Notes:

. UCLPetition 6, N Bundle 3, Newark, 1797, C2236, p1246.
To Peter Russell, Acting Administration of Gov. of Province of Upper Canada, In Council,
The Petition of Henry Near, Jr. Humberstone
That your Honor's Petitioner came with his father into this Province 11 years ago, [1786] that he is of age [c. 1797], has taken the oath of Alliance to His Majesty & that he has never received any land.
Here therefore humbly prays to your Honor would be pleased to give him a grant of such a portion of vacant land of the Crown, or to your Honor's wisdom may appear meet.
Signed, Witness, Alex. McDonell, Henry HISXMARK Near. Newark, 28 April, 1797.
Envelope: Henry Near Junr. Rec. 28 April 1797, Read May 2nd, Ordered 200 Acres. Granted Wed. 3rd May, 1797.
Note: Henry's says he of of age, but is he older than 21 years? The petitioner below was born 1791.
VERIFY Identity.

. UCLPetition 6, N Bundle 14, Humberstone, 1824, C2481, p843.
To Lieut. Gov. Peregrine Maitland,
Petition of Henry Near, Junior, Humberstone Twp., Farmer
Your petition was born in the State of New York but has lived in this Province ever since he was 9 years of age [1787], & is now 33 years of age [b. 1791]. That he has a family of a wife & 5 children & has never been in any other employment that farming.That he has taken the Oath of Alliance & did his duty in the Militia during the late War as appears by Certificate here to annexed. That he never before applied for any land from the Crown & being of ability & delirious to settle upon & improve a lot of 200 acres of the waste lands. Your petition humbly prays your Excellency will be please to grant him 200 Acres of land.
Signed, York, 12 April 1824, Henry HISXMARK Near, Junior.
Envelope: Henry Near Jr. Entered into Land Book H, page 72. Petitioner has not received any land or Order for land, Thos. Ridout, Survey Generals Office.

Land Abstracts of Deeds Registered in Bertie Twp., Welland Co., Ontario:
. 1810 Dec 19, Henry Near, Senr. sold to Henry Near Jr.,
100 acres in the south half of Lots 22 & 23 Con 3 from Lake Erie, Bertie Twp. (A118 #1898);
. 1819 Aug18 & registered 20 Oct 1818), Henry Near Jr & Elizabeth his wife sold to Christian B. Hershey 100 acres in the south half of Lots 22 & 23 Con 3 from Lake Erie, Bertie Twp. for $1625 (A159 #3432).

. 1850 Dec 4, & Registered 14 Dec 1850, Alexander C Hamilton sold to Henry Near 50 acres north ½ of Lot 16 Concession 14 from the Niagara River, Bertie Twp. for ₤87.10 (A177 #2560)
. 1853 Feb 17, (Reg 8 Apr 1854), Henry Near et ux sold to Edward Summerfield 2 ¼ acres part of the north part of Lot 16 Con 14, Niagara River, Bertie Twp. for ₤10.10 (A411 #1788)
. 1853 May 31, (Reg 15 Nov 1853), Henry Near et ux sold to Martin Wilhelm 20 acres in the east part of the north ½ of Lot 16 Con 14 from the Niagara River, Bertie Twp. for ₤125 (A379 #1365)
. 1855 Feb 26, (Reg 26 Mar 1856), Henry Near et ux sold to John Adam Barnhart 1 rood 33 ½ perches in part of the north ½ of Lot 16 Con 14 from the Niagara River, Bertie Twp. for ₤3 (B142 #3697)
. 1856 Feb 27, (Reg 15 Apr 1857), Henry Near et ux sold to David Willson Near 18 acres 12 roods in part of the north ½ of Lot 16 Con 14 from the Niagara River, Bertie Twp. for ₤150 (B267 #4885)
. 1858 Nov 6, (Reg 22 Jun 1859), Henry Near et ux sold to Joseph Roetter 4150 square feet in Lot 7 Con 9 from the Niagara River Bertie Twp. for $250 (C39 #7463)
. 1860 Feb 11, (Reg 14 Feb 1860), Henry Near gave a mortgage to John Kirkpatrick on 87-½ acres in Lot 7 Con 9 from the Niagara River Bertie Twp. for $750 (C84 #8095)
. 1862 Feb 8, (Reg 11 Feb 1862), Matthew Spedding sold to Henry Near 23 acres in the east end of the north half of Lot 12 Con 7 from the Niagara River, Bertie Twp. for $600 (C257 #10116)
. 1862 Feb 7, (Reg 11 Feb 1862), Henry Near gave a mortgage to Mathew Spedding on 25 acres in the west part of the north half of Lot 12 Con 7 from the Niagara River, Bertie Twp. for $120
. 1863 Nov 12, (Reg 16 Nov 1863), Henry Near gave a mortgage to James Kirkpatrick, Executor on 87-½ acre in Lot 7 Con 9 from the Niagara River Bertie Twp. for $663 (C414 #11859)
. 1863 Nov 21, (Reg 25 Nov 1863), John C Kirkpatrick et al Executors gave a discharge to Henry Near on 87-½ acres in Lot 7 Con 9 from the Niagara River Bertie Twp. (C84 #11891).

Transcriptions by PJ Ahlberg. Thank you. - - -

Birth:
VERIFY: Not apparent who is Henry Near Sr.

Henry married Mrs. Elizabeth BETSIE NEHER on 14 Jul 1805. Mrs. was born on 12 Jan 1787 in Ontario, Canada; died on 23 Dec 1839 in Ancaster, Wentworth Co., Ontario; was buried in Vansickle Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Nicholas is the son of Elizabeth Huffman, b 12 Jan 1787-23 Dec 1839 &
Henry Near, Sr., b 27 Jun 1778, Claverack. Columbia, NY d. 15 Aug 1839. Original spelling of their surname is Neher.
Both parents were buried at Vansickle Cemetery, Ancaster Twp., near Jerseyville Baptist Church. (Hamilton.)

. The Neher, Near family settled in Pennsylvania & the Mohawk Valley of NY, later fanning out in all directions.
Following the war of Independence 1776, many members of the family came to Canada as United Empire Loyalist. They travelled over land in covered wagons, bring cattle, horses, farm implements, & household furniture. Entrance to Canada was made from Black Rock by ferry to Ontario before 1832, when Catherine was born at Ancaster.

. Monument Bethel Church Cemetery
The pains of death are past
Labor & sorrow eased
And lifes long limits closed at last
His soul is found in peace. - - -

Birth:
Alt German Spelling: Neher

Died:
Aged 71y 3m 8d.

Buried:
Ancaster, Wentworth Co.

Nicholas married Christina Ann TAYLOR on 11 Jul 1837 in Dunfries, Wentworth County, Ontario. Christina was born on 1 Jun 1819 in Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Co., Ontario; died on 25 May 1893 in Brantford, Brant Co., Ontario; was buried in Bethel Methodist Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

William is the son of Christina Taylor & Nicholas Near.

1871 Early Members of Methodist Church: NEAR, Henry was born in 1839 in Ontario living West Garafraxa.

. 1871 Wellington County Directory, West Garafraxa: Near, Henry, Sr., Con 4 Lot 21, householder & Near, Henry, Jr. Con 4, Lot 19.

Jane's sister, Mary Felker married William Near but he was in the insane asylum at this time. (1911?)
. 1781 & 1901 Census Barton, Institution Asylum patient, married.

. 1881 Ancaster, Wentworth: Wm Near, Sr., 43, May 33, Henerietta, 9, Rachel E 6, Nancy E 2, Wm. Near, Jr. b Dec 1881.
1891 Cambridge (Galt) Hamilton Asylum by mid 1880's
1901 Cambridge (Galt)
1908 Barton, Wentworth, dies of infection at Hamilton Asylum at age 69.
Children John & Etta Near were also patients at the Hamilton Asylum. - - -

Birth:
Alt DOB 15 Jun 1838

Died:
Peritonitis; TB & pneumonia.

William married Mary Ann FELKER, .5 on 16 Sep 1870 in Garafraxa West Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario. Mary (daughter of John FELKER, .16 and Henrietta COUSE) was born on 13 Mar 1847 in Belwood, Garafraxa West Twp., Wellington Co., Ontario; died on 15 Oct 1907 in Cambridge (Galt), Waterloo Co., Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Children of Sarah Jane Melroy & Jacob Near Jr. are:

Florence Priscilla Near
Mary Ellen near, 1786, Ancaster, ON.
Lucianda A Near 1879-1880
Lilly May Near. 1879
John Arthur Near, 1881-1882
Ira E Near, 1884-1887 Ancaster, ON.. - - -

Birth:


Died:
Aged 41y 8m 22d.

Buried:
Cement pilar monument, 2 pine trees motif on top, perhaps 2 ferns on bottom.

Notes:

. Ontario Marriage Registration # 012689-96 -
William Edward LOWES, 40, laborer, England, Galt,
s/o Henry & Margaret
married Hetty NEAR, 25, Ancaster, Galt,
d/o William & Mary,
Witnesses: Mrs James SMITH & Edith RIDLEY both of Galt, 15 August 1896 in Galt.

. 1911 Census, West Waterloo, Berlin (Kitchener) Orphanage
Alice Lowes May 1897
Burton Lowes, Aug 1900

. 1911 Census Wentworth Co.,
Henrietta Near-Lowes is now in the Hamilton Asylum. - - -

Died:
Hamilton Asylum for Insane, d. of dysentery after 2 weeks.

Henrietta married William EDWARD LOWES on 15 Aug 1896 in Waterloo, Waterloo Co., Ontario. William was born on 12 Jun 1848 in England; died on 22 Dec 1913 in Cambridge (Galt), Waterloo Co., Ontario. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Rachel is the daughter of Wm. Near & Mary Felker.
Rachel was named after her Aunt Rachel Near.

Birth:
Lot 19, Con 6. Felker relatives.

Buried:
Beverley Twp., Wentworth Co.

Notes:

Nancy Elizabeth Near resided in Ancaster. Her Grandparents had originally lived in Ancaster & likely there were still some relatives in the area. - - -

Died:
Not found on the 28 Apr 1891 Census Galt,ON., with her mother & siblings.

Notes:

. 1881 Ancaster, Wentworth.
. 1891 Cambridge (Galt)
. 1901 Cambridge (Galt), John Wm. Near is residing with mother Mary Felker Near, & brother John W Near.
. 1911 Hamilton Asylum, age 37, single. Patient. labourer.

Verify identity:
. 1836 Oct. 9th . On this ninth day of October I baptized Near Eliza Ann, daughter of Henry Near & of Lydia his wife, baptized born on the 25 March of this same year.
- - -

Birth:
Alt Name: Wm. Percival Near. b. Ancaster.

Died:
Hamilton Asylum, d. dysentery 3 weeks exhaustion.

Notes:

. 1911 Census Waterloo S, Galt,
Beverly Street (ie. Still living here after mother May Felker Near died).
Albert Near, Head m. B Aug 1881/ 29 y born Ont., English, Methodist, Telephone lineman.
Eliza Near, wife, Mar 1871 / 30 years (=1881) born Ont., English
Wm. Albert Near, Son, Mary 1907/ 4 y/ Ont., English. - - -

Birth:
(Alt DOB: Aug 1881 - Census 1811)

Died:
Beverly St. /1911 Census

Buried:
Sec. 6, Blenheim Rd., Galt

Albert married Eliza Jane COOPER on 18 Apr 1906 in Waterloo, Waterloo Co., Ontario. Eliza was born on 12 Mar 1880 in Waterloo, Waterloo Co., Ontario; died after 1911 in Cambridge (Galt), Waterloo Co., Ontario; was buried in Mount View Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

It appears Florence Near was residing with her Aunt Phoebe Jane & Uncle, as they were already raising the children of her sister, Elizabeth & husband James McDonald, that is: James McDonald, Jr. & Phoebe Louise McDonald.

. 1911 Census Garafraxa West, Wellington, Ontario
John Robinson b. Oct 1857 Ontario, farmer, Methodist
Janie Robinson b. Jan 1865, Ontario
Florence Near b. May 1896, Ontario, niece. - - -

Birth:
Alt: May 25 1896