John Tucker Williams, former Commander in the British Royal Navy, arrived in Canada in 1812 and commanded a vessel on the Lake (Lake Ontario) during the War of 1812. He eventually settled in Port Hope and established a farm/estate. He later became the first Mayor of the town of Port Hope. During the Rebellion of 1837, he commanded the Durham Regiment. He then represented Durham East in the Legislative Assembly of United Canada from 1840 to 1848. He married Sarah Ward, daughter of Judge Ward of Durham. Their children include sons Arthur T.H., Henry J.B., and Charles H.A., and daughter Amelia. John Tucker Williams died in 1854. His eldest son, Arthur Trefusis Heneage, was born at Port Hope in 1837. Arthur was educated at Upper Canada College, Toronto, and Edinburgh University, Scotland. He returned to Canada after graduating and like his father became a gentleman farmer. Also like his father, Arthur was active in politics and the military. He represented East Durham in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1867 to 1875, and in the House of Commons in Ottawa from 1878 to 1885. During the Northwest Rebellion of 1885 he was Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the 46th Battalion of volunteer militia, and took part in the Battle of Batoche. Shortly after the battle, Arthur became ill and died near Fort Pitt, Saskatchewan 4 July 1885.
Robert Willan and Edward Willan seem to have been the owners of the two work books which comprise this fonds. Robert and Edward may have been brothers or even father and son. Their books are dated 1806 and 1832, respectively. An inscription on the last page of Edward's book reads "Thomas M. Willan, South Monaghan."
Jacob Way (1804-1882) was born in Northport, Prince Edward County. He moved with his wife Alzina Moran (1823-1851) and their son Edward Hoag Way (1845-1922) to Tyendinega Township, Hastings County. After Alzina’s death, Jacob married Delilah (Scriver) Herns (b. 1823) and they had a son Gideon Shepard Way (1853-1937). The family moved to Murray Township in Northumberland County. With the exception of Alzina who is buried in Tyendinega, the others are buried in the Stockdale Cemetery in Hastings County, north of the area where, over time, all three had farmed and raised their families. Extended family names include Scriver, Ostrander, Herns, and Moran. (Information provided by Yvonne A. Green).
The family of Walter Nichol Davidson resided in Brighton, Ontario. Walter Davidson (?-1936) was a merchant-tailor. He married Isabella Massie D. McDonald (?-1946). They had two daughters: Annie Helen (1878-?) and Jessie Isabella. Annie wasa school teacher and she studied through correspondence courses from the University of Toronto Extension Branch. She married dentist by the last name of Harnden. This Davidson family maybe related to the Davidson family [(77-003)]: https://www.trentu.ca/library/archives/77-003 of Cobourg, Ontario. One letter in the 86-015 fonds is addressed to a W.N. Davidson and speaks of a "Lizzie", perhaps Elizabeth, and a "Jim", perhaps James. Both collections are similar in that they contain large number of deeds and mortgages.
(Biographical information copied from Trent University Archives newsletter "Archives News", Issue Number 48, January 2014: "The Wallis Family" by Janice Millard).
"The link between the two [Wallis family and Forbes family] is Louisa Forbes who became Mrs. James Wallis. Louisa was the mother of well-known Peterborough-born artist and sculptor Katherine Wallis and Louisa’s father was Capt. Robert Miller/Millar Forbes.
Capt. Robert Miller Forbes had a distinguished career in the British Navy. It was, however, marred by an incident in 1798. Robert caused his ship commander, Capt. Lord Henry Paulet, later Earl St. Vincent, to be court martialled. Paulet apparently struck the then Lieutenant Forbes while Forbes was on duty on their ship – the Thalia. Paulet lost the case - but soon after he was given clemency, re-instated, and in 1819 became a Vice-Admiral. Robert Miller did not fare as well. In a transcribed letter he says that “he became the object of the most cruel and vindictive persecution… that has proved a barrier to his professional progress thro’ the mis-representations of that distinguished officer.”
After the Napoleonic Wars Robert Forbes, along with a number of ex-British military personnel, took their families and settled in France. Robert’s first child, Louisa, was born in Avranches, France. There is a watercolour in our new donation of the Church where Louisa was christened. It is likely by Katherine Wallis. The Forbes family moved around in Europe and sons were born in St. Servan Sur Merin Brittany, France. Finally the family moved to Peterborough.
Robert Forbes had an even more well-known brother – Charles John Forbes. Charles was in both the British Navy and the British Army. While in the Navy, Charles was present at the Battle of the Nile (also called the Battle of Aboukir) where Nelson defeated the French Navy. Another person at Aboukir was Charles Rubidge. Perhaps Charles Forbes and Charles Rubidge reminisced together about old battles.
While in the British Army, Charles Forbes was present for the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. Our donation contains a letter written 29 Jan. 1815 on board H.M.S. Alceste, off Cat Island (near New Orleans), and sent to James Cobb, Secretary, East India Company (a cousin). In the letter Charles says that the information given to the Admiral was “fallacious” and that unlike what they had been led to believe, no “settlers of Louisiana and the Floridas” flocked to join the British cause and hence they had insufficient troops for the encounter with the Americans. It’s interesting to note that even by the end of January, Charles did not know that a treaty to end the War had been signed.
Charles had two separate enlistment periods with the British Army. Like his brother, he retired when the Napoleonic Wars were over and lived in Europe, but a few years later he re-enlisted in the Army. In 1824 he worked for the Commissariat in Nova Scotia and in 1825 he went to Montreal and stayed for 8 years. He was then posted to Jamaica and, like many Europeans who lived in the tropics, became ill. He briefly to went to England and then finally retired at half pay back in Quebec.
While posted in Quebec he acted as Commissary General for the Army and ensured there were supplies for the engineers and workers who were building canals in the Montreal region. While he was there he purchased land in the village of Carillon, on the Ottawa River just south of Lachute, Quebec, in what is now the Argenteuil Region of Quebec.
There he built a wonderful house called “Bellevue”. In our newly acquired scrapbook of Louisa Forbes there is a sketch of that house. Charles was known far and wide for his hospitality and many important people would visit him – including the Governors General.
Another well-known owner of land in the area was Sidney Robert Bellingham - nephew of Thomas A. Stewart. Sidney was very interested in politics and played a role in the 1837 rebellion – as did the British veteran Charles John Forbes."
Robert Waddell and Hugh Waddell were brothers who were both businessmen in Durham County in the middle to late 1800's and the early 1900's. Robert Waddell resided in Balieboro and Hugh Waddell lived in Millbrook, Ontario.
The Tuer family originated in or around Liverpool, England. Part of the family emigrated to Canada, possibly around the 1840's, and settled into the Port Hope area. They maintained strong links with the family residing in Liverpool as can be seen by the wills and estate settlements in the fonds. One of the Tuer family members, a Peter Tuer (died December 22, 1849), the father, married Mary and they had Peter (who married Lucy and he died April 1, 1855) Charles, Robert, James, William Henry (died January 1, 1853), Clara Tuer (married Henry Gregory), Thomas, Eliza (married Richard Gregory) and Sarah (married Currie Busfield). William Henry, (died 1853) had four children: Fanny (married Robert Olden), Ann (married Lionel Smith) and Francis Hugh and Sarah who were infants at the time of his death. Another Tuer family member was Thomas Tuer (died November 15, 1881) who married Elizabeth Jane Kilshaw and they had Thomas, Henry, Mary, Henry Arthur, Margaret, Jessie and William Frederick Joseph. Thomas Tuer was a bookkeeper living in Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, England, Great Britain. There are a number of family members on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean who carry the same names and this makes it difficult to ascertain familial relationships. (The preceding information was found in the wills and estates records within the fonds.)
The Trotter family lived on a farm in Lindsay, Ontario at the turn of the century.
William Tinney, Sr. arrived in Cavanville (Cavan) in 1870 and set up a family business in blacksmithing. Cavanville was nicknamed Tinney Town after William and his sons John, Hector, Albert, William and Harry. William Sr. established a blacksmith shop and later a carriage shop, which carried out the business of buggy sales and trade-ins. The shop was located just east of the four corners. There were approximately twelve men employed and William Sr.'s sons worked at the various trades involved in blacksmithing. William Sr.'s daughter, Annie, cooked for everyone. The Tinney homestead was a large red brick house west of Cavan Store. In 1908 Albert and Harry assumed management of the business. Albert later had a General Motors Agency and his son, Donald, continued to operate the business until 1970. (Taken from: This Green and Pleasant Land: Chronicles of Cavan Township. The Millbrook and Cavan Historical Society, 1990.) John Tinney also operated the blacksmith shop at one point. Hector Tinney was involved in the World War I and based at Kinmel Park Camp, near Rhyl in North Wales, and later at Etaples in France.
Thomas Alexander Stewart Hay was born in Peterborough on August 14, 1849, the son of Thomas Hay of Seggieden, Scotland, and Anna Maria Stewart. Anna Maria was the daughter of Thomas A. and Frances Stewart, pioneer settlers in Douro Township. Hay married Elise Roux, of Montreal, June 27, 1881. Hay was a civil engineer by profession. He learned a great deal from his uncle, George Stewart, who was also an engineer. Hay was a charter member of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers. He was a Mason and he accomplished much in his career, working for the Midland Railway, the Trent Canal (where he assisted in the design of the Peterborough lift lock) and the City of Peterborough, as a City Engineer. In this capacity, he designed the Smith Street (now Parkhill Road) bridge at Inverlea, and aided in parkland development in the city. Hay was the first President of the Peterborough Historical Society, the active curator of its museum, and the author of "A Short History of Peterborough," an appendix in E.S. Dunlop's edited version of Frances Stewarts' letter "Our Forest Home." Hay died on March 28, 1917, leaving his wife and two daughters Frances Isabel and Helen.
The Strickland family originated in England at Light Hall, Colton-in-Furness as yeoman farmers and their ancestry can be traced back to the fourteenth century. They were tenants of the Abbey of Furness until the dissolution of the monasteries during the lifetime of Henry VIII. At this time they became landowners and later started to move out of the area to London and other environs. Samuel Strickland (1804-1867) was the first of the Stricklands to come to Canada in 1825. He first spent time in Newcastle District and then later cleared some property for a farm in Otonabee Township. He later sold his farm and purchased land in Douro and there he began clearing land at the present site of Lakefield. His sisters, Catharine Parr (Traill) and Susanna (Moodie) eventually followed him to Canada and settled near him.
Mr. and Mrs. A.G. Stewart were married May 20, 1877. In 1927 they celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary with family and friends. In 1937 they were able to celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary. Mrs. Squire was born in July of 1862 and celebrated her 75th birthday in 1932.
Several generations of the Stewart family have lived in the Peterborough area. Thomas A. Stewart and his wife, Frances, were prominent and influential early citizens of Peterborough. Extensive biographical information on the Stewart family, plus friends, neighbours, and associates, may be found in 02-001.
Sydney (Sid) Helmer Standen was born in 1905 in Minesing, Ontario, the son of Andrew Ronald and Ada Louisa Standen. In 1911, his family moved to Kindersley, Saskatchewan where Sid grew up. He later became a teacher and also served in World War II.
Euphemia (Effie) Young McQueen was born in 1903 in London, England, daughter of James and Margaret McQueen (nee Drysdale). In Effie’s first year, the McQueens moved to Scotland and then, in 1913, to Canada, where they settled in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Effie became a teacher and appeared in theatrical performances and recitations.
Sid and Effie married in 1930 and settled in Hanley, Saskatchewan. They had four sons: Philip Andrew, Neil McQueen, Sydney Drysdale (Dale), and Eric James William; Philip died in 1955 at the age of 22 during a tactical flight training exercise near Chatham, New Brunswick. In 1942, Sid and Effie moved to Burnaby, British Columbia where they were to spend the remainder of their lives. After Effie’s death in 1965, Sid married Gladys Marshall; he died in 1975. (Taken from “Standens and McQueens: A Canadian Story of Migrant Families” by S. Dale Standen, 2014).
Thomas Willington Snarr from Rawdon Township, Hastings County and Annie Eliza Webster of East Whitby Township, Ontario County were married in July 1879. Witnesses were Samuel Robert Webster and Isabella Jane Snarr.
Professor Dawn L. Smith was born in London, England, in 1932 and studied French and Spanish at Oxford University from 1952 to 1955. She emigrated to Canada in 1961. She received her D.Phil in Spanish Literature from Oxford University in 1975 and taught Spanish at Trent until her retirement in 1996. She currently holds the position of Professor Emeritus of Hispanic Studies. She is the author of numerous articles on the Spanish Comedia and has edited a critical edition of Tirso de Molina's La mujer que manda en casa.
S.G. Denis Smith was born in 1932 in Edmonton. In 1953 he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Honours, from McGill University. At McGill he received the J.W. McConnell Scholarship and an I.O.D.E. post-graduate scholarship for Oxford University in England. From 1953 to 1956 Denis attended Oxford University and obtained his Master's Degree and a Bachelor of Literature. While in Oxford he received an Exhibition Scholarship and a grant from the Bryce Fund to travel and study in Poland. In 1956 he returned to Canada and by 1962 had written a number of papers and reviews on political material. Denis Smith has held a number of university positions throughout his career. He was with the Department of Political Economy at the University of Toronto, 1956 to 1957; Department of Political Science, York University, 1960 to 1961 and was the first Registrar of that University. He held the Vice-President's position at Trent University from 1964 to 1967. He was Master of Champlain College from 1969 to 1971 and a professor in the Department of Political Studies to 1983 when he left to teach and become Dean of Social Sciences at the University of Western Ontario. At Trent he was Chairman of the Politics Department from 1967 to 1968. He was editor of the Journal of Canadian Studies from 1966 to 1975; editor of the Canadian Forum from 1975 to 1979 and President of the Canadian Periodical Publishers Association from 1975 to 1977. He has written several books including: Bleeding Hearts, Bleeding Country, 1971; Gentle Patriot, 1973; Diplomacy of Fear, 1988; Rogue Tory, 1995; Prisoners of Cabrara, 2001; Ignatieff's World: A Liberal Leader for the 21st Century?" 2006; Ignatieff's World Updated: Iggy goes to Ottawa" 2009; and General Miranda’s Wars: Turmoil and Revolt in Spanish America, 1750-1816, 2013.
Henry Sherin and Elizabeth Moulds were married May 1, 1814 in Ireland and emigrated to Canada, in 1822, settling near Cobourg, Upper Canada. Their son, John C. Sherin, born in 1827, moved from the Cobourg region to Lakefield in 1854. He opened the first general store in the area in 1855, J.C. Sherin and Son. In 1861, John C. was made Justice of the Peace for Douro Township. He was married to Elizabeth Fee, and later to Mrs. Schofield. In 1881, John C. sold the family store to the firm of the Madill Brothers, but bought it back in 1885 and moved into the dry goods trade. John C. died May 24, 1901. J. Henry Sherin, son of John C. Sherin and Elizabeth Fee, was born in 1867 and educated at Pickering College. J. Henry (Harry) continued to operate the family store for 35 years after his father's death. He was also Lakefield's C.P.R. agent for 48 years. J. Henry Sherin was married to Mary Mabelle Rathbone in October, 1902. Together they had four sons, Playter, George, John, and Harry. J. Henry died in December 1952, at the age of 85. His son Harry attended the Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph, Ontario, and when he returned to Lakefield in 1946, he opened the Sherindale Hatchery, which he operated until 1964. In 1963 he married Mrs. Gretchen Kraus of Lakewood, Ohio and they had one son, Timothy Sherin. Harry's brother Playter Sherin also had a son, Dr. John P. Sherin, who resided in Lakefield after attending the University of Toronto Medical School. His medical office was located on the site of his great grandfather's first store.
Jean Shearman (1925-2005) and Elizabeth Shearman Hall (1920-2015) were the great-great-granddaughters of Frances Browne Stewart (1794-1872) and Thomas Alexander Stewart (1786-1847), who immigrated from Ireland to Douro Township in 1822. They were sisters of Rev. John Shearman. Their grandmother, Anna Maria Stewart Williams, was the granddaughter of Thomas Alexander Stewart and Frances Browne Stewart, and the daughter of William Stewart. Jean Shearman was born 28 August 1925 and lived in Toronto, Ontario; she died in 2005. Elizabeth Shearman Hall was born 7 March 1920; she died in 2015. The sisters dedicated much of their lives to transcribing the Frances Stewart letters and creating a biographic reference guide to them and all associated families.
Captain Charles Rubidge, land agent and author, was born 20 April 1787 in the Parish of St. George-in-the-East, London, England. He was the son of Robert and Margaret Rubidge. In October 1796, at the young age of nine, Rubidge entered the Navy as a midshipman on the Arrow, Sloop of War. He served under Lord Nelson and Lord Cochrane and was honourably discharged in 1815, at the end of the War of 1812. In June 1819, Rubidge emigrated to Canada with his wife and three children (they later had three more children) and in May, 1820, became the second person to settle in Otonabee Township. He assisted in the settling of the Peter Robinson immigrants in 1825 and other immigrants in 1831 and 1839. In 1831 Rubidge was appointed Immigrant Agent at Peterborough by Lord Seaton, Governor-General of Canada. He was also the author of two books. The first was A Plain Statement of the Advantages Attending Emigration to Upper Canada (London, 1838) and the second An Autobiographical Sketch (Peterborough, 1870). Captain Charles Rubidge died 5 February 1873.
The Reid family originated in Ireland and settled in Peterborough, Ontario, in 1822. Descendants have continued to live in the area for several decades, marrying into the Stewart, McNeill, and Godard families.
The Raper family (fl. 1890-1898) lived in the Millbrook and Cavan, Ontario area.