| Notes |
- The spelling Rebekah Thixton is based on her own signature dated 1793.6.27.
From the biography of Rebecca & John's grandson:
. Mr John Willson OSBORN's mother was Alice WILSON, the daughter of John Willson & Rebecca THIXTON, his wife. She was born on Staten Island. She was educated in New York, where the family lived always a part of each year, her father being an officer in the British army, loyal to his king.
They, [John & Rebecca] left the United States & made a new home in Canada, living sometimes at Halifax, Quebec, Montreal, Canancoqua*, & finally settling down at Toronto, buying land & laying, as they supposed, a permanent foundation for a home.
Ref: HISTORY OF VIGO & PARKE COUNTIES Together With Historic Notes on the Wabash Valley, by H.W. Beckwith - 1880, Terre Haute - pp. 169-175.
Note1: Original native place name for Kingston, Ontario. Fort Frontenac also named: Canacoqua or Kateracoui. Cataraqui is the French pronunciation.
. 1773 March 4, Piscataway, New Jersey, a William Thickstun was a witnesses to Rebecca Thixton's father-in-law, John Willson, senior.
Signatures known by Rebekah Willson:
. 1789 Oct 2 - Witnesses: New Brunswick land deed at Beobars Point, Miramichi, NB, Canada, granted by Jonathan Odell.
. 1792 Jun 26 - Likewise Rebekah Willson wife of the said John Willson relinquished her right of dower, 26 Jun 1793. Entered & registered at NewCastle, 29 Jun 1793, Book 2, p 103-6, John Willson, Register.
. 1793 Jun 21 - Indenture #69, between John Willson, Esq. & Rebakah his wife, & Geor. Roy £11 11 shillings, a lot on the point called Boars point, parish of New Castle, bounded by an alder bush marked standing on the north shore, SW Branch of Miramichi R., west of lot sold to Wm. Davidson. Signed & sealed, John & Rebeka Willson.
Registered John Willson, 2 July 1793.
. 1797 - January 18 - A weekly mail is established between Canada & the United States.
. 1797 - January 18 - "A mail for the upper counties, comprehending Niagara & Detroit, will be closed, at this office on Monday, 30th instant, at 4 o'clock in the evening, to be forwarded, from Montreal, by the annual winter express, on Thursday, 2nd February next."
Ref: Quebec Gazette, official government newspaper, Quebec, Canada.
. Obituary:
On Wednesday the 6th instant, at two in the morning, departed this life, much lamented, Rebecca Wilson, wife of John Wilson, Esq., of Yonge street, in the 63 year of her age. The following day her remains were followed by a numerous train of mourners, & friends to the place of interment, where a suitable oration was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Stuart on the solemn occasion.
Ref: THE ORACLE, York. Published Saturday, June 16, 1804, No. 8, Total # 684 (subscribers.)
Rebecca & John Willson were living with their son Wm. Ladner, at the time of Rebecca's death.
. BURIAL CAIRN
Willson - East face: John Willson Esq., aged 90 years & 11 days died July 8th 1829. Moved 1940 from East Gwillimbury. In mind Rebecca Willson wife of John Willson Esq. departed June 6th 1804, aged 61 years. Moved in 1940 from Lot 26 in Markham, which was a Loyalist grant to her son W. L. Willson. [Wm. Ladner Willson.]
West face: John Willson, U.E.L. born in Middlesex Cy, New Jersey, 1739. died in York Cy, Upper Canada, 1829. Also his wife. Rebecca Thixton, born in New Jersey, 1743 died in Markham Tp., Yonge St 1804.
John Willson brought his family to St. John, N.B. in the "May Fleet" in 1783, & came to Upper Canada in 1793. He held the lease of the "Kings Mill on St John's Creek" on the site of the present ruin known as the Old Mill on the Humber, from 1793 till 1799, when he came to Yonge St. with his son & a nephew, John Arnold. He was among the officers of the 1st York Regiment held prisoners at Fort York in April, 1813.
. RE-BURIALS: John had been buried in 1829 in Queensville Burial Grounds, with his second wife Katherine Kuhn. Rebecca had been buried in 1804 on her son's William's farm on 1 Jan.,1940, descendant Alice Willson of Toronto had them reburied together & had build also the stone cairn near south side fence, in Holy Trinity Cemetery. This incidentally would be adjacent to the property of her daughter, Mrs. Mary Willson Lawrence, which is the last lot in the Toronto. (This stone cairn is near south side fence, in Holy Trinity Cemetery, Richmond Hill on Yonge St., behind Baptist Church Holy Trinity Church which since has been moved when Yonge Street was widened from two lanes.)
Ref: North York Ref: Library, North York Enterprise, Newspaper Collection, R E. Wm. C H Dowson & Alice Willson. - PJ Ahlberg, 2010.
. 1940 Oct 10, North York: Erects Memorial Cairn of Boulders
Mr. W C H Dick Doson of 68 Parkview Ave., Willowdale has just completed the erection of a memorial cairn of field boulders in Thornhill Anglican Cemetery. This is to the memory of Capt. John Willson, Esq., & his wife Rebecca Thixton. ... His wife predeceased him in 1804. She was buried in what is now the lawn of Mr. Hugh Wilson (no relation) on the north side of Steeles Ave. near Bayview.
Her gravestone the oldest in the area is believed to have been carved & erected by her husband himself. It is a piece of unhewn river slate such as is found in the Humber river area. The lettering, crudely carved reads, "In Mind, Rebecca Willson, wife of John Willson, Esq. who died June the 6, 1804. " The two old head stones are set together in the east side of the cairn facing the rising sun, wind & storms. The cairn boulders are not hammer dressed but remain as they came from the field.
The cairn contains, history of Thornhill Anglican Church; other records, coins & stamps inc. a letter, sealed in a glass container.
The work was done for Miss Alice Willson of Toronto, who is a retired teacher of languages; & a direct descendent of those to whom the memorial is erected. She is also a descendent of Mr. Jacob Cummer founder of Willowdale.
Ref: North York Enterprise Newspaper.
Note: New Jersey Will mentions Arnold relations & Yonge St. neighbours Langstaff:
1797 Sept 15 Arnold, John, of Piscataway, Middlesex Co. Administrators James Arnold, David Thorn. Fellow bondsmen Henry Fourat & Joseph Thicksun all of said County.
Inventory £266 made by John Langstaff, senior & Junior.
St. James Episcopal Church, 2136 Woodbridge Ave., Edison, Piscataway, NJ. ' Founded 1666. Organized in 1704, this is the second church on the site. It was erected in 1837 in the new Greek Revival style, Although the cemetery does not appear well tended, the church has been kept us exceptionally well.' Edison was formerly called Raritan Township. Revolutionary War skirmishes took place in Bonhamtown, Piscataway on Woodbridge Avenue. St. James Episcopal Church building served as a barracks hospital for wounded British soldiers during the war. Piscatawaytown Burial Ground is also referred to as the White Church Cemetery.
For Research:
1. Thikston, Wm. & Ruth, daughter Patience, born Dec. 20, 1714.
Ref: Piscataway Town Hall, Register of Births, Vol. 2, 3rd series.
2. Rebecca Thicksun, born 18 May 1798, Bonhamtown, Middlesex, NJ d/o Lewis Wm. Thickstun & Mary Molly Compton. Is this a brother or some relation? & she married Chamberlain.
3. Rebecca Thickstun, b 1751 Piscataway, Middlesex NJ, d 23 Sep 1819 Woodbridge, Middlesex, NJ. Relationship?
4. NJ Calendar of Wills: 1711-12 Feb. 12. Blackford, Samuel, of Piscataway, Witnesses: William Thick Stone, Wm. Lang, Ad. Hude. Proved April 29,1712.
5. WILL of Azariah Dunham of NB, Middlesex Co., NJ, 1789 Dec 23, to Daughter Jane, wife of Joseph Thixton of Piscataway, 30 Acres. - - -
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1743 - 1804 (60 years)