| Notes |
- John was born on Yonge Street, near Eglinton Ave., at the location directly adjoining Montgomery's Tavern. Lots. 4 & 5, Con 5 - 2 Vaughan Twp., Ontario
The Cummer Memoranda:
It is said that MacKenzie offered John Cummer the command of his forces but the offer was refused. On this account he was known among his neighbors as "the man who refused the sword." His refusal did not relieve him from the suspicion of the party in power. His belief in Reform principles & his personal friendship with MacKenzie subjected him to the suspicion of the government so that he was arrested as a rebel by the soldiery.
. 1837 Rebellion: It is said that MacKenzie offered John Cummer the command of his forces but the offer was refused. On this account he was known among his neighbors as "the man who refused the sword." David Gibson, was a prominent Reform leader. Now Gibson was an old neighbor, for his farm was just opposite the old Cummer homestead. ...Twice he was taken prisoner & rudely hustled to jail at Toronto by a drunken, irresponsible mob. His life was seriously endangered several times & this because it was known that he opposed the "Family Compact."
During the summer of 1838 he was attacked by that dreaded disease, cholera, & while he made a recovery, his health was seriously undermined. He was always busily engaged in his milling operations & carried on farming as well.
John retired & moved to Waterdown. He had started on a business trip & was staying at the home of his son, Franklin, on Elizabeth Street in Toronto. While here he was suddenly taken ill & died September 11, 1868. His grave is in the Necropolis at Toronto.
. c 1824 - William Lyon Mackenzie began publishing his Reform per, the Colonial Advocate. MacKenzie was a warm friend of John Cummer*
& it is related that when the latter passed the door of MacKenzie's printing shop in Toronto he was often summoned in by the great reformer & asked for his opinion on various radical not to say violent articles which he intended to print. It is said that the editor was always cautioned against making his denunciations too bitter. The Cummers, it would seem, rather leaned toward the more conservative wing of the party. The policy of the Willowdale neighbors was to refrain from war-like & treasonable measures.
. 1837 - After the complete & utter defeat of the rebels at Montgomery's tavern the victors burnt the home of David Gibson, a prominent Reform leader. Now Gibson was an old neighbor, for his farm was just opposite the old Cummer homestead & on the morning after the fire, John Cummer went down to view the place. After he had returned to his home, a band of British soldiers appeared. His family immediately knew that the worst had come. John Cummer the officer in charge noisily rode his horse up onto the veranda & hammered upon the door with the butt of his pistol. The father appeared and was tied by the wrists with a stout rope into line with the other rebels and so the party proceeded on foot down Yonge Street to the Court House in Toronto where they were locked up. John's confinement did not last long, however, for sometime the next day his release was secured by influential Tory friends, including his brother-in-law, Peter Lawrence. He owed his release to the influence of Sir Allan MacNab.
. This brings out an interesting story. It seems that in the course of his business he had furnished considerable lumber to Sir Allan for extensive building operations in Toronto, and being unable to secure payment, had even been obliged to have a capias issued on MacNab. Afterwards during the Rebellion MacNab heard that many of his old acquaintances were among the suspects in confinement and so he went to visit them. When he saw John Cummer he immediately demanded his release, saying that he was certainly not a traitor to the Government.
. In connection with the story of the Gibson home there is another interesting anecdote.It seems that the government had offered a reward of £500 for the capture of Mr. Gibson, & when the soldiers were unable to find him, they set fire to his house, hoping to drive him out. They did not do so, though they burned the house to the ground. During this time he was safely concealed behind a panel or invisible door in the log house of Jacob Cummer, where he had been hidden by Elizabeth Cummer when he first sought refuge. Here he remained 3days, while the soldiery ransacked all the houses in the neighborhood. When they appeared at the Cummer home & told Mrs. Cummer that they were hunting Gibson, she answered "all right, but you will not find him," & they did not.
. Others of our family were also involved in the Rebellion in a quiet way. Samuel Cummer, a rebel in sympathy, was drafted into the Government army & was locked up all night, but was released in the morning on account of his youth. MacKenzie's printing press was hidden in an old dry well back of Joshua Cummer's farm. Joshua's wife, Aunt Angelina, was a very ardent Reformer, & she had many an argument before the Rebellion with her brother-in-law, Peter Lawrence, who espoused Tory principles. She stated that after the Rebellion he became disgusted with the Tories & always afterwards voted the Reform ticket.
afterwards voted the Reform ticket.
Ref: An addendum to the Cummer Memorandum: pertaining to the Mallmann family, Walter LeRoy Mallman, 1976.
. 1848 May 19, York Twp. Dissolution of Partnership, The Partnership heretofore carried on by the subscribers, under the from of Carroll & Cummer, is this day dissolved by mutual consent. The business will be continued by Nathaniel Carroll, who is authorized to settle & receive all payments on account of the late from, Nathaniel Carrol, John Cummer.
Methodist Circuit Rider:
. 1859 Jan 23, Sunday - Came to Waterdown. No service here. The friends had not made any preparation such as making a fire, etc. O what little zeal for professors of Christ. Dear Lord, forbid that I should grown cold in thy cause. Finished reading the Book of Genesis today. This has been a cold day. Stopped at J Summers all night.
.Jan 29 Sat. Left Palermo fro Hamilton Stopped at the Parsonage. Pay out 7¢ toll. Came to Waterdown, staying at Father Cummers. Question: Was the solo of Adam immortal? The air was quite raw today. Thawed some half past nine. Let us fall down & worship the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
. 1859 Jan 30, Sunday. Union Sunday School, Watertown. Gave them a short address. J Cummer, Supt. The Schoolis composed of 100 pupils & teachers. A very interesting School indeed. Took dinner at J Summers.
. 1859 Jan 31. Called on L Cummer but found him absent. Next went to F Crookers & then home to home to summers for dinner. Remaining all night at Dr Bucks. Father Cummer came down with me to Palermo. Weather was moderate again today, quite cloudy. Weather very mild for winter.
1859 Feb 15, Wed. Came to Bro Tezels to remain all night. Went to meeting in the even. Preach from Chron. 28:9. Felt happy in speaking. Praise the Lord. Weather very beautiful. It seems like Spring.
. 1859 Feb 18, Fri. Took tea with Bro Cummer. Went to prayer meeting, about 40 present at good meeting.
. 1859 Feb 19, Sat. Left Bro Summers for Palermo, Wen to church, this was our last Quarterly Meeting.
. 1859 Feb 22, Tues. Left home this bring for the English Settlement. Paid for maps 12¢ Horse shoeing 12¢. Have a fresh horse to drive. Came to Waterdown, took dinner at John Cummers. Called on Lockman Cummers, found him not at home. A mild day. It is now 10 o'clock p.m.
Ref: Diaries of Rev. Leonard Smith, Circuit Rider [Methodist].
. 1859 Mar 6, Sun. Went to Chapel expecting to preach but found Bro. Davis, A New Connexion Local Preach present who kindly consented to office date. He preached Heb. 12:14, good doctrine but dull & dry. Came to Waterdown, distance 7 miles, preached Isa 30:30 Came home to Father Cummer. Praise God for mercies to me during this day, sanctify my effort for good.
. 1859 May 2, Mon. Left for Waterdown with Rev J H Johns. Stoped at Father Summers. Came to Palermo to attend Annual Conference held there.
Ref: Diaries of Rev. Leonard Smith, Circuit Rider [Methodist].
Ontario Land Registry, Abstract North York Book 109, p3-9-10
Lot 21, Con 1 West Side Yonge,
. 1803 Sep 20, Patent, Crown, to John Corn, 210A
. 1855 Dec 23, Bargain & Sale, John Cummer et eux, to John Willson, £1000, Part W Half 29 acres.
. 1856 Nov 26, Mortgage, Peter Lawrence Jr eux, to John Cummer, £1000, E pt 130A
. 1855 Dec 23, B&S, John Cummer et ux, to John Willson, £1000, Part WHalf 29A.
. 1861 Dec 17, Grant, Peter Lawrence et ux, to John Cummer, $2400, Part 30A
. 1867 Feb 15, Quit Claim, John Cummer etux, to Peter Lawrence, $, $1., Part E Part 40A West.
. 1867 Feb 2, Mortgage, Peter Lawrence et ux, to Amelia Harding, $500, Part # 40 A.
. 1868 Feb 7, WILL of John Cummer
. 1869 Nov 2, Mortgage, Margaret Willson et al, *Exrs., to Ben Wincup, $1000 SE part 4A
. 1871 Jan 7, Ben Wincup, to Margaret Willson et al, Exrs. $1000, Part W 29A.
. 1878 May 18, Egerton Willson* et al, to Geo W Irwin, $3300, Part 48A
. 1881 Jul 11, Geo Cooper, to Peter Lawrence, $2300, E 40 of 70A.
. 1894 Nov 20, Peter Lawrence, to Geo Cooper, $2300, Part - .
[Page 9-10:]
. 1899 Jan 6, Mortgage, Geo W Irwin & Erma M his wife, to William B Willson*, 275, Part 84 Acres, Reg. in full.
. 1899 Oct 23, Agrt., Emma Maria Irwin, to., Wm. A Person, $400, Part 29 A Half.
. 1899 Oct 7, Assgnt. of Legacy, John C Willson, to Herbert E Irwin, $500, Part 29 A Half.
. 1899 Oct 20, Assgnt. of Legacy, Herbert E Irwin, to. Wm. A Person, $400, Part 29 A Half.
. 1899 Oct 23, Assgnt. of Legacy, Emma Maria Irwin, to Wm. A Person, $400, Part 29 A Half.
. 1899 Oct 23, Release of Legacy, Emma Maria Irwin, to Confederation Life Assn., $400, Part 29 A Half.
. 1899 Oct 17, Release of Legacy, Rufus Skinner, to Emma Maria Irwin, $536.60, Part 29 A Half.
. 1905 Feb 13, Grant, Egerton Willson, Exor of John Willson 4th., to Erma Maria Irwin, $1.00, Part 84A.1905
. 1905 Mar 31, Grant, Geo W Irwin, to Erma M, his wife, $1.00, Part 84A.
. 1905 Mar 2, Assgnt. of Legacy, Sarah Morris & Margaret Lawrence, to Emma Maria Irwin, $200, Part 29 A.
. 1905 Mar 13, Assgnt. of Legacy, Sarah M W Hannon, to Wm. A Person, $400, Part 29 A Half.
. 1905 Mar 31, Quit Claim, Wm A pasons, to Erma M Irwin, $1 & Prem.(?), Part Half 29 A
. 1906 Oct 26, Grant, Emma M Irwin, to Margaret H Boeckh, $3200, Part WHalf 29 A.
. 1906 Sep 25, Notice of Sale, Fletcher C Snider, Admr. of Edwin Snider,
to Geo W Irwin, Sidney M Johnston, Marle A E Bales, exrics. of Wm B Willson
. 1907 Apr 4, Grant Under Power, fletcher C Snider,Admr of Edwin Snider & Samuel V Blake to Wm H Cronyn, $625. Part 84 acres.
Note: Margaret Lawrence Willson* is brother of John H Cummer, & thus, also granddaughter of Jacob Cummer* & Egerton Willson* & Mrs. Erma M Willson Irwin* were the children of Margaret Willson.
. 1868 Sep 12 - Died, in this city, the mining of the 11th inst. at the residence of his son F D Cummer, 32 Isabella Street, John Cummer, Esq. of Watertown in his 72nd year.
The funeral will leave the house at 2:30 on Sabbath afternoon. Friends & acquaintances respectfully in tied to attend.
Ref: The Globe Newspaper, Toronto. - - - [1, 2]
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1797 - 1868 (71 years)