10s 0d. which he held on Willson's property & which he auctioned off parts & granted other parcels on advantageous terms to various creditors, including H J Boulton.
Boulton in turn rapidly resold this property on 20 May 1824 for £100 with days of the setting of the debtors' gaol:
* In the satire, Willson: 'would only observe, that the great liberality & public spirit of Henry J Bolton were well known to him'. He would not allude to the sale of a part of his own property on Yonge St. to satisfy a judgement against him (originally about £12 10s 0d.) at the suit of this Patriot - no Mr. Boulton had only got a piece of land worth £100, for £20 or £25.
This property was subsequently subdivided by the purchaser, Daniel Brooke, Jr. & formed the eventual nucleus of the village of Thornhill, adjacent to the mill property of Allan MacNab, a clerk first in Darcy Boulton, Senior's law office & that of the owner of Dundurn Castle.
. Lawyers like Boulton, Jones & Robinson, later dubbed the family Compact, controlled the Bank of Canada. As speculators in land, they used such malicious arrests to obtain the property of of others at a fraction of its value.
For further research of William Allan D, S345, Ledger 1822 26 - 15 -16, at the Toronto Reference Library, may reveal more information. - Transcriptions by PJA. Thank you. - - -
- PART 3, Stillwell Elder, The MARINER [or The Family Compact At Work, Again:]
. 1816 May 4. Extracted from 8 pages: st Session & 2nd, 12th Parl. Wm IV, January 19th, 1835:
Report 102 on the PETITION OF LEONARD WILCOX:
1835 Apr 7th, Toronto, Report of Petition of Leonard Wilcox,
That Wm. Baldwin Esq., Attorney of Petitioner in trail of the seizure. 4AP'A. Bond between Mr. Allan, the late Collector of Port of York, & Hail Wilcox, Stillwell Willson & John Montgomery, dated 4 May 1816, for a boat named the Lark ( supposed to mean the boat seized) with certain tackle, to be returned by the boat seized) with certain tackle, to be returned by the parties bound to the Collector of Port of York, in the want of the said boats being adjudged forfeited, together with the tackle & furniture of the same, E, & Stilwell Willson's receipt for the boat & certain table therein enumerated, in good order, dated 8 May 1816.
Ref: Journal of House of Assembly of UC, 2nd Session/12th Provincial Parliament., Report 102, pages 1-8
To the Commons House of Assembly. Committee Members: Jesse Ketchum, Geo. Hamilton, John Cawthra, Esqs.
Petition of Leonard Wilcox [of Davenport St., Town of York, Carpenter, praying that his case may be taken into consideration, & such relief granted against a certain Custom House seizure of goods imported by him.
. Bond between Hon. Wm. Allen, the late Collector of the Port of York & Hail Wilcox, Stillwell Willson & John Montgomery, for a boat (supposed sized) named The Lark, with certain tackle, to be returned by the parties bound to Port of York [Toronto]. The Deputy Collector, in the want of the said boats being adjudged forfeited, together with the tackle & furniture of the same, & Stillwell Willson's receipt for the boat & certain tackle therein enumerated, in good order, dated 8 May 1816.
Better built than usual on this side; she was from 50 to 53 fo 4 feet keel & 10 or 11 beam. Appraised 13 Jun 1816 amounted to £259 1s 9d. Rigging tacking were not sold with the boat, supposed stolen.
. 1816 May 8, York, Received from Wm. Allan, Collector of the Port to York, as being one of the parties suing on the within-name Bond the boat named Lark - in his possession under seizure; together with 4 oars, 3 iron sparred poles, 1 Russia shedding sail & some rigging apparently in good order.
Signed, Still. Willson, Witness, Silas Crane.
. 1816 June 19 - (Extracted) Bond1. We Stillwell Wilson & John Montgomery of York Township, Yeoman & Hail Wilcox, Vaughan Twp., Yeoman, bond of £19, 15s lawful money of Upper Canada shall return the Boat Lark to Hail Wilcox in good repair.
Bond2. We Leonard Wilcox, York Town, Yeoman, Stilwell Willson, York Township, Mariner, & John Willson of same place, Yeomen, are firstly bound until Wm. Allan, Esq. York Town, Bond for £518.1.16 for payment by 19 Jun 1816. Stillwell Wilson, now commanding a schooner on Lake Ontario & John Willson of York Twp., enter into security for Leonard Wilcox for there performance of this agreement on the part of the said Hail Wilcox [yeoman crossed out, physician] & Leonard Wilcox.
Signed, Leonard Wilcox, Still. Willson, John Willson.
Wit: Geo S Boulton, & John W Gamble.
Ref: Journal of the House of Assembly of Upper Canada, Second Session of the Twelfth Provincial Parliament, 1836, publisher William Lyon MacKenzie, Toronto.
Notes3: It is not completely apparent if this is Capt. John Montgomery (b1754 Conn.) or John Montgomery (1784 NB-1879 Ontario).
The names of Hail Wilcox [a doctor b. 1778 Connecticut, res.1819 in Vaughan Twp.] & Leonard Wilcox [a carpenter form NY State & also Vaughan Town Clerk & Constable] are present in this Petition. Goods valued £750 were seized by Deputy Customer Collect who was also a well known York storekeeper! {i.e. deprive the competition of goods to sell & confiscates the competition's goods! - PJ Ahlberg.
. 1817 Feb 26 - Account of sundries seized from L Wilcox & sold at auction by the late Thomas Hamilton on 1817 Feb 26. By the above affidavits, it will appear that a certain boat & goods, the property of Lenard Wilson were seized & condemned by legal proceedings, the Port of which seizure & the authority go the Government to take legal proceedings therein dated Oct 1816 & that the whole of the proceedings relating to the same were not wholly completed till 2.26.1817.
. 1830 Jan 22, House of Assembly, Committee appointed to enquire into the matter of Petition L Wilcox, Chairman Jesse Ketchum Esq. Chairman, John Cawthra, W W Baldwin, Esqs. [Brief summary:]
Affidavit of Petitioner Leonard Wilcox. Boat goods contained glassware, crockery & coffee. Didn't know the goods were against the law, when they were seized by the Deputy Collector. Goods sold, proceeds never could be accounted for. Attorney General Ridout, his attorney, made inquiry & was informed, no return has been made in the Inspector General's Office. Leonard Wilcox came into the Province in his brother's boat & cargo, about 2 months before the time the boat was seized.
. Deputy Collect Hamilton examined: He seized the boat & goods, locked them up in Mr. Allan's Custom House store; the boat he hauled up a little on the beach. Goods inc. Shawls, muslin & other merchandize, 3 men required to lift the case.
Proceeds of the sale of boat & goods about £20 paid to Mr. Allan Att. General.
. Jonas Duncan: He saw in the Maj Allan Custom House, the Carding machined made by brother Charles Wilcox, brother of Leonard Wilcox, being 6 months in his employment.
. Mr Monis Lawrence. Went with Wilcox in Aug 1815 to Mr Hamilton, Deputy Collector & saw him deliver Bill of Lading; an hour after, the boat was seized for having contraband goods on board. He was with Wilcox's brother when he entered the boat in the spring at the Custom House, the goods were landed & boat returned on her voyage with no difficulty about the entry of goods.
. Thomas Bright purchased the boat for very low £20. Could not buy sail & rigging, told they were stolen. Boat now by the shore side; boat built for under £300, yet she is able to work, double well built.
. 1830 Feb 24, Leonard Wilcox, called again: State value of articles: Wilcox saw his goods about £100 worth in Mr Hamilton's store or shop. He was then a merchant grocer & had goods for sale. Goods belong to you in Hamilton's store: some large soup dished, plates, knives, forks, quart & pint decanters, & other glass ware were for an inn, crate of crockery cost him $200, crate of glass $160.
. Charles C Small, Clerk of Crown Pleas: Evidence Nov 1 1815 found any Attorney General goods of Hail Wilcox for Leonard Wilcox, imported from US & are for sale: glass, whiskey, oil, crockery, glassware pails, chairs, tobacco, miner, turpentine, hats, saddlery, dry goods, coffee, cutlery. Goods keep at a Public House, on a piece of land on Yonge St, about 13 miles from York. [Steeles & Yonge Sts.?]
. 1829 Apr 2nd, In Council. The selling of liquor with License papers to have been disposed by Gov. in 1826. Bill of Lading totaling £259., Wit: E Benson, T Stoyell, Wm Smith, S Crane.
. The Petitioner Leonard Wilcox who came into Upper Canada 1815 to be settler bring his family in with the first sleighing that following winter & has resided since. He also brought with him a boat & cargo, his own property. On his arrival at Port of York, he reported the boat & cargo to the then Collector Wm. Allan Esq., through his Deputy at the late Thos. Hamilton, who then seized them. He paid import duty of 30% for an imported Carding Machine thereon, which have not been credited to the public. The Collect Hon. Colonel Allan both fined Wilcox & failed to turn over this (& many duties ) to the public purse. Thus because of the plundered of his goods, Leonard Wilcox was left to became a Inn & Tavernkeeper.
* Our public affairs have been allowed to be carried on for nearly half a century, the appeal was made to a Council wholly irresponsible & composed chiefly of the same exclusive persons & influenced by the same political policies as have over characterized that Body. The Executive Council, forebears to notice the amount readied in the seizure, under these circumstances of oppression, was never paid into the Public Treasury. It does seem exceedingly disgraceful, that part of the cargo bought at a very reduced price at Auction by the Deputy Collector, was for sale at his private store.
* It ought to be a matter of surprise that the same Honorable Colonel Allan, who was Collector in the above proceedings, was the same Colonel Allan who pursued this vicim for the fine & costs in the latter case. If no relief was afforded by a grant of land, your Committee suggest passing an act compelling the Honorable Colonel Allan to indemnify him, inasmuch as the public have never received the proceedings of the property, to which neither the Collector nor his Deputy can have, to say the least of it, a better claim than the Petitioner.
Signed, Committee House of Assembly, April 15, 1835 ! T D Morrison, Chairman. . - . [8]
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1763 - 1832 (69 years)