Other Families w/Kleinsteuber Connections:

William (Billy) Greatrix

9/11/2018

A Tribute to my Brother William Leslie Greatrix (1947 - 2018)
By Beulah Greatrix-Sopher (in collaboration with Keith Millard):
Editor's Note: William's paternal grandparents were Amanda Kleinsteuber & Oran Greatrix
Image by Kevin Greatrix, click to enlarge:

Billy as we affectionately called him, was born in Franklin Township near the lake of bays. He was the third child of Nellie Hillyard and Joseph Greatrix. His birth was difficult, but he survived. He was a healthy little boy, but had some brain damage on the left side due to the difficult birth. This caused many problems in numerous ways for Billy, throughout his life. Andrew my oldest brother, and I were thrilled with this little bundle of joy, and tried to help out as much as we could. We lived in a little building on the Beswick farm, off of Bonavista Road in Huntsville at the time. We raised goats, had a vegetable garden, and processed maple syrup. Andrew being the oldest pulled a wagon, when it came time to work at Maple syrup and transported the ones who couldn’t keep up the pace.

Andrew and I also hauled honey pails of water as we had no running water. My mother, told me that she kept a large pail of water for emergency, somewhere near the shed, which Andrew recollects as being where we lived. Our father was a musician and worked at Britannia Hotel, and also was away a lot on gigs when not required to work at the hotel.

I recall my mother saying that when he was home he practised for his gigs around the fireplace with our small family as his audience. He also took us for boat rides whenever he could.
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Lake of Bays, and location of the Greatrix cottage.

Nellie (Hillyard) Greatrix, Joseph Greatrix, & children (L to R) Andy, Billy, & Beulah

Dorothy Mildred Greatrix aged 2 (aka Beula Greatrix)

Beulah Greatrix aged 10

Britannia Hotel, Lake of Bays, Muskoka

By the time Billy was almost two our mother had another baby. They named him Joseph, I enjoyed pushing Joey in the stroller with Billy toddling along beside me. When Joey was 15 months something happened beyond our control as a family and eventually we children ended up at the CAS and were made wards of the crown. Two of us were adopted out and the other two were fostered out.

I was concerned about Billy and wondered how he would cope. He was only two. I was one of the ones adopted out. I kept asking for my brother Billy. My adopted Family tried to get him, but his foster mother didn’t want to give him up. I never forgot him, probably the fact that my adopted family had already adopted another boy named Bill, kept my little brother Billy in the forefront of my mind.

I went to Toronto to work at Canada Life when I was 19, but I never forgot my brother Billy. I knew what the children's aid was like, back then. It was like banging your head against a brick wall. They even had set up some kind of system to add your name to a list and when your name came up, they would zero in on your particular search Nothing materialized with that plan.

At 21, the feeling to keep up the search was still there, so I phoned the CAS in Timmins to see if they would relent and put me in touch with someone who could help. To my surprise the woman that handled our case back in 1949 answered the phone. She was so glad to hear from me. She was retiring soon and said that she would be glad to help me. A few days later she phoned and told me my brother Bill was in Toronto and told me that he had been looking for me as well. After he was through the Childen's Aid system, he had come to Toronto, because he had heard that Toronto was the meeting place.

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Beulah Greatrix in Toronto - circa 1968

Billy Greatrix - Toronto - 1968

Beulah Greatrix and brother William "Billy" Greatrix - 1970 in Toronto

Bill and I were inseparable for four years. I lived in Toronto with my cousin Pauline at the time. He had his own place downtown Toronto, but would keep in touch. He was very protective of both Pauline and I. He would often say “There are a lot of perverts out there and I don’t want anything to happened to you two”. He would usually meet me as I was boarding the subway and come home with me to make sure I got home safe. We both appreciated his concern and invited him for meals. He would help with dishes, laundry etc. Wednesday we would eat supper out and go across Toronto to help with children’s work. Sometimes he would meet us on our way back and follow us home, so he knew that we were home safely. I often wondered why he did that. We had already been in Toronto 2 years with out him.

When I was writing this tribute, I finally realized his concern. The night of our reuniting, we had a wonderful time, and upon parting, he went to his place and I went to mine. On the way home I saw a man with one eye starring at me. I thought I was imagining it, so I changed subway cars to prove to myself that I was just imaging it. He got up and followed me to the next car. When I got to Eglinton I ran and got lost in the crowd. Years later I solved that mystery, but that is another story covered in my life story.

Pauline and I had some great times with Bill. We went often to Toronto Island. We would pack a lunch and stay for most of the day. He came to church on Sundays with us quite often. We all went to Clarenceville to spend a weekend with Mom ad Dad Goheen, Once Bill and I went to Sault Saint Marie to spend the weekend with his foster family and all their relatives, also Houseys Rapids many times to visit with the Goheen relatives and countless different other trips.
Pauline says she remembers hearing Bill tell her he drank pickle juice, she figured he was just trying to gross her out.

Sylvia wanted me to include the fact that his favourite song was “Oh Lord It‘s hard to be humble” by Mack Davis. She remembers going on the subway with her brother Darren and their uncle Bill and singing that song at the top of their lungs.

I left Toronto to get married in 1972. Bill was heart broken. I felt so bad for him but told him that I had to live my own life and he had to live his. I came to Toronto when I had a chance, and looked him up. He was so excited. The next time I had an appointment in Toronto for Sylvia, I looked him up to introduce him to his niece. He was overjoyed. and thought she was just beautiful.
Hover over pics for caption, click to enlarge:

1980 Sketch of Billy Greatrix and Nicky Arseneau

2004 photo of Billy Greatrix and son Kevin Greatrix

2010 photo of Billy Greatrix

2015 photo of Billy Greatrix

2016 photo of Billy Greatrix

2017 photo of Billy Greatrix

2018 - Billy's brother Andrew "Andy" Greatrix - born 1944

2018 - Billy's sister Beulah Sopher born 1945

Final Thoughts:

Bill was a smart boy and a very deep thinker despite all he had gone through. He loved to communicate with other people and enjoyed writing poems. Visiting the library was one of his passions. This helped him to expand his knowledge, learn French and different expressions in other languages enabling himself to communicate with as many people as he could. He was very loving, loyal, kind and compassionate to all he met. His smile was contagious, and drew people to him. He was very observant, and it would be natural for him to meet someone on the street, realize they had a problem, and offer to help them, to any extent that was necessary, even to a fault.If I have it right, as I recall, he met his future wife on the bus. She was having difficulty with her eyesight, and needed assistance, so because of his nature he stepped up to the plate and helped her. From then on he was there for her making sure she was safe. They eventually married and had a little boy whom they named Kevin Joseph Greatrix. He was the apple of their eye, and of course I used every opportunity to spend time with him as well while they lived in Toronto.

Eventually they moved to New Brunswick to be near Nicole’s family. Bill, Nicole and Kevin came up north for a visit after we moved into our new house in Houseys Rapids, near Gravenhurst. Kevin was young then, about 4. We took them on a trip to Bonavista where we lived when Bill was born and met Hannah and Bill Beswick and their family. Hannah was the midwife who delivered Billy. A few years later Bill came to our place himself, but didn’t stay long because he missed his family and felt that he had to get back to them, I never saw them again until I took my client down east, and made a trip to New Brunswick to spend time with Bill Nicole, and Kevin. What a special time we had!

I am so thankful to God for giving me the insight to call the children’s aid that day and also thankful for the lady that went out of her way to be able to reconnect my brother and I. I wouldn’t change that for anything. This allowed access to information that got me reunited with of my immediate family and relatives on the Greatrix and Hillyard side. I appreciated the support and encouragement I received from my adopted parents, Elmer and Grace Goheen in my attempts to be reunited with my birth family and countless other relatives. I couldn’t have accomplish this without their help.

Love you Bill. Your sister Beulah. Rest in peace until we meet again on the other side.

Youmans/Yeomans/Yeamans Family History

3/19/2015

Author: Marlene Rodgers, in collaboration with Keith Millard

Introduction:
Yeomans roots go back to Christopher Yeamans from Middlesex England. We are not sure why the Yeomans emigrated from England but below are some of the reasons given.

The English left mainly for economic and religious reasons. The English migration was far larger and more gender-balanced than that of the Dutch, the French, or the Spanish. The explanation for the rapid growth of England's North American colonies lies in the existence of a large "surplus" population. Early seventeenth-century England contained a large number of migrant farmhands and unemployed and under-employed workers. Most English migrants to North America were recruited from the lower working population--farm workers, urban laborers, and artisans--who were suffering from economic distress, including sharply falling wages (which declined by half between 1550 and 1650) and a series of failed harvests.

Religious persecution was a particularly powerful force motivating English colonization. England allowed religious dissidents to migrate to the New World. Some 30,000 English Puritans migrated to New England, while Maryland became a refuge for Roman Catholics and Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Rhode Island, havens for Quakers. The refugees from religious persecution included Baptists, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, and a small number of Catholics, to say nothing of religious minorities from continental Europe, including Huguenots and members of the Dutch and German Reformed churches.

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Map of England with Middlesex & St Giles photo supplied by Keith Millard

St Giles Village, circa 1700 photo supplied by Keith Millard

Hogarth's 1736 painting of Noon in St Giles, rich and poor people photo supplied by Keith Millard

Current photo of St Giles in the Fields church, Middlesex, London photo supplied by Keith Millard

A little history on Westchester County:

In 1775, Westchester was the richest and most populous county in the colony of New York. It was almost entirely farmland, dotted with small villages at crossroads and on the waterways. Westchester farmers did not riot over taxes as their neighbors in the New England colonies did; British markets and protected prices for agricultural products were of more importance to them.

Once the revolution began, however, Westchester saw more fighting and suffering than any other area in the country. From 1776, when George Washington and his troops retreated through Westchester after their defeat on Long Island, until 1783, when the British were finally expelled, the county was a battleground. For Westchester, the Revolution was truly a civil war, as families were often divided between patriot and loyalist sympathies.

After the Battles of Pelham and White Plains in October 1776, the main American headquarters was at Continental Village, just north of Peekskill. The British headquarters was in New York City. During the entire course of the war, farmers and townspeople throughout Westchester were subjected to raiding, pillaging, and destruction by both British and American irregulars.

The capture of Major John Andre - the British spy - by three Westchester men, was an important factor in America's ultimate victory, for it saved West Point, the fortress protecting the Hudson River, from seizure by the British. Westchester also saw the French troops, commanded by Rochambeau, pass along its roads as they came from Rhode Island to help Gen. Washington's army defeat the British at Yorktown in 1781.

In 1783, after seven years of suffering, Westchester's countryside was devastated and its population depleted. Recovery from the war took time and hard work.

White Plains is a city in Westchester County, New York, just north of New York City. White Plains is located in south-central Westchester, about 11 km east of the Hudson River and 11 km northwest of the Long Island Sound. It is bordered to the north by the town of North Castle, to the north and east by the town/village of Harrison, to the south by the town/village of Scarsdale, and to the west by the town of Greenburgh.

Geography:

York Island was occupied principally on the southern tip (what would now be considered Lower Manhattan) by New York City, on the western tip by Greenwich village, and in the north by the village of Harlem. The sparsely-populated center of the island featured a few low hills, principally Indianburg and Crown Heights. Ferry services connected the island to the surrounding lands, with the primary ferry to the mainland of Westchester County (now the Bronx) crossing the Harlem River at King's Bridge near the northern tip of the island. The island was bordered by two rivers, on the west by the Hudson River and on the east by the East River, which separated the island from Long Island. Kip's Bay was a cove on the eastern shore of the island, extending roughly from present-day 32nd to 38th Streets, and as far west as Second Avenue. The bay no longer exists as such, having been filled in, but in 1776, it provided an excellent place for an amphibious landing: deep water close to the shore, and a large meadow for mustering landed troops. Opposite the bay on Long Island, the wide mouth of Newtown Creek, also surrounded by meadowlands, offered an equally excellent staging area.

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Background:
According to well-documented sources, Christopher Youmans, b. ca. 1638 in England, immigrated to America in 1656, settling on Long Island New York Province, near Madman's Neck. He m. Hannah (---) about 1662. Based on an inheritance from his brother William Yeamans, England is identified as his homeland. Based on his brother's will, the surname was originally "Yeamans". The most likely reason for the spelling change is that Christopher resided in a Dutch County and this is how the Dutch spell the English name Yeamans or Yeomans. Known Children of Christopher Youmans (Yeamans): Moses, Christopher, Solomon, Hannah, John, Thomas, Sarah, Mary and William. Christopher moved to Rye, Westchester Co., New York Province in ca. 1720.

Christopher’s descendants prospered, and continued to move up the Hudson between New York Province and Connecticut. Stories of the Youmans/Yeomans families in Dutchess County, Albany County, and many other New York counties are numerous. They participated in all the major wars, settled the land, and were some of the early pioneers moving ever westward.

Some notables include Edward Livingston Youmans, scientist, born in Coeymans, New York, 3 June, 1821; died in New York city, 18 January, 1887, and the Composer Vincent Millie Youmans, who was born in New York City on September 27, 1898. There is also the most probable link to the Yeamans family and to characters, such as Sir John Yeamans born about 1605 in Bristol, England, died about 1676 in Barbados (West Indies). He was the Governor of the British Province of Carolina. He is descended from a famous family line of Yeamans or Yeomans of Bristol, England. Sir Robert Yeamans (a brother or cousin) was a High Sheriff and Mayor of Bristol.

Grant Samuel Youmans wrote and researched the Youmans/Yeomans/Yeamans families extensively from the 1940s until his death in the early 1960s. He claimed that he had material linking all the early (1650-1675) Youmans pioneering families that settled in Virginia, Barbados, Massachusetts, and New York to each other and back to England to a common ancestor. Unfortunately, he died before he was able to complete his next book, and his extensive research materials, once held by the National Genealogy Society, have been lost or are being held in the hands of a private individual.

For this and many other reasons, Y-DNA research may hold the greatest promise for proving what Grant Samuel Youmans spent a good bit of time and a small fortune attempting to prove.

Source: Greener, J. H. Yeomans- Youmans Family Brooklyn, New York, 1927. The micro film, which was purchased by Michael Stephen Yeomans, was part of a larger manuscript that was never published. Tom Yeomans transcribed the material and loaded it into a genealogy tree system. The first three Youmans Generations are shown in the pdf file below.

Island of Manahattan before European settlement, and today.

The City of New Amsterdam in 1660

1664 - New Amsterdam - New York City

Mid 1600s - New Amsterdam - Trading with natives scene

1781 British map depicting Manhattan - Kip's Bay is on the East River, labelled Kepp's Bay

A number of sketches, paintings, etc. depicting life in the late 1700s are shown below.

Cursor over photos for captions, click to enlarge:

Early History of Manhattan:

At the time of the Dutch settlement of Manhattan in the early 17th century, the region had been used as farmland by the Weckquaeskeck tribe, members of the Mohican nation and was called "Quarropas". To early traders it was known as "the White Plains", either from the groves of white balsam which are said to have covered it, or from the heavy mist that local tradition suggests hovered over the swamplands near the Bronx River. The first non-native settlement came in November 1683, when a party of Connecticut Puritans moved westward from an earlier settlement in Rye and bought about 4,400 acres 18 km2, presumably from the Weckquaeskeck. However, John Richbell of Mamaroneck claimed to have earlier title to much of the territory through his purchase of a far larger plot extending 32 km inland, perhaps from a different tribe.

The matter wasn't settled until 1721, when a Royal Patent for White Plains was granted by King George II.

In 1758, White Plains became the seat of Westchester County when the colonial government for the county left West Chester, which was located in what is now the northern part of the borough of the Bronx, in New York City. The unincorporated village remained part of the Town of Rye until 1788, when the Town of White Plains was created.

On July 9, 1776, a copy of the Declaration of Independence was delivered to the New York Provincial Congress, which was meeting in the county courthouse. The delegates quickly adopted a resolution approving the Declaration, thus declaring both the colony's independence and the formation of the State of New York. The Declaration itself was first publicly read from the steps of the courthouse on July 11.

During September and October 1776, troops led by George Washington took up positions in the hills of the village, hotly pursued by the British under General Sir William Howe, who attacked on October 28. The Battle of White Plains took place primarily on Chatterton Hill, (later known as "Battle Hill," and located just west of what was then a swamp but is now the downtown area) and the Bronx River. Howe's force of 4,000–6,000 British and Hessian soldiers required three attacks before the Continentals, numbering about 1,600 under the command of Generals Alexander McDougall and Israel Putnam, retreated, joining Washington's main force, which did not take part in the battle. Howe's forces had suffered 250 casualties, a severe loss, and he made no attempt to pursue the Continentals, whose casualties were about 125 dead and wounded. Three days after the battle Washington withdrew north of the village, this was then occupied by Howe's forces. But after several inconclusive skirmishes over the next week Howe withdrew on November 5, leaving White Plains to the Continentals. Ironically, one of Washington's subordinates, Major John Austin, who was probably drunk after having celebrated the enemy's withdrawal, re-entered the village with his detachment and proceeded to burn it down. Although he was court-martialed and convicted for this action, he escaped punishment.

The first United States Census, conducted in 1790, listed the White Plains population at 505, of whom 46 were slaves.

Youmans Ancestry - Family Tree record:

Click on Download File to open in a browser window:

1776 Delivering Declaration of Independence

1781 British map depicting Manhattan - Kip's Bay is on the East River, labelled Kepp's Bay

Purdy House example of housing in 1788

County court house in 1780s

1780 - NYC Bowling Green

1783 - Evacuation of Loyalists from New York

1783 - American take over after evacuation

Rhinelander Sugar House for Revolutionary War POWs in Manhattan, NewYork

1790 coinage

Sugar House - Prison for Loyalist POWs

1780 s Christmas celeb

1780 s tavern

1787 Travel By Stagecoach

1790 Bringing home Christmas tree

1790s salesman

1800 Christmas Day feast

1840 Christmas family gathering

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4th Generation:

Arthur Youmans was born about 1729 in White Plains, Westchester Co., New York Province the eldest child of Eleazer & Mary Youmans and died on 27 Apr 1800 in Kingston, Frontenac Co., Upper Canada. Arthur married Sarah Orser Oakley about 1754 in Hempstead, Queens Co., New York Province. Sarah was born about 1731 and in died in Warwick, Orange County, New York Province.

In the Sons and Daughters of American Loyalists by William D. Reid pg 349 he list Arthur Youmans as a Loyalist, also the Executive Council List RG 1 L7 Vol 52A, lists Arthur as well.

Taken from story written by Jean Norry on Arthur Youmans:

Arthur Youmans (who always spelled his name Yeomans) was in Beverley Robinson's Regiment, the Loyal Americans, and based in New York City for most of the war. Arthur and his brother James joined on October 11th of 1777... as indicated by the muster rolls. This means he found a place for his family to live on Long Island and then he went off to join the army. He was on guard duty in various places around New York for those 5 years between 1777 and 1783. Arthur had been a moderately well to do land owner in Smith's Clove in Orange County before the war. His father Eleazer had been a successful millwright in Westchester County in the 1760s, at White Plains and at Peekskill. Arthur would have known many of the Loyalist refugees and the Loyal American soldiers from Westchester County. On August 22nd of 1783 the Loyal American muster roll has this notation for Arthur, "gone into the country for his family". They may have left on the last British ship out of New York City. The evacuation took place that fall, the port of New York was handed over to the Americans on Sept. 15th of that year, so they probably left New York on one of the last troop ships leaving in September. No doubt they went directly to Quebec City and then in a river boat up to Sorel Island.

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1780s Safety Musket

Rural lady 1780

The British loaded small boats with soldiers, loyalists, freed slaves, and those who were afraid to be a part of this wild rebel country

1783 - Evacuation of Loyalists from New York

1783 - Raising the American flag in New York

American take over after evacuation 1783

Arrival of Loyalists in Upper Canada

Food and drink in the 1780s

1784 view of Sorel Lower Canada as the Loyalists would have seen it

United Empire Loyalist - Life in Upper Canada:

Arthur was spotted in Sorel that winter with his son David, which must means Arthur most likely didn't have time to receive any land in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick. Most of the Loyal American Regiment soldiers settled along the St. John River.

Arthur must have been partly blind, so David, his teenaged son was taking Arthur's arm and walking with him in Sorel that winter of 1783. This son David Youmans, born in 1771, was ordained as one of the first Canadian preachers for the Methodist church in Upper Canada by 1813. Arthur's signature on a legal document in New York City in 1791 was written as though he couldn't see what he was doing.

This little family of Arthur Youmans and his wife Sarah must have stayed in Montreal for about four years. They had another son James, born there in 1787. Their son Arthur (1774- 1858) may have gone to school in Montreal and the oldest son Eleazer (1764 -1844) probably worked on the docks at Lachine. That story turns up in a Dowling family recollection told many years later by a grandson. And it is possible that David learned to be a blacksmith at Lachine, as when David was a Methodist preacher and circuit rider in Upper Canada, his occupation was written down as a blacksmith.

They arrived in Kingston in 1787 to apply for Loyalist land. As we all know, most of the Loyalists had been granted land by lot four years earlier in 1784. Arthur and his son David were awarded 200 acres each on the 5th Concession of Thurlow Twp., in Hastings County.

It is doubted if Arthur, the father, ever took his family to Thurlow Twp. He could have lived with his oldest son Eleazer in Kingston. By 1790 he had decided to go back to New York to appear at a court case involving a farm he had sold in Smith's Clove before the war, but for which he hadn't paid off the mortgage. So, Arthur and his wife Sarah left Canada.

It looks as though they rearranged their family so that the baby James would stay with Eleazer in Kingston and David, who had married Sally by now, would look after Sarah and Arthur in Picton. In the meantime David had acquired another farm on the high shore of Prince Edward County in Hallowell Twp., at lot 19, overlooking the Bay of Quinte.

There was another daughter Jemima Youmans who married William Yerex in Kingston on November 29th, 1789. William's father Isaac Yerex was a friend of Arthur Youmans and I can imagine they arranged this marriage of their children before going back to New York. Larry Turner in his book' about the Adolphustown and Kingston Loyalists, "Voyage of a Different Kind", wrote that Isaac Yerex went back to New York as well.

Arthur Youmans - Descendants:

Arthur Youmans and Sarah Oakley were married about 1764 in Westchester Co., NY. Sarah Oakley was born about 1731 in Westchester, NY. They moved to Orange Co., New York and transferred land in that area in 1773. Of Westchester Co., New York at marriage.

There are some descendants that used Oakley as given names. See Samuel Oakley Rodgers, Oakley Dennis Rodgers & Oakley Rodgers. Seems that there should have been some use of Oakley as a given name before these people, as the first use of Oakley was by a great granddaughter of Sarah Oakley.

Arthur Youmans and Sarah Oakley had the following children:

i. ELEAZER YOUMANS, born 1764, Oneida Co., New York Province; married ANNA SMITH, bef 1795, Ontario; died 20 Dec 1844, Camden East Twp., Lennox/Addington Co., Canada West.

ii. Jemima Youmans, born 25 Jul 1769, Smith's Cove, Westchester Co., New York Province; married William Yerex, Nov 1789, Picton, Hallowell Twp., Prince Edward Co., Upper Canada died 1812, Hallowell, Hallowell Twp., Prince Edward Co., Upper Canada.

iii. Richard Youmans was born about 1770 in Smith Cove, Orange Co., New York Province

iv. Rev. David Youmans, born about 1771; died 14 Feb 1856, Markham, Markham Twp., York Co., Canada West.

v. Arthur Youmans, born 17 Mar 1774, Smith's Cove, Westchester Co., New York Province; married Hannah Wright, 18 Jul 1797, Hallowell, Hallowell Twp., Prince Edward Co., Upper Canada died 28 Aug 1858, Picton, Hallowell Twp., Prince Edward Co., Canada West

vi. Sarah Youmans, born 15 Jun 1777, Long Island, NY; married Andrew Huffnail, abt 1795; died 17 May 1860 in Fredericksburg Twp., Lennox/Addington Co., Canada West.

vii. James Youmans was born about 1779 in Montreal, Quebec Lower Canada. He owned Received land as son of a Loyalist. on 31 May 1808 in Upper Canada. James died about 1847 at the age of 68.

Note: At the present time, our Geni Family Tree shows 843 descendants for Arthur Youmans. The following descendants fan chart shows 6 generations (each generation is shown in a different colour).

Click on Download File to open the pdf fan chart, click on + or - at bottom to increase or decrease the size, Back to return:

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5th Generation:
Eleazer was born circa 1764 in Oneida Co., New York Province, which was formed in 1798 from Herkimer Co. which had been formed in 1791 from Montgomery Co. Thus, Oneida Co. was part of Montgomery Co. New York Province when Eleazer was born.

The below War Record information was taken from research done by a Youmans cousin Richard MacLeod.

Click on Muster Roll photos to enlarge, cursor over for caption:

Muster Roll showing Eleazer Youmans Sr. service in American Army photo supplied by Richard McLeod

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Next we find Eleazer in Lower Canada after 1783... His name is sometimes spelled Yeomans, and is used as often as Youmans in his descendants. It is possible that Youmans is a Dutch corruption of Yeomans, as there is a strong Dutch influence both in the Yeomans family and New York State from where they arrived.

It seems that Eleazer joined his family spending about 4 years in Montreal, the little family relocated to Upper Canada settling in the Kingston area sometime about 1789/90. It is here that Eleazer meets and marries his wife Anna Smith about 1790. Anna was the daughter of another Loyalists Samuel Smith UEL of Kingston, she was born about 1771 in Kings Co., New York Province and died December 25, 1851 in Camden Twp., Lennox/Addington Co., Canada West.

It is here that we find that a certificate dated 18 Oct 1788 at Kingston was granted to Eleazer and it states that, "The bearer here of Eleazer Yeomans being entitled to one hundred Acres of Land has drawn one-half of Lot No. 15 consisting of 100 Acres in the 1st concession 1st Township below Pittsburg. The same being granted upon condition that he does settle & improve thereon within twelve months of the date herein otherwise this Certificate is Void." (Note:This was apparently a standard clause, even for loyalists.)

A certificate that states that Eleazer Youmans on 10 Aug 1791 submitted a petition requesting 200 acres in the District of Mecklenburgh. His request was granted in Kingston the same day, conditioned upon him improving & cultivating the land within 12 months. Regardless of the certificate, Eleazer apparently did not receive any land at that time. The third page of this "petition" states "Certificate not Located" and Recd (Recommended) for 200 acres if not granted before." It's dated 14 Nov 97, the date in the index.

Eleazer also petitioned twice for land under his wife Anna Smith, which was granted. Below are the petitions of Eleazer Youmans & Anna Smith
Click on photos to enlarge, cursor over for caption:

1797 Eleazer Youmans petition for land ownership. Graphic 13

1797 Eleazer Youmans petition for land ownership. Graphic 13a

1797 Eleazer Youmans petition for land ownership. Graphic 13c

Anna Youmans 1840 Petition for land

Anna Youmans 1797 Petition for land

Eleazer Yeomans Land Claim

David Youmans signature for the 1840 petition for land

Eleazer Youmans petition for Anna

Anna Youmans 1812 petition

Anna Youmans 1812 petition claiming she never received any land

1840 petition for land for Anna Smith; Youmans, Anna 153d 1840 by David Sam Clark letter

1840 petition for land for Anna Smith; Youmans, Anna 1840 1light

1840 petition for land for Anna Smith; Youmans, Anna 1840 2

1840 petition for land for Anna Smith; Youmans, Anna 1840 pg 5

Eleazer Youmans married Anna Smith daughter of Samuel Smith & Elizabeth Mott of Kingston approximately 1791 in Camden Twp. East, Lennox/Addington Co., Upper Canada. Anna was born about 1771 on Oneida, New York Province and died 20 Dec 1844 in Camden Twp. East, Lennox/Addington Co., Canada West. Eleazer and Anna had 7 children:

i. Arthur Youmans B: abt 1791 in Camden Twp. East, Lennox/Addington Co., Upper Canada and D: abt 1881 in Denbigh, Lennox/Addington Co., Ontario Canada

ii. Samuel Smith Youmans B: abt 1795 in Camden Twp. East, Lennox/Addington Co., Upper Canada and D: on 03 Aug 1872 Camden Twp., Lennox/Addington Co., Ontario Canada

iii. Eleazer Youmans Jr. B: on 01 Mar 1800 in Camden Twp. East, Lennox/Addington Co., Upper Canada and D: 16 Sep 1881in Tyendinaga, Thurlow Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario Canada

iv. Aaron Youmans B: on 04 Mar 1802 in Camden Twp. East, Lennox/Addington Co., Upper Canada and D: 16 Feb 1878 in Murray Twp., Northumberland Co., Ontario Canada

v. David J Youmans B: on 21 Jun 1809 in Camden Twp. East, Lennox/Addington Co., Upper Canada and D: 12 Aug 1881 in Denmark, Tuscola, Michigan US

vi. Anna Amy Youmans B: on 19 Apr 1812 in Camden Twp. East, Lennox/Addington Co., Upper Canada and D: 07 Mar 1893 in Centerville, Camden Twp. East, Lennox/Addington Co., Ontario Canada

vii. Sarah Jane Youmans BH: on 09 Oct 1830 in Camden Twp. East, Lennox/Addington Co., Upper Canada and D: on 18 Jan 1872 in Centerville, Camden Twp. East, Lennox/Addington Co., Ontario Canada

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Youmans in Camden Township, Lennox & Addington County, Upper Canada photo supplied by Keith Millard

Youmans Hill Cemetery - Camden East photo supplied by Keith Millard from Jim Sauchyns' family tree. There is some confusion over whether this is actually is Youmans Hills Cemetery or not.

1959 - Newburgh Academy, est'd 1853 photo supplied by Keith Millard an example of a school house in the 1850s

Madden General Store, Newburgh - Est'd 1855 photo supplied by Keith Millard

1880 - Newburgh Main Street looking down the hill photo supplied by Keith Millard where many Youmans travelled up and down the street.

Old photo of the main street in Newburgh, Camden Township photo supplied by Keith Millard

Newburgh, Camden Township - Old Mill, on the Napanee River photo supplied by Keith Millard

Newburgh, Camden Township - Restored old mill, on the Napanee River photo supplied by Keith Millard

Quick Link: Youmans History

The Millard family and Kleinsteuber Connection:

2/6/2015

Author: Keith Millard

Millard Origins:

As we have seen in other family essays, surnames were not necessary in the small villages of medieval England, but taxation initiatives in the 1300s required all English citizens to have a family name. And as autocratic as it sounds, in many cases all the residents of a village regardless of their biological origins were given the same surname (e.g. Highstead or Greatrakes), or in many cases a person was given a surname based on their occupation (i.e. Robert the baker became Robert Baker and Thomas the miller [mill warder] became Thomas Millward). These names later were anglicized into simpler spellings (e.g. Istead, Greatrix, Miller or Millard).

There were, in fact, other origins for some Millards. It is a certainty that Millard was a family name in France before 1600, and our family tradition has always been that our Millards were descended from French Huguenot refugees immigrating to England in the early 1500s and through the 1600s. Several areas in Bedfordshire were settlement locations for Huguenots from the Pas de Calais coastal area of France, and they were known for their weaving and lacemaking. Unfortunately, in France all the Huguenot churches were totally destroyed and all records burned, so documented proof is not available.

Our furthest documented origin point is the village of Maulden in Bedfordshire in the mid to late 1500s, at the beginning of parish records being kept. Maulden is about 8 miles south of the town of Bedford, and was referred to in the Domesday Book as Meldone (believed to mean “the cross on the hill” or “the meeting place”). The St Mary the Virgin original church was built in the 1200s, but it is believed early Christian priests were active in the area as far back as the 600s AD. A 17th-century mausoleum and crypt known as the Ailesbury Mausoleum was built by Thomas, Earl of Elgin for his wife, Diana, in the 1600s. And even into the 1800s, the women of Maulden were known for their straw plaiting and lacemaking. We do not believe the small stream flowing through Maulden was sufficient for a mill operation.

So, Richard Myllward, born about 1542, was married in Maulden and his son was baptized as Richard Millard. The family expanded and moved over the next 300 years, until we get down to Henry Richard Millard, born 1831 in London, England. If you look at the family tree chart below, you can see how the family name changed frequently, even within the same household, depending on how the local parish priest decided to enter it in the parish register at the time. It was not uncommon for a person's name to be spelled one way when they were baptised, another when they married, and still another when they died.

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Millard Family – Religious Beliefs:

This chapter is included because of the (believed) historic origins of this particular Millard family, as well as the many deeply held religious beliefs in the following generations down to the present day. None of the following is intended as criticism or endorsement in any way, but simply a statement of fact.

Huguenots were French Protestants and followers of the teachings of John Calvin in the early 1500s. Above all, Huguenots saw Christian faith as simple faith in God and relying upon God for salvation, but were more widely known for their harsh criticism of the doctrines and worship of saints in the Catholic church. This led to religious persecution by both the Crown and the Church with more than 75% of Huguenots recanting their faith, but more than 500,000 became refugees as they immigrated to other more tolerant countries. Our family culture is that our Millard family in England was started by one or more of these refugees. An alternate theory supports a view that one of these Huguenot girls married one of our ancestor Millard men and influenced the religious views of their descendants.

Church of England was the state religion in England and also the official registration agency for all births, marriages, and deaths. It is believed that members of non-conformist and other religious groups were still required to register all family events with the Church of England.

Non-Conformist Millards were quite active in the 1800s, and the children and widow of John Millard (b. 1759 in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire) moved to Southampton where they joined the Above Bar Congregational Church in Southampton (which had been founded in 1662 with Rev. Nathaniel Robinson as its first Minister. The hymn writer Isaac Watts (1674 – 1748) was a deacon of the church at one stage). Their descendants have been missionaries and evangelists to a number of countries including Ceylon, Armenia, South Africa, and others.

Mormon Millard family members included Charles Millard and his wife Hannah Claridge and children traveling from England and joining the 1846 Mormon Exodus from Missouri to Utah.

Plymouth Brethren Millards included Henry Richard Millard and all of his children, though it is possible Henry did not become an adherent until after he immigrated to Montreal, Canada in the 1850s. Plymouth Brethren were the founders of the movement believing every word in the Bible is literally true.

This in turn has led to the Creationist movement (which is, that the earth and everything on it were created in 7 earth days about 6,000 years ago) today in a number of countries, and particularly in the United States where statistics say as many as 60% of the population in some states believe this to be correct.

Today, there are still numerous younger Millards holding these minority beliefs, home schooling their children so they won't be exposed to other teachings, and planning that their children will mature holding these same beliefs.

Mainstream Christian denominations have adherents amongst many of our Millard cousins today, including many evangelical denominations.

Millenial Millards exist in large numbers as well, who do not have a belief in any organized religion but many of whom are spiritual in their approach to treating others and their coexistence with nature.

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Henry Richard Millard

John Millard and Jane Lucas were the parents of Henry Richard Millard and his nine siblings. John was born in 1789 in Great Brickhill, Buckinghamshire, and was an Excise Tax officer before becoming a successful grocer in Islington, Middlesex (a district in North London). He has 230 descendants in our Geni Family Tree.

Henry Richard Millard was born in October 1831, the 4th of 10 children, and baptized in January 1832 at St Luke's, Finsbury, in Middlesex. He married Eleanor Puckett at the St Pancras New Parish Church in London in April 1858 and in May they sailed on the Niagara Mail Ship to Halifax, Nova Scotia, then travelled on to Montreal. Henry Richard was a well to do merchant and watchmaker in Montreal.

Seven children were born to Henry and Eleanor in Montreal, and she died following the birth of Henry in 1872. A year later, Henry married Susan Mary Watts in Montreal, and they had eight children between 1873 and 1890, with John Josiah, born in 1878 being the 4th of these. Henry Richard died in 1903.

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John Josiah Millard:

John or Johnny Millard was born in 1878 at 472 St Lawrence Street in Montreal, Quebec. Though born in the city he loved the outdoors, and in 1898 undertook a solo canoe and camping trip up the Ottawa River to Ottawa. On one of his diary pages he mentions his employer Mr James Jephcott of the Montreal Lithographing Company.

In the 1901 Census, Johnny is living with an English family in Caldwell Township, Nipissing, Ontario. In the 1911 Census the John Josiah Millard family is still living in Caldwell Township, Nipissing, Ontario, and John's brother Percival is living with them. In the 1921 Census the family is still living in Caldwell Township, Nipissing, Ontario with their 5 children, John Percival (Percy), George Alvin, Ernest Clifford (Cliff), Herbert Stanley (Herb), and Frank Wilfred.

In August of 1922 the family relocated to a farm near the Bay of Quinte in Prince Edward County, but after 3 months they moved across the Bay to a farm on Trent Road, Sidney Township, Hastings County, but also located on the Bay of Quinte. John Josiah operated the dairy farm and founded the Victoria Dairy which functioned until the early 1940s. My father's memories are that John Josiah's strict religious Plymouth Brethren and personal beliefs led to his wife and children essentially being treated as bonded servants, though they had some happy times as well, and as they matured none of the five boys had any interest in staying on the farm or in the dairy.

John Josiah found himself more or less deserted by his sons, and after the dairy burned (perhaps not by accident), he left the farm deserting his wife in the process, and travelled to Penticton, BC where he lived with his brother Percival for some period of years, only later returning to Belleville. He died in 1954 after 18 months of illness at the age of 76.

The youngest son, Frank Wilfred, was born on May 14, 1919 (at the home in Caldwell Township in Nipissing County). He was an intelligent and gentle soul, but when his grade school teachers petitioned for him to go on to high school and one of his aunts in Montreal promised to pay his way all the way through University, John demurred with the statement that "too much learning makes a boy lazy" and Frank was forced to leave school and work on the farm and dairy. Frank was desperately disappointed but never complained, and we believe he is the only one of the five boys who completed (or were allowed to complete) primary school.

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The Millard/Kleinsteuber Connection:

So, World War II came to pass, and Frank joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, but as a conscientious objector due to his religious beliefs. As a result, he was somewhat bullied and demeaned and forced to function as a waiter in the Officers Mess where after a period of time, whether accidental or bumped, spilling coffee in an officer's lap led to him being reassigned to a maintenance division as a carpenter.

This opportunity to learn carpentry was interesting and Frank found it an activity he really enjoyed, working with his hands and building things. He was mainly stationed at Trenton and Mountain View air bases near Belleville, and a friend got Frank to accompany him to Christian and Missionary Alliance services in Belleville when they were able to have leave.

At the same time, Ruth Irene Kleinsteuber, the only child of Mitchel Kleinsteuber and Florence Foshay Kleinsteuber, was studying at the Secretarial School in Belleville, and became close friends with another girl there, and they started attending the Christian and Missionary Alliance church together.

Note: Mitchel Kleinsteuber was the grandson of a German immigrant, and was born in a log cabin in the backwoods of Ontario. The story of his grandfather and uncles and aunts coming to Canada is at Pictorial Journey

Before long, Frank and Ruth became close friends, and in August of 1942 they married. Because so many young men from farms were in the military there was a desperate need for help in growing food and getting it to market (and to the military). John Josiah offered the farm and dairy to Frank if he would take it over, but at the same time Mitchel Kleinsteuber offered the opportunity to take over the farming operation at Maple Rest on shares, and the military agreed to an early release in 1944 for this to take place.

Frank and Ruth had two children, both boys, Mitchel Ross (Ross) born in 1943 and Keith Wilfred born in 1946. After almost all of the canning factories in Prince Edward County were bought out and closed in 1955 or 1956, Frank, along with many other area farmers, was forced to declare bankruptcy. He returned to his love of woodworking as a carpenter and in 1958 found a permanent position as a carpenter in Oshawa with the Oshawa Board of Education.

There is a lot more to the Frank Millard and Ruth Kleinsteuber Millard story, but this is where this story shall end. Frank and Ruth were my parents, and I will never regret the wonderful experience of growing up at Maple Rest on West Lake nor all the hard work that was involved. I was truly heartbroken at leaving Maple Rest and spent several summers working for my grandparents at Maple Rest until I completed high school and started working in Data Processing at General Motors of Canada.

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Istead Family History (Story):

2/1/2015

Author: Keith Millard

Istead (& Highstead & Isted) Family Name Origins:

In medieval England, most citizens (excepting royalty) did not possess a family surname, but were simply known by their location or their profession, such as James the baker, or Robert the smith, or John of Highstead. Their children were known as Robert's son or the daughter of James, etc., and the vast majority of the population lived in tiny villages of 200 or fewer people. Everyone knew everyone else that was living there.

In the 14th Century, the Government of John of Gaunt introduced a poll tax on every citizen, and a surname was required to identify each person. Thus, Robert the baker became Robert Baker, and John of Highstead became John Highstead. Note that everyone living in the community, whether biologically connected or not, took the surname of Highstead. Almost everyone was unable to read or write and name spellings were totally at the whim of the clerk or parish priest, either of whom were often only semi-literate themselves, so the spelling of the names changed as time went on, mainly due to the phonetic sound of the names.

As an example, suppose William Highstead had three sons, William, Robert, and James; William Jr stays in Highstead and his children carry the name Highstead, Robert marries a girl from a nearby village and settles there and the priest enters his marriage name as Isted and his children carry the name Isted, and James also marries a girl from another village and settles there and the priest enters his marriage name as Istead and his children carry the name Istead.

The name Highstead has been seen to be recorded in small numbers in some ten counties of England and Northern Ireland, and this is an unusual surname. The International Genealogical Index "suggests" that it may be a form of Highstead, now a locality and formerly a village in the county of Kent, which if so, has been dialectically corrupted with this surname. However this is very possible particularly if as seems likely we are dealing with a "lost" medieval village surname. Highstead means "high farm" or literally a farm probably further up a hill or valley than Low or Lower farm. The surname was certainly recorded in Elizabethan times (1558 – 1603), with that of Richard Isted at the church of St Michael Bassishaw, in the city of London, on May 31st 1601.

The Gallery below shows the location of Highstead, Kent, from various perspectives, as well as the worldwide distribution of family name per million persons (in that country or region) for all three specific family names (Highstead, Istead, and Isted). Of particular interest for this essay is the name Istead, and in Ontario there are 101 Istead names per million population or about 1,000 named Istead, with the heaviest concentration being in Prince Edward County.

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The Prince Edward County Istead Ancestors:

The furthest proven ancestor of the Isteads in Prince Edward County, Ontario was a John Isted born about 1780, whose wife was named Sarah. Their birthplaces or marriage are unknown at this time, but their son, John, was born in 1800 in Hawkhurst, Kent.

Hawkhurst is a village and civil parish in the borough of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. The parish lies to the south-east of Tunbridge Wells and Hawkhurst itself is virtually two villages. The older of the two consists mainly of cottages clustered around a large triangular green known as The Moor. Hawkhurst has over 1,000 years of recorded history. The oldest known settlement was the Saxon manor of Congehurst, which was burnt by the Danes in 893 AD. There is still a lane of this name to the east of the village. The name Hawkhurst is derived from Old English heafoc hyrst, meaning a wooded hill frequented by hawks - 'Hawk Wood'.

John Isted Jr married Philadelphia Pope on April 28, 1816 in the Hawkhurst parish church; John was a few weeks shy of his 16th birthday and Philly (as she was known) was 21. Their first son, John, was born in February 1817, and she and John had nine more children with the last one, Edward, born in Prince Edward County, Ontario in 1845.

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Isteads in Prince Edward County:

John Isteed or Istead (names appeared either way in Census records indicating the early arrivals may have pronounced their name as “I-steed” rather than “I-sted”).

The John Istead family arrived in Canada from England in 1840 (according to Philly Isted Sinden's 1901 Census record) after daughter Philadelphia was born in 1837 (in Hawkhurst, Kent) and before the 1844 marriage of James Istead to Phebe Jane Henry (in Prince Edward County). John and Philadelphia were accompanied by their 7 living children (John b. 1817, Thomas b. 1820, James b. 1821, William b. 1825, Ellenor b. 1833, Samuel b. 1835, and Philadelphia b. 1837). Edward was born in 1845 in Prince Edward County, Ontario.

The 1851 Census finds the John Istead family and son James Istead's family living one property away from each other; a census record for son William is not available. They all started out in Hallowell Township and some later moved to Hillier Township, but in an 1866 Directory we find John Istead and sons Samuel and James living nearby, at the very north edge of Hallowell Township.

Samuel was the grandfather of Morley Burton Istead b. 1908, and John Washington Istead (Morley's father, was born on Dec 4th, 1884). In the 1911 Census, (John) Washington Istead, wife Maud, and son Morley were living with Samuel and Hannah on Lot 74b in Hallowell Township. On Oct 20, 1924 Maud died of TB while living in Allisonville, and was buried in the Bowerman cemetery nearby.

An interesting aspect of the Istead family is that there are no birth records for any of the children, they only appear in Census records, which may indicate belonging to a small Quaker settlement in Prince Edward County dating from the American Revolution. Along that vein, we know there were Mormons in England named Istead and in fact at least one (Jane Istead) was on the Mormon Pioneer Overland trek to Utah.

Another interesting aspect is that Ida May Istead, granddaughter of the John & Philadelphia Istead family that came to Prince Edward County, married Albert Istead the great grandson of John & Philadelphia Istead (Ida's father Samuel and Albert's grandfather Thomas were brothers).

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The Kleinsteuber/Istead Connection:

Vera Florence Evalena Kleinsteuber was born in 1913 at the family log home in the German Settlement near Actinolite, and was the youngest child of Charles Eleazer Kleinsteuber and Mary Eliza Kenny. The story of her grandfather's immigration from Germany to Canada can be read at Pictorial Journey. Vera's family moved to West Lake in 1914, and Vera attended the one room West Lake school along with many Kleinsteuber cousins.

Vera Kleinsteuber married Morley Istead in January 1931 and they operated a farm and greenhouse business on County Road 1 just north of Bloomfield. They had four children who have prospered in the 'County'. They vacationed regularly in Florida. This family practised the Pentecostal faith and were very devout Christians. Vera and Morley died in 1987 within days of each other at the Picton Hospital.

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Family Memories & Stories of the Morley Istead & Vera Kleinsteuber family:

Note: Each story will be by a different author.

Oralee Istead Fagan's Family Memories:

Editor's Note: Vera Kleinsteuber was born in a log house in Elzevir Township in April of 1913. The family moved to West Lake, Prince Edward County in 1914, and her mother, Mary Eliza, died in March of 1924 while Vera was still in her 11th year. Vera's only sister, Jessica Pearl (Jessie) was born in 1893, married Walter Coulter in 1913, and was 31 years old when Mary Eliza died. Her only daughter had died before the age of 1.

Aunt Jessie and Uncle Walter Coulter; My Aunt Jessie and Uncle Walter raised my mother like their very own. My grandmother died when mom was very young. They were the nearest to grand parents I had, and they were great at it.

As a young girl growing up I had wonderful memories of Aunt Jessie and Uncle Walter, as a little girl till I was about 15. That is about when my Aunt Jessie passed. They worked for my mom and dad, Morley and Vera Istead, in the spring at the green houses. When school was out, they would take me home with them to West Lake for a few weeks every summer. Wow, that was fun! The house they lived in had a small cottage beside it. They rented it out, and Uncle Walter lived there when he sold the house after aunt Jessie passed.

First, Big Breakfast, then she took me for a morning swim, afternoon and evening too! She told me so many great stories. There was a big ice cream cone before bed. She would make them herself or we would walk a few blocks to buy one. Yummm, I still remember the taste! You know, the kind in the cardboard roll.

She was so busy canning, quilting, knitting, embroidering, crocheting, and cooking amazing food to tempt a skinny kid (me).

They had boarders in their lovely large sunroom. It even had two bedrooms. They rented their little cottage out too. Only after supper did they stop, well, except for a sort of lay down after lunch!

Aunt Jessie always had all the neighbourhood girls my age lined up and ready for lots of good times (tea parties, lots of swimming, stories, and walks), and oh yes, sleepovers!!!

Aunt Jessie and uncle Walt. Son and daughter in law Sherman and Mary Coulter, my cousins! Their boys, Wayne and Gary, were always around too, asked us out for boat rides and to play badminton (we usually just watched those cousins).

Uncle Walt was a great gardener. Cherry trees, pear trees, plum trees, strawberries, raspberry bushes, currant bushes,apple trees, tomatoes, cucumbers, and potatoes. I was a kid, but I remember everything was planted in straight lines, and No Weeds! He would sell all this fresh produce to the people in all the cottages around them at West Lake.

I almost forgot the fresh eggs!!! Those darn roosters at sunrise! They were the worst. LOL. They woke everyone up at sunrise... the cottagers were ready to kill them! And maybe my uncle too. LOL.

I suppose I should not tell this, but Uncle Walter gave the good bacon to the cats after he fried it up. That could cause some problems. Hahahaha! The cats needed a good treat too!

Uncle Walter always had a wonderful listening ear for a gabby girl who never quit talking!

Hard working , kind and neighbourly, they were people who had come through a lot of hardship.

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My parents - Vera Kleinsteuber and Morley Istead; Vera Istead was the daughter of Charles Eleazer Kleinsteuber and Mary Elizabeth Kenny. Morley was the son of John Washington Istead and Maud McCullough. Morley and Vera had 4 children; Rosemarie, Roland (Roly), Pat, and me, Oralee.

Morley, Vera and the family moved to County Rd. # 1 Prince Edward County in the late 1930s. They moved in with my Aunt Maggie Cleave. They had raised my dad after his mom had passed, when he was very young. Maggie had just lost her husband, Albert, and asked my dad and mom and 3 kids (at that time) to move in and look after her, the farm, the cattle and horses (Ted and Queen).

My mom, Vera was busy looking after Aunt Maggie and the family. Mom took side jobs working in Baxter's Canning Factory, Lockyers Greenhouses, and sometimes at Maple Rest. Then I was born in 1950 and everything changed.

My dad Morley, worked the farm. Dairy cattle, till the 60s. Dad made the farm into a mainly vegetable farm and sold many kinds of seed and seedlings for transplant. Cash crops were a lot of work - corn, potatoes, tomatoes, everything you could grow to take to the market. He was the type of person who wanted every thing done right. He always told us "hard work never killed any one" and he sure worked very hard. He had a great humour, made us laugh a lot. He tried to convince us that a hard day of work made you feel Great!! Ha ha !

In the winter they brought logs out of the swamp. The winter because it was frozen. Loaded on sleighs. If I remember the stories , horses were used. In the 50s dad got a small World War II Bren Gun Carrier to bring the logs out of the swamp. Man that was fun! He would take wood orders, cut the wood up and deliver to customers. There were a lot of wood stoves and furnaces in those days.

Like I said 1950 changed everything. As well as me (the baby) coming along, Dad built his first greenhouse. This was a big thing. Family pitched in to help.

Mom was now at home working, with me and the greenhouses that was a full time job. Aunt Maggie was still with us, till about about 1958. Then my siblings were all getting married. Some of my nephews and nieces are pretty close to my age. This makes me feel pretty close to a lot of them.

In the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s there were a lot of grandchildren around working in the fields as well as the greenhouses and on Kingston Farmers Market . Alan, Karen, Gayle, Gary, Sandra, Wayne, Valerie, Peter, Mark, Sheryl, Dean, Wayde, Brian, Timmy, Sherry and me had lots of fun learning how to work!! These are the grandchildren!!!

I forgot to say, my sisters Rosemarie, Pat, and sister in law Pat worked for dad transplanting. Roly helped dad keep the boilers going. John (brother in law) did the snowplowing around greenhouses. George (brother in law) helped with the cattle when dad had to have a holiday! His first holiday was 1956!

Oh yes , there was my dad and moms siblings, uncle Walter and aunt Jessie, and uncle Henry and uncle Raymond.

Now that I am telling this story it sounds like a big operation.... and it was!

There were always grandchildren around staying overnight, we would go to Kingston the next day to help on the market. BUT, dad would bring out the ice cream before bed. You may remember those large containers from Willmonts Dairy in Kingston. I think we had a choice of about 4 kinds. THEN "Do you want chocolate syrup, corn syrup, nuts, rice crispies, ginger ale, or root beer on that?" Boy how did I ever stay so skinny those days?

Some days after picking up potatoes and picking tomatoes in AM and corn all afternoon, dad took us to the beach for a swim, before a huge supper!!

This days were filled with lots of work, and lots to laugh about. And lots of money in my pocket! After payday. For a while! Ha Ha!

Later in life mom and dad went to Florida for the winter. They sure loved that!

The first day of March every year, if not before, the boilers were started and the work year stated again !

Mom and Dad had a very strong work ethic, and strong faith in God. They were very caring and kind people who loved to have people in. Some times when I went home to visit I felt they had a revolving door. I guess with that much family so close ,it was a great way to live. They were a confidant to many people.

Dad did not slow till 1987. Mom passed Nov. 25, 18 days later Dad passed Dec 13, 1987.

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Kathy Leavitt; Florida Memories

Florida, that’s where it all began, on that fateful trip at Christmas 1980. It was my first meeting with Morley and Vera Istead and even more important my first meeting with their grandson, now my husband of 31 years, Wayde Leavitt.

The trip to Christian Retreat in Bradenton, Florida was to visit my grandparents, Ben and Mary Herr. They had bought a duplex for their retirement years and were enjoying making new friends and the warmth of the Florida sun.

Wayde and I met at the cookie exchange party at the retreat and soon discovered that our grandparents were friends! We enjoyed playing many games of shuffle board with our grandfathers.

John and Rosemarie’s family had enjoyed many years of vacationing in Florida previously. While the Leavitts stayed at the Avalon Motel and a couple of blocks over Morley and Vera stayed at the Tides Inn on Stickney Point Road, aka Stinkey pot road, Sarasota. The kids liked to run back and forth between the two places and playing shuffleboard under the lights at night. Fun outings included trips to Cypress Gardens and Sunken Gardens and of course Siesta Key beach.

It wasn’t until 1981 that John Leavitt bought Mobile Home #14 at Christian Retreat. Morley and Vera usually left Ontario just before Halloween and returned home the first of March pulling their Holiday Rambler with their 1976 Chrysler New Yorker.

The year Wayde and I met, Wayde was camping in a tent behind Isteads Holiday Rambler. He purchased a surf board and spent time in the gulf whenever the surf was up!

Morley spent the winter months running a produce stand at the Retreat. Wayde enjoyed helping him, going along to Tampa to the wholesalers and purchasing fresh produce. Morley and Wayde would also pick produce at local farms, filling up the trunk of the Chrylser. Everyone knew Morley at the local farms and his friendly manner made him always a welcome sight. When oranges were in season Morley favoured the Honeybell variety. The proceeds from the produce stand went to Christian Retreat and the residents were able to have the convenience of buying fresh produce right on the retreat grounds.

Rosemarie enjoyed shopping for fabric and sewing on the machine she had at the mobile home. Everyone liked shopping at The Red Barn and the Palmetto flea markets. Many meals were enjoyed at restaurants; Tin Pan Alley, Duffs, Morrisons cafeteria, and the Golden Corral. Morley rode a beach bike around the retreat and Vera had an adult tricycle.

Wayde and I spent time getting to know each other visiting in Ontario, Pennsylvania and more time in Florida. The winter of 1982-83 Wayde lived at the mobile home at Christian Retreat and I lived with a girlfriend on Anna Maria Island. Wayde and I spent a lot of time together then and in September of 1983 we were married in Ontario. But that wasn’t the end of our Florida memories.

We spent another winter living in the mobile home and we each had jobs. Wayde working for Commercial Carrier Corporation and Kathy at Walgreens drugstore.

After our first daughter was born, the next generation had her first trip to Florida in 1992. The mobile home was sold in 1997.

However, our holidays continue in Florida. Last year I celebrated my 50th birthday along with Terry and Oralee Fagan, my aunt and uncle Lloyd and Faye Zimmerman, and my mother Arlene Orner. We rented a beach house together on Anna Maria Island. We had a wonderful time remembering the good times spent in Florida while making new memories, and even playing shuffle board with Morley’s pucks and sticks!

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Keith Millard's Istead Memories; My memories of the Morley Istead and Vera Kleinsteuber family range from about 1950 to the early 1960s, I grew up at Maple Rest at West Lake about 7 miles from the Istead farm. As Oralee has stated in her Memories, farms were 24/7 operations with not much time for socializing with cousins or neighbours.

I vividly recall some of our visits with Uncle Morley and Aunt Vera, I remember gazing with awe at her front load washing machine with a window in it (we still had a wringer washer), I remember tearing through the winter woods with my grandfather and Uncle Morley in his World War II Bren Gun Carrier, I remember spending several days there while my dad helped build a new greenhouse, and I remember Uncle Morley bringing the ice cream out for dessert after one of Aunt Vera's dinners.

I remember the earthy smells of the greenhouse in spring while we chose tomato plants and other veggies to transplant into our garden. And I have fond memories of travelling to Buckshot Lake on a frosty fall morning with cousin Roly Istead circa 1957 or 1958, he was pulling a small house trailer to stay in for the deer hunt, and we had to stop on a dirt road to fix a loose trailer hitch.... but Roly came scrambling out from under the car because we had stopped directly under high tension power lines and the the air was just buzzing with static electricity. And I remember laughing until we cried with the story about Roly's black bear adventure.

All my Istead memories were good, the entire family were kind and loving with each other and with others.

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Julie Elliott Rogers - John and Rosemarie Leavitt Memories; My mom’s parents, Vera and Morley Istead, passed on when I was only four, so I don’t have many memories of them. That’s what makes this story so special.

So one night I had this really cool dream. I saw my grandmother (Vera Istead) through a window. She was healthy and young. Her skin was vibrant and she wasn’t wearing her glasses. She was smiling at me and behind her was a beautiful rainbow.

I was talking later to my mom, Oralee Fagan, (nee: Istead) and told her about the dream I had of my grandmother. She explained to me that when my grandmother was dying of cancer, I used to draw her pictures of rainbows to cheer her up. I don’t remember doing that as a little girl. This dream was a special gift from God. A precious memory that I hadn’t even remembered.

I also have some wonderful memories at my Aunt Rosemarie’s and Uncle John Leavitt’s house, where I spent the summers with my brother, Chris Elliott, and my cousins, Stephanie, Jeffery, David, Jessica, & Heather Leavitt. Aunt Rosemarie taught me to sew, knit, bake and make jam. I still make dishcloths, scarves and blankets to this day. Stephanie and I once made about 150 hunker dunker cookies in one day!

We were always outside playing on her huge property. She had the longest lane way, so we did all sorts of biking and road chalking. We also raked in seaweed at the dock, which we all thought was the greatest fun! We also fished and one time I had to have a fishing hook removed from my back. Uncle John worked hard so we didn't see him as often, but I do remember him making us laugh a lot. One time he let me ride in his excavator on his property.

Aunt Rosemarie was known for her great spread at meals. You always left fuller than you should. We would go up on weekends for breakfast, and we all couldn't wait, especially my Dad, Wayne Elliott. He loved Aunt Rosemarie's cooking more than all of us, which was a lot!

A tasty treat she made for us was homemade waffles, with blueberries and ice cream every morning in the summer. Also, you could have root beer floats and your fill of ham, cheese,pickles and beets, which was served with almost every meal. The thought of her homemade strawberry jam, still makes me drool. Nothing quite like it and trust me, you can’t buy that stuff in store, believe me, I’ve looked!

We also spent a lot of time at Kathy and Wayde Leavitt's, playing with Jessica and Heather. We played in their pool and with all their fun toys every few days! Cathy was always sweet and warm to us!

Although I wasn't Aunt Rosemarie's granddaughter, she treated me as one. And was always so good to me. I called her Grams, like all the other grandchildren. I always felt like she was my grandmother too. My dad's parents passed before I was born, but I never felt like I was without grandparents. I have only great memories of those summers.

-Julie Rogers (nee: Elliott)

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Rodgers/Rogers Family History in the New World

1/27/2015

Author: Marlene Rodgers, in collaboration with Keith Millard
Note: The author is a direct descendant of William Rogers, Sr.

Early Rodgers/Rogers Family History:

This family history really begins with William Rogers, born circa 1681 in Albany, Dutchess County, New York Province, our earliest known ancestor of this story.

These Rodgers men were hailing from farmers or soldiers seeking new homes in a new world like many other families who immigrated from European countries to what we know as North America today. They mainly settled in the New York Province area and later immigrated to Upper Canada. They married into many European families that came to the New World seeking the same thing. Either freedom of religion, or speech, or "that" new adventure that most young men suffer from in their early years.

William Rogers Sr. (sometimes Rodgers) was a soldier in one of the companies on garrison duty at Albany and on the northern frontier. William was the first of several individuals named William Rogers who lived in Albany, almost continuously over most of the eighteenth century. This individual (Albany's first William Rogers) was known as "William Rogers, Sr."

In July 17, 1706, "William Rogers" married a Mary Johnson of Boston at his home in Albany. The marriage was recorded in the register of the Albany Dutch church. At that time, he was identified as a soldier in "Captain Weemes' Company." By 1709, three children had been christened in Albany. Perhaps, his first wife died and, in February 1721, he married Susanna De Foreest.

Over at least two decades, William Rogers was a paid soldier on duty out of Albany. As early as November 1697, he was identified as a private in Richard Ingoldsby's company and was paid thru May 1698. In September 1698, he was identified as a private and on the payroll of Capt. Baxter's company at Albany. In May 1710, he obtained his discharge from James Weems' company of fuziliers as his term of service had expired, by that time, he had become an Albany resident.

In 1709, his third ward holdings were valued on the Albany assessment roll. William seem to wear many hats in 1713, he was appointed high constable, 1714 he was appointed fire master for the third ward and he subscribed for the building of St. Peter's Anglican Church. At that time, he was identified as a "hattor."

William Rogers and Mary Johnson had 3 children 2 daughters who died young and a son named William Jr. who was born in Albany, Dutchess Co., New York Province on 4 December, 1709 and grew up in what was called a hatter's home in the third ward of Albany.

In February 1738, "William Rodgers, Jr." married Mary Wieth or White at the Albany Dutch church. Later, he was a member and church warden at St. Peter's Anglican church. In 1765, he joined the minister in petitioning the city council for land on which to build a parsonage.

Mary Wieth died about 1748 leaving behind 3 young children and William Jr. married again in Oct 1749 to a Mary VerVeelen. Their youngest son Gideon was born Abt. 1754.

However, in June 1777, William was among those "prisoners" who took the oath of allegiance and was discharged. In May 1787, a William Rogers (turning seventy, a resident of Hoosic and a yeoman, and a former resident of Albany - with a large family), was a convicted horse thief. "Destitute," he petitioned the governor for mercy and relief but passed shortly thereafter.

William Jr. was executed by American Rebels in Albany in 1787. Papers of Gov. George Clinton.

William Rodgers, Jr has 534 Descendants in our Geni Family Tree, click on the pdf file below to see 7 generations of descendants, each generation is a different colour.

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1794 - James Matthew Rodgers baptism record Poughkeepsie

William Rogers - Claim for losses

St Peter's Anglican Church, Albany in 1800

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James Matthew Rogers & Jane Lindsay Family:

Gideon Rodgers immigrated to Upper Canada in about 1795, as his youngest child Magdalena was born in Fredericksburg, Lennox/Addington Co., in 1796. This writer’s 4th great-grandfather James Matthew Rodgers was Gideon & Rachel VanZuylen youngest son and the last to be born in New York Province.

James Matthew Rodgers, son of Gideon Rodgers and Rachel Van Zuylen was born on 19 Mar 1794 in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess Co., New York Province was christened on 21 Mar 1794 in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess Co., New York Province, and died on 1 Feb 1883 in Hungerford Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario at age 88.

So it seems that the Rodgers/Rogers descendants grew from this pioneer/soldier stock by marrying into such Loyalist families as Wager, Pringle, Smith, Youmans and Lindsay.

Jane Lindsay was born 24 Feb, 1801 the daughter of Loyalist James Lindsay UEL and Anna Hannah Wager DUE and was christened on 4 Oct 1807 in Ernestown, Lennox/Addington Co., sponsors: David Scot, Bryan Gready and died on 13 Feb 1877 at age 76.

Some interesting notes about Jane Lindsay Rogers is that she applied for land grants as a daughter of a Loyalist. In the Gallery below is an Upper Canada Land Petition R12/153, dated 1819 which Jane was granted land which her brother in law William Rogers gave testimony as to the validation of her rights to apply.

Note: that Jane made her mark and someone signed her names for her as a witness.

Jane Rogers of Marysburg, daughter of James Lindsay of Thurlow Twp., and wife of James Rogers, is asking for land. In this petition, there is also a statement by William Rogers that Jane is his brother's wife.

ABSTRACTS OF UPPER CANADA LAND PETITIONS - Appendix "A";

Petition of Jane Rogers of the Township of Marysburg in the Midland District, wife of James Rogers, humbly sheweth that Your Petitioner is the daughter of James Lindsay of the Township of Thurlow in the Midland District, a U.E. Loyalist, that your Petitioner is married to the above-named James Rogers and has never received any land or order for land from the Crown. Your Petitioner prays that Your Excellency will be pleased to grant her 200 acres of the waste lands of the Crown and permit William Rogers to locate same and take out the deed when completed. And as in duty bound will ever pray, her Jane X Rogers mark Adolphustown, 26 Jan 1819.

I do certify that Jane Rogers is my brother's wife and that she was alive and well in Marysburg about 3 weeks ago. Signed: William X Rogers at York 14 Dec 1819.

James & Jane Rodgers had 11 children 6 sons & 5 daughters all born in Tyendinaga, Thurlow Twp., Hastings Co., Upper Canada. In 1869 he was shown as owner of property at Concession 11, Lot 8 in Hungerford Township.

Bogart is a tiny settlement in the municipality of Tweed, Hastings County, Ontario located about 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi) south of the community of Sulphide and 5.3 kilometres (3.3 mi) east of the village of Tweed. The Clare River, a tributary of the Moira River, flows through the community and takes its rise in divisions upon the eastern boundary, upon which is situated Bogart's mills and empties itself into Stoco Lake at its eastern extremity.

From the 1876 Atlas of Ontario;

It is impossible to fully realize the hardships, privations and sufferings of these first settlers of Hungerford. In the midst of an immense forest, without society, far removed from villages where anything could be purchased, and oftentimes destitute of the means to purchase; with twenty miles of almost impassable roads to travel before a grist mill or a store could be reached, a journey, with ox teams, occupying six or seven days. In a sickly country, where fever and ague was the common lot of nearly everyone, and no physicians near, the wolf without and sometimes the wolf of hunger within, all conspired to try the stoutest heart. The little produce raised could find no market, as there were no transportation facilities, and each settler supplied his own wants. As a result, little money was in circulation, all groceries were paid for in produce at extremely low rates, as the store keeper must find a market over nearly impassable roads. Such were among the trials and experiences of the early settlers of this township and for years the permanent hindrance to its increase in population, values and property.

1871 Census E. Hastings - C-9993 61-C-3, pg 33, line 11;

Shows James & Jane living with their youngest son William and his wife Elizabeth Glenn

Rodgers, William .............37 Ont. W. Meth. Irish Farmer
Elizabeth ........................29 Que.
John Wesley ...................12 Ont.
William Henry. ................09 Ont.
James, Sr. . ....................76 US E. Meth Irish Farmer
Jane . . . . . ....................64 Ont. " Scot.

First All Canadian Generation of Rodgers/Rogers Family:

Let’s have a look at James & Jane’s 10 children, some of whom seem to have the most interesting or soap opera like stories to tell.

Matthew Patrick Rodgers & Lucinda Ann Thompson:

First there is the eldest of James & Jane’s children Matthew Patrick, this writer’s 3rd great-grandfather.

Matthew Patrick married Lucinda Ann Thompson on 12 May 1839 in Kingston, Frontenac County, Upper Canada. Lucinda Ann was born on 20 Sep 1817 in Kingston, Frontenac County, Upper Canada and died on 30 Mar 1901 at age 83.

Matthew was a member of the 4th Incorporated Militia but he mainly was a farmer. Matthew & Lucinda had 8 children 5 sons & 3 daughters, the first 4 children were born in Denbigh, Lennox/Addington Co., and the last 4 were born in Tweed, Hastings Co., Hungerford Twp., Samuel James was their 2nd child and it is thru his marriage to Hannah Youmans that our Rodgers/Rogers line crossed into the Kleinsteuber family..

Matthew lived with his son Samuel James and his 2nd wife Cassie Stuffles after Lucinda Ann passed in 1901. Matthew died on 6 July 1904 of old age.

Click on photos to enlarge, cursor over for caption:

1819 Land Petition for Jane Rodgers

1877 - Jane's Bible - Death of Jane Rogers & 1883 death of James Rodgers

1877 Jane Rodgers death record

Family bible page of Jane Lindsay Rodgers listing the birth of her children

James Rodgers in relation to village of Bogart map supplied by Keith Millard

Bogart residence, Con XI, Lot 20, Hungerford

James Rodgers in relation to Bridgewater and Elzevir map supplied by Keith Millard

1901 Death record of Lucinda Thompson

1904 record of Death of Matthew James Rodgers

Hannah W Louise Rodgers;

Hannah was the 2nd child of James Rodgers & Jane Lindsay, let’s see what events their first daughter and 2nd child Hannah W was up to. Hannah was born June 23, 1819 in Tyendinaga, Thurlow Twp., Hastings Co., Upper Canada.

Not much is known about Hannah, she married a James Stuffles in June 22 1836 in S Marysburg Twp., Prince Edward Co., Upper Canada, the marriage was witnessed by Matthew C. Rogers and Elizabeth Simerman.

Hannah & James had a family of 8 children bringing them up in S Marysburg Twp., Prince Edward Co., Hannah died at a relatively young age of 42, she and James were living in Athol Twp., Prince Edward Co., Canada West in the 1861 census when she died in August 1861. See 1861 census and 1838 marriage record below.

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1838 Marriage Record

1861 Census record

Ephriam L Rodgers;

The next or 3rd child of James & Jane Rodgers was Ephriam L Rodgers who was born 14 September 1821 and died 14 October 1855. Ephriam L married Mary Elizabeth Lindsay, born about 1825, and who died of old age on 26 July, 1905. They married on 25 Apr, 1844 in Tweed, Hastings Co., Hungerford Twp., Canada West. Mary Elizabeth was the daughter of Samuel & Mary Lindsay. Ephriam & Mary Elizabeth had 7 children all born in the Tweed area but lost a son, Alexander James Rodgers to small pox in the 1884 epidemic.

This disease spread throughout the area and touched many families. Ephriam and Mary Elizabeth’s family were amongst the many families that lost family members, sometimes an entire family was wiped out from the dreaded disease. You will see the death record below that shows so many family members who died within days of each other from small pox.

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1884 Hungerford Smallpox Epidemic

1884 Smallpx Epidemic re Rodgers and Lindsay families

1884 Epidemic from Page 38 of Times to Remember

1884 Epidemic from Page 39 of Times to Remember

James Andrew Rodgers and Catherine Lindsay:

James & Jane’s 3rd son and 4th child, James A Rodgers, married Catherine Lindsay somewhere about the early 1840’s and they had 2 son’s. Emory & Lonson James, there was a thought that James & Catherine may have had a daughter but I believe that this was in error, as in all the census records there is no record of a daughter Franny. James died in 1910, the 1871 Census record and the 1910 death record for James are shown below.

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1871 Census Record for James A Rodgers

1910 Death record for James A Rodgers

1891 Census - Emory Rodgers family

1854 Marriage Record of Ephraim Rodgers and Mary Elizabeth Lindsay

Sarah Jane Rodgers, Mary Jane Rodgers, & Samuel Ephriam Rodgers;

The 5th child of James Matthew Rogers & Jane Lindsay Rogers was Sarah Jane Rodgers born March 13, 1826 and died March 22, 1852 in Tweed, Hungerford Twp., Hastings Co. Sarah Jane married John Lindsay on August 08, 1838 in S Marysburg Twp., Prince Edward Co., Upper Canada. John was born about 1822 and died circa 1851 and was the son of John Lindsay UE and Mary Brants, John & Sarah Jane had 2 daughters that I know of. Very little is know about Sarah Jane Rodgers & John Lindsay as they died at a young and within a year of each other.

The 6th child of James & Jane’s was Mary Jane Rodgers born 12 Apr 1828 in Tweed, Hungerford Twp., Hastings Co., and died on 14 Mar 1899. Mary Jane married Andrew Henry Sinclair about 1847 in Tweed, Hungerford Twp., Hastings Co.; Andrew Henry Sinclair was born on 09 Sep 1830, the son of Henry Sinclair & Sarah Lindsay, and died 14 Mar 1899 in Dummer Twp., Peterborough Co., Ontario of Pneumonia at the age of 86.

Mary Jane & Andrew Sinclair had 7 children but 3 were taken in the small pox epidemic along with Mary Jane leaving Andrew with 4 children.

The 7th child of James & Jane was Samuel Ephriam Rodgers born on 20 Sep 1830 in Thurlow Twp., Hastings Co., Upper Canada and died 06 Apr 1866 in Tyendinaga, Thurlow Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario Canada. Samuel E married Mary Elizabeth Lindsay on 25 Apr 1854 in Tweed, Hastings Co., Hungerford Twp., Canada West daughter of John Lindsay UE & Mary Brants. Samuel & Mary Elizabeth Rodgers had 4 children.

Tragedy hit the Rodgers family with the drowning of Samuel Ephriam Rodgers on Apr 6, 1866 in Denbigh, Lennox/Addington Co., his body was not found until May 8, 1866 and buried May 9, 1866. It is not known how or where he drowned. Possibly it was when going to the island for hay?

Click on photo to enlarge, cursor over for caption:

William George Henry Rodgers;

The 8th child of James & Jane’s was William George Henry Rodgers born on June 04, 1833 in Tyendinaga, Thurlow Twp., Hastings Co., Upper Canada and died July 21, 1908 in Tyendinaga, Thurlow Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario Canada by taking his own life.

William George Rodgers lost his son John Wesley 23 Feb 1893; son Sandy James 6 Nov 1903, and his wife Elizabeth on 17 Oct 1907. These losses were too much for him and he committed suicide by hanging on July 21 1908 at his residence: C-9 Lot-17. Death registered July 23 1908.

We find James and Jane Rodgers living with William George and his wife Elizabeth Glenn and children in the 1871 census and James as a widower in 1881 census.

Census E. Hastings - C-9993 - 61-C-3, p33 C-13238 - 120-C-2, p57

1871 line 11 1881 line 16

Rodgers, William . . .. . 37 . . . . . . . . 47 Farmer
Elizabeth. ............... . . 29 . . . . . . . . 39
John Wesley............... 12 . . . . . .. . . 22 Blacksmith
Wm. Henry ................. 9 . . . . . . . . . 19 Farmer
Sandy James . . . . . … . 5…
James Matthew, Sr. . . 76 . . . .. . . . . 86 Widower
Jane Lindsay .............. 64.........../

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1871 Census record for William George Henry Rodgers

1908 Death Record of William George Henry Rodgers

Margaret C Rodgers;

The 9th child of James Rodgers & Jane Lindsay was Margaret C Rodgers who was born on 10 Sep 1835 in Tyendinaga, Thurlow Twp., Hastings Co., Upper Canada and died 28 Apr 1867 in Tyendinaga, Thurlow Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario Canada. Margaret C married William Allen Knowles about 1861 in Tyendinaga, Thurlow Twp., Hastings Co., Canada West. William was born on 16th Mar 1836 and died on 20th Apr 1928 in Tyendinaga, Thurlow Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario Canada of Myocardial Failure.

Margaret C Rodgers and William Knowles had 2 children. Not much is known about Margaret as she died relatively young.

Rachel Louise Rodgers Story;

The 10th and most interesting child of James & Jane’s children was Rachel Louise Rodgers, born 15 Aug 1837

Rachel married Adam Caterine on 7 Nov 1853 in Belleville, Ontario, Adam was born in Apr 1830 and died on 23 Dec 1905 in Iosco Co., Michigan at age 75.   Adam apparently ran away with a Melissa Robertson to Iosco Michigan.

Now here is a real soap opera story, it is hard to believe that it really happened back in the 1860’s, though one knows that it is an event that can actually takes place in today’s world. This story was uncovered by a genealogist researching Adam Caraline’s family.

Maybe these people were something like modern day Swingers!   Because, to add a bit more to the confusion of who was married to whom, there is the marriage of Adam Caterine aka Catline to Rachel Rodgers in 1853 and Adam & Rachel lived VERY, VERY close to where Louisa Robertson Huff & Henry Huff and Melissa Robertson Brooks & Willet Brooks were all living in the 1861 Canadian Census, in fact they were all neighbours!

So, something happened and it would seem this Melissa Robertson Brooks leaves her husband Willet and runs off to Michigan with Adam who left his wife Rachel; meanwhile, Willet Brooks then takes up with his sister-in-law Louisa!!!  I do believe Louisa's husband Henry Huff had died so Louisa was a widow in all this, she it seems to be the only 'squeaky clean one'!!

And I do not think it was all done above board or with the blessing of the Church or of their respective families!!  No wonder they all ended up in rural Michigan except poor Rachel!

Rachel next partnered with Emmanuel Wager, son of William Wager and Elizabeth Hough, in Tweed, Hungerford Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario. Emmanuel was born on 30 Mar 1844 in Prince Edward Co., Ontario. There seems to be about a year almost to the day from when Adam ran off and Rachel & Emmanuel’s first child was born without Church blessings.

Were they players as well or did Emmanuel provide comfort for poor Rachel?   Swingers or just nature taking care of nature. We will never know!

Click on photo to enlarge, cursor over for caption:

Family bible page of Jane Lindsay Rodgers listing the birth of her children

The next generation, Emory Rodgers Family:

Emory Rodgers, James Andrew Rodgers & Catherine Lindsay Rodger’s eldest son, was a carpenter & farmer by trade and married his first wife Fanny Wheeler about 1870, they had 5 children 2 daughters and 3 sons. Fanny died in Nov 10, 1888 of dropsy, leaving 5 young children, and Emory remarried in 1889 to Adeline Mayne. Emory and Adeline had 2 daughters Francis Gertrude and Violet Patience. Francis Gertrude, always known as Frankie, married Rudolf Kleinsteuber in 1910

Click on the link below to see the Rudolf Kleinsteuber/Frankie Rodgers story.

Link : The Rodgers/Kleinsteuber Connection:

Emory Rodgers s/o James Andrew Rodgers & Catherine Lindsay photo supplied by Keith Millard

Adeline Mayne w/o Emory Rodgers photo supplied by Keith Millard

Frankie Rodgers d/o Emory Rodgers/Adeline Mayne photo supplied by Keith Millard

Rudi Kleinsteuber h/o Frankie Rodgers photo supplied by Keith Millard

Chauncy Rodgers s/o Emory Rodgers/Fanny Wheeler & Jennie Marsh photo supplied by Margo Rodgers from a family album created by her mother Jean Cooper

Fred Greatrix, nephew Victor Greatrix, and Fred's wife Cora Rodgers. photo supplied by Shanna Greatrix

James Molyneaux photo supplied by Margo Rodgers from a family album created by her mother Jean Cooper

Dorland Rodgers and Myrtle Molyneaux s/o Emory Rodgers & Fanny Wheeler photo supplied by Margo Rodgers from her mother's Jean family album

Lonson Rodgers s/o Emory Rodgers /Fanny Wheeler photo supplied by Margo Rodgers from a family album created by her mother Jean Cooper

Francis Bauer w/o Lonson Rodgers s/o Emory Rodgers/Fanny Wheeler photo supplied by Margo Rodgers from a family album created by her mother Jean Cooper

Emory Rodgers 2sd marriage to Adeline Mayne

Lonson Rodgers s/o James Andrew Rodgers & Catherine Lindsay marriage record 27 Aug 1871 to Margaret Jane Lucas

1924 Death record for Lonson James Rodgers

Emory and Fanny were the parents of Carrie Rodgers, Chauncy Rodgers, Lonson Rodgers, Dorland Rodgers, and Cora Ellen Rodgers.

The eldest was daughter Carrie, born May 10, 1873, Carrie married an Arthur Sayers born in England on March 09, 1867. They were married Sep 15, 1891 in Tweed, Hastings Co., Ontario. Carrie & Arthur had a daughter and 4 sons. This family ended up in Edmonton Alberta.

Cora was the youngest child of Emory & Fanny Wheeler (Emory’s first wife). Cora married Oran James Molyneaux on Sept 6, 1906 in Flinton, Ontario. Oran parents were Elizabeth Greatrix and Benson Douglas Molyneaux. Cora Ellen Rodgers remarried on Oct. 27, 1921 after James died, Hallowell Tap, Ontario, to Frederick Greatrix b July 4, 1890, Elziver Twp, Hastings County, Ont. and died Jan. 21, 1960, West Lake, Ont. s/o Oran Greatrix 1864-1937 and Amanda Kleinstueber b Aug 23, 1864, Bridgewater (now Actinolite), Hastings County, d Feb 24, 1965, Belleville, Ont d/o John Kleinsteuber and Annie Youman. Cora Ellen was buried at Hicksite Cemetery, Bloomfield.

Emory & Fanny’s 4th child Dorland Rodgers married Myrtle Molyneaux in Picton, they had 2 sons Merven, & Morley (who was only a day old when he died). Merven married Jean Cooper in 28 Jun 1940 and they raised a family of 2 sons and 4 daughters.

Lonson James Rodgers:

Lonson James Rodgers was the 2nd son of James Rodgers & Catherine Lindsay. Lonson married Margaret Jane Lucas in 27 Aug 1871 and they had 1 daughter Mary Catherine Rodgers who married William Billa Akey in 28 Oct 1890.

Samuel James Rodgers Family:

Samuel James Rodgers was the 2nd son of Matthew Patrick Rodgers & Lucinda Ann Thompson, Samuel James was quite a distinguished looking man with a Van Dyke beard. His wife, Hannah Youmans had straight hair in the fashion of the day and expressive eyes according to a Rodgers cousin Ralph Coles, who saw a picture of Samuel James Rodgers & Hannah Youmans, perhaps a wedding photo hanging in his grandfather Pat's parlor as a young child. Note: Hanna's sister Annie married John Henry Lorenz Kleinsteuber.

The Register of Birth, Marriage & Deaths give Lot 17, Concession 12 at Vennachar, Lennox/Addington Co., Ontario as Hannah's residence at the time of her marriage. It is likely that she is buried there. Samuel married Hannah Eleanor Youmans on 30 Aug 1867 in Tweed, Ontario, Canada. Hannah was born in 1850 in Camden Twp., Hastings Co., Canada West and died on 22 Jun 1900 in Denbigh Twp., Lennox/ Addington Co., Ontario at age 50, and was buried in Jun 1900 in the Vennachar Cemetery in Denbigh Township, Lennox/Addington Co., Ontario.

The story of her passing has gone around the family that Hannah was in her yard washing clothes on a wash board when all of a sudden she dropped dead. Quite a shock for the children playing in the yard to see their mother drop dead.

Let’s have a look at Granny Hannah Youmans family;

Hannah’s parents were Eleazer Youmans and Mary Magdeleine Levesque. Marie Magdeleine Levesque was the daughter of Thomas-Noel Levesque and Marie-Madeleine Landry, and married Eleazer Youmans on 21 Oct 1827 in St. Mary's Cathedral, Kingston, Ontario. Marie was born 9 Jun 1809 in St. Roch de L'achigan, Quebec and was christened 9 Jun 1809 in St. Roch de L'achigan, Quebec. She died 6 10 Mar 1885 in Hastings co., Hungerford Twp. from Dropsy of the heart and was buried 7 Mar 1885 in Bethel Cemetery, con 7 lot 8, Hungerford twp., Hastings co.. 1851 Canada West census lists her religion as E Methodist. There is a story in the family that Granny Youmans was a small wiry French Canadian lady who smoked a cob pipe in later years, and that she could swear like a trooper and mix it up with the best of them.

Eleazer Youmans Jr. was the son of Eleazer Sr & Anna Hannah Smith DUE and the grandson of Arthur Youmans & Sarah Orser Oakley, he lived on lot 29 con. 3 in Camden twp., and moved to Hungerford twp., Hastings co. between 1851 and 1861. Eleazer Jr. sold con 3 lot 29 (which he had purchased from Elizabeth Welch in 1832) to Hicks Milsap in 1855. An 1878 Hastings Co. Atlas has Samuel Youmans on lot 18 con. 9. 150 acres, and in the 1881 Census, it shows Eleazer and Marie living with son Samuel.

Click on photos to enlarge or cursor over for caption:

Bethel Cemetery - Marie Magdeleine Levesque

Denbigh Parish

Vennacher Cemetery

1851 census Youmans, Eleazer & Mary Leveque

Samuel & Hannah had a rather large family of 10 children all born in the Denbigh area of Lennox/Addington Co., Ontario. Samuel was a farmer and we find him in the 1881 census listed with his family in Hastings County, Ontario.
Census Hastings County #C-13238 - 120-C-3, p 45, line 5 1881
Rodgers, Samuel . . . . . . . . . . 33 Ont. M.E. Dutch Farmer
Hannah . . . . . . . . ............... . 31
Walter Dennis. . . .. . ...............12
Mathew . . . . . . . . . ................10
Ida. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . ..............8
Alice May . . . . . . . ... ................6
Almira . . . . . . . . . . .. ...............3

Samuel James relocated to Charlton in the early 1900's settling on a farm that was owned by Roy Rodgers. Samuel’s first wife having died, he married a Cassie Stuffles in Denbigh on 23 Jun 1901, and had a second family of 7 more children, so that makes 17 children for Samuel, I would say that was a family. Mathew Rodgers moved from Denbigh to Charlton after Samuel remarried and he took up residence with the newly married couple.

We can only imagine their voyage from Denbigh to Charlton. For a little insight as to how these pioneers relocated, there is an excerpt below of 2 Rodgers brothers travel as told to a class of school children about 1901 in Denbigh.

Samuel James Rodgers & Hannah Youmans had 10 children the eldest, Walter Dennis Rodgers born on November 9th 1868 in Tyendinaga, Thurlow Twp., Hastings Co., Ontario, was this writers great-grandfather. Tyendinaga is where he lived until he relocated to Charlton in 1905. He took his small family of 3 sons his daughter Helen having died at birth and his wife Helen Harrison to a new life, in a newly opened wilderness of Charlton Ontario.

Well, we have come to a conclusion of this chapter of the descendants of James Matthew Rogers and Jane Lindsay DUE. After looking at 3 of James & Jane’s children Matthew Patrick (Pyrm) Rodgers, James A Rodgers & Rachel Louise and their life I have left the other 8 children for an ongoing review to be posted later on.

This is only taken from family history lore and should be treated as such, there could be and I am sure there are holes in some of the stories, but it is as much as this writer has been privileged to uncover

See you soon!!

Click on photos to enlarge or cursor over for caption, or Download File to open Rodgers Travel North story: