Wednesday, January 1, 2014

The Militia of Leeds, Ontario; Leading Families; and, Some Family Leads

Ogle Robert Gowan
Ogle Robert Gowan
Lt. Colonel of Queen's Royal Borderers,
Enlightened Orangeman of Brockville
 
War is hell. It should be avoided at nearly all costs. Since there are worse things than war, war will occur. Since both sides may lose, some wars cannot be won. Yet, despite their destruction, wars have tended to provide us with information about people through the bureaucratic means of administering materiel and personnel. The Napoleonic War and the War of 1812 brought some of our family to North America. The threat of future war positioned them in certain situations for which we have some data.

Gowan was a Captain in the Leeds Militia. During the Rebellion (1837 and following) he was given command of the 9th Provisional Battalion. This Battalion was renamed the Queen's Own Borderers in honor of his services. It was based in Brockville. A Christopher Gunnis was Captain of the Battalion in which a Christopher Jnr (likely Cordelia's father) and a William Gunnis also served during the 1838-1840 period.

Gowan is an interesting person. While an Orangeman who wrote pamphlets against Popery, he was conciliatory towards Canadian Catholics. Was he just cynically using their political clout? Perhaps, but he was a brave man who lived out is convictions and served in Parliament during an interesting period. I would like to learn more about him. He seems to have been a Tory whose mind was bent on reform. Shades of William Cobbett!

But, I would also like to know how a Hiram Hays met and married Cordelia Gunnis. The Hayes family were Church of England folks from Ireland. They seem well educated from what I can gather. More about that later. However, they were also plain working folks. How did they get tangled up with a family that obviously had wealth and a modicum of power?

They probably met through their church connections. According to the 1852 Census, all of the Gunnis family (with the possible exception of Abigail the only daughter of Christopher senior) lived in Kitley Township, Leeds, Ontario. All were Church of England with the exception of William and his wife, Mary Ann, who were Methodists. So, this might explain why Cordelia and Hiram marry in a Wesleyan Chapel. Additionally, many of the neighbors surrounding the Christopher Jnr Gunnis family are Wesleyan or New Connection Methodists.

But, I do not wish to forget Henry and Hiram Hayes. Or, should I say, Hierom? Could there be a connection? Yes. At various times in the Canada British Army and Canadian Militia Muster Rolls and Pay Lists 1795-1850 for the period following the Rebellion, you can find either Hierom (Latin version of Jerome) or Henry Hayes (as they signed their names, regardless as to how the paymaster spelled their names). They are listed with the Brockville Independent Company. The period seems to be from December 1838 until the middle of 1840.

Hierom appears to be the most keen. He is there more often than Henry. Additionally, they are found together in the monthly pay list for only one month. That was in July 1839 which is listed on page 570 of the book. When Henry is listed, he is listed above the privates as a Drummer. Hierom, as he signs his name, is always in the correct place alphabetically among the privates. That is something to note; both men sign their names rather than make their mark. So, were they alternating musters so that one or the other of them was free to take care of other responsibilities? This would be a typical family solution to resource problems.

I recall that Henry was listed as a musician in Richmond. Hiram was listed as a private in the 100th Regiment of Foot. That pattern holds here as well. I believe we have cousins, if not brothers. If this is the case, then it is very likely that Hiram is from Tipperary as well. But, how do we get to Brant, Bruce County, Ontario, Canada from here? And, can we get everyone there? You may be surprised.

The new Grand Trunk Railway may have had something to do with moving people out of Brockville which was chosen as a major point on the railway in 1855. Our family does not do well with the influx of technology whether in New York, Michigan or Ontario! When populations grow quickly, our family has a tendency to move on rapidly.

Attribution of Image:

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Generic license and it is from volume 6, page of Robertson's Landmarks of Toronto by J. Ross Robertson, Toronto, published in six volumes from 1893 to 1914 and hosted by the Internet Archive. Note that the creator and creation dates vary. 

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