Daniel Baldwin, Ontario Farmer

Daniel Baldwin is my 2nd great grandfather. He was born in Mountain Township, Dundas County, Canada  (present day Ontario), to John Baldwin and Asenath Buck on March 20 1804. This date is family legend and has not been verified as yet. He was married on January 3, 1833 to Eleanor Wilson (called Ellen by the family) by a Methodist minister in Mountain. I found this marriage information originally in a database titled ”Some Early Marriages in Dundas County” This was published on the Dundas County Genweb page. I was a newbie to genealogical research at this time so I dutifully noted it and moved on. I next found it in a database on rootsweb titled “Marriages by Rev. Ezra Healy of the M.E. Church”. By now I was asking, “But where did they get this information?” It wasn’t until this week that I finally got my hands on the official record. I ordered and finally received the FHL film that contained the Eastern District Marriage Records. This film included the original handwritten record and a transcription done in the early 1900’s by a county clerk. That makes it easy. The marriage was solemnized by banns and the witnesses were Samuel Gainsey and James Nettleton.[i] I do not know who these gentlemen are but they might be worthwhile looking at.(The Fans Principle, you know.)

Like a large percentage of his contemporaries in North America, Daniel was a farmer.  He was mentioned in his father’s will in 1846.[ii] Daniel received 10 shillings and the option to purchase the East half of lot 13, Concession IV for $225 from his brothers Silas and Ezra for a period of 5 years from the date of the will. I don’t know if Daniel did this or not but I think he did. In the alphabetized list of transactions kept by the Registrar of Deeds for Mountain Township, I found a transfer under mortgage from Ezra and Silas Baldwin to Daniel Baldwin. I need to obtain this film; it’s on my to-do list. I also do not know how Daniel obtained title to lot 18, Concession IV. Another item on my to-do list.

My grandfather was born on lot 18, Concession IV and lived there until he was twelve. At this point the family joined the great migration from Ontario to the plains of North Dakota. I asked my father why they settled in North Dakota and not Manitoba. He said the Canadian government did not make land available in Manitoba until after 1900. My grandfather wrote a letter to his son, my Uncle Robert, describing his memories of the land. “By the time we left for Dakota, that was quite some over a hundred years of toil and labor on that farm by the Baldwins and the land still had quite a few big oaks still standing, fifty feet or more high, twenty four inches or more in diameter.”

The 1851 Census of Canada has an Agricultural Schedule that gives a glimpse of this farm. In 1851, Daniel Baldwin had 100 acres. Of this 20 acres were under cultivation, 10 acres in crops and 10 acres as pasture. Eighty acres were still in woods. He harvested 70 bushels of wheat from 5 acres, produced 50 pounds of butter from 2 cows and also owned 1 pig.[iii]

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[i] Canada, Ontario, District Marriage Records, 1831-1857, Library and Archives, Canada, RG 80-27, Eastern District, FHL film # 928968, Item 7.

[ii] Land Records of Dundas County (v. C-D) 1839-1847. FHL microfilm:201602. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

[iii] Ancestry.com. 1851 Census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Census of 1851 (Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia). Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Canada. Dundas County, Mountain Township, Schedule B, Roll: C-11717, Page 116, Line47.

Mehitable McKay Buck

Most of the time, the lives of our female ancestors are hidden by the activities of the men in their lives. I found a document in the Vermont State Papers that gives a glimpse of the challenges faced by one of my female ancestors. Here is the story of Mehitable McKay, wife of Samuel Buck.

Samuel and Mehitable lived in Arlington, Vermont.  They moved there sometime after the birth of their daughter Mary, born in New Milford, Connecticut in October 1768 and before the birth of their son, Daniel Anson born about 1770. Samuel was a blacksmith and according to his claims, he owned 10 acres of improved land including a 4 acre plot in town, with a house and barn, an orchard of 100 trees and a nursery of over 2000 trees.[i] Samuel was a Loyalist and felt compelled to fight for the British. So in 1777 he joined Jessup’s Corps and fought with Burgoyne in Upper New York State. Men go off and fight wars and leave the women at home to cope.

The Colony of Vermont, through the Committee of Correspondence, began proceedings to confiscate the land of Loyalists. On April 23, 1778 the order to confiscate was given.[ii] At this time, Mehitable was living in Arlington with her children. She had 3 stepdaughters from her husband’s first marriage, Eunice age 21, Molly age 20 and Phebe age 19 and 6 or possibly 7 children of her own, Sally age 16, Daniel Dayton age 11, Mary age 10, Daniel Anson age 8, Stephen Walker age 5, Samuel Miles age 1 and possibly a newborn daughter Asenath. We are unsure where and when Asenath was born - 1778 or 1779 and either Vermont or Canada. Asenath is my third great grandmother. Having her husband’s property confiscated forced changes in the family. Phebe chose to remain in Vermont and married her second cousin, Lemuel Buck, probably immediately since their first child was born in 1779. Lemuel fought on the Patriot side during the war. A woman named Molly Buck died on May 2, 1778 according to Vermont Vital Records and is buried in the West Arlington Cemetery. This may be our Molly since we have no further information about her. All the rest of the family can be found in Sorel, Quebec after the war.

So here they are, homeless, in Vermont. Mehitable has 7 or perhaps 8 children depending upon her. The next document pertaining to this Buck family found in the Vermont State Papers is a bill for 12 pounds sterling for transporting the wife and family of Samuel Buck to enemy (British) lines[iii]. That would have been somewhere in Upper New York State. We don’t know where they went after this or how much of their personal belongings they were able to take with them. I would bet that like most refugees, they had little left. A large number of wives and children of soldiers were sent to Niagara for the duration of the war. Did Mehitable go there or did she go to Quebec? According to testimony given by Samuel Buck to the Claims Commission, they were in Sorel, Quebec in 1783[iv]. Often when our ancestors are involved in fighting a war, we concentrate on the men - the battles they were in, the injuries they received. We don’t often pay attention to the hardships endured by the women. But wars took as great a toll on the women as the men. It was a privilege to have this view of Mehitable and know that she was a strong woman who coped with her changing circumstances and kept her family intact.

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[i] Ancestry.com. Canada, Loyalist Claims, 1776-1835 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

Original data: American Loyalist Claims, 1776–1835. AO 12–13. The National Archives of the United Kingdom, Kew, Surrey, England.

[ii] State Papers of Vermont, Vol VI, Vermont Office of Secretary of State (1941), Mary Greene Nye, ed., p. 16.

[iii] State Papers of Vermont, Vol VI, Vermont Office of Secretary of State (1941), Mary Greene Nye, ed., p. 299.

[iv] Ancestry.com. Canada, Loyalist Claims, 1776-1835 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

Original data: American Loyalist Claims, 1776–1835. AO 12–13. The National Archives of the United Kingdom, Kew, Surrey, England.

John Baldwin’s Will

My father had a chart of his Baldwin family that started with John Baldwin in Ontario, Canada.  I understood that one of his grand aunts had put it together.  It gave details on John Baldwin, his children and his grandchildren. John is my third great grandfather. I used this information to start my genealogical journey.

Here is what it said. John Baldwin married Asenath Buck and they had nine children, seven boys and two girls. Their children, in birth order, were Daniel (my second great grandfather, John, William, Thomas, George, Mary, Sarah, Silas and Ezra. These children were all born between 1804 and 1823 in Dundas County, Ontario. This is one of the counties surveyed and earmarked for settlement by Loyalist troops after the War for American Independence. Settlers started coming in about 1784 so in 1800, this was still the frontier. Dundas County is on the St. Lawrence River across from Upper New York State. John apparently crossed the river from Canton, NY and found a place for himself in Mountain Township, Dundas County.

Asenath Buck was the daughter of a Loyalist, a man named Samuel Buck, a blacksmith by trade, who fought with Jessup’s Rangers. He died in Sorel, Quebec in 1790 of consumption (tuberculosis). One of her brothers, Samuel Miles Buck, also a blacksmith, settled close to Mountain in Grenville County. Two of her sisters also settled nearby, one in Dundas County. The Baldwins and the Bucks both had ties to Bennington County, Vermont. That might have brought John and Asenath together.

I have been able to verify the children of John and Asenath through John’s will. The will was never probated but, in Canada, if the major asset was real property and the property was transferred upon the death of the owner, a copy of the will was placed in the deed record book. This is great news for genealogists. The index lists “will” along with the grantor and grantee. The will lists all of his children and confirms the chart my father received from his relatives.

I made a transcription of the will. You will notice that it also gives the date of death. He died 26 September 1846. This is not a usual source for a death date but surprises like these are always welcome.

Will of John Baldwin[i]

To the Registrar of the County of Dundas in the Eastern District and Province of Canada. A Memorial of the last will and testament of the late John Baldwin, Senior of the Township of Mountain County of Dundas Eastern District and Province of Canada leaving date the twenty sixth day of September in the Year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty six in manner and form following; First I give to my son Silas Baldwin and his heirs the North half of the South or Front half of Lot Seventeen in the front Concession of said Township of Mountain containing by admeasurement fifty acres of Land be the same more or less being half of the place on which I now reside with all the appurtenances.

Secondly, I give to my son Ezra Baldwin and his heirs the South half of the South or front half of lot seventeen in the front concession of the Said Township of Mountain containing by admeasurement fifty acres of land be the same more or less being the other half of the place on which I now reside with all the appurtenances and further that my said son Silas Baldwin shall pay Ezra my son the sum of twenty five pounds in lawful money one year after my decease. I also give to and bequeath to my sons Silas and Ezra and their heirs and assigns the East half of lot number thirteen in the fourth concession of the Said Township of Mountain containing by admeasurement one hundred acres of land be the same more or less known as the Staddard farm. I also give and bequeath to my oldest son Daniel Baldwin the sum of ten shillings currency payable one year after my decease and also if my son Daniel or his heirs shall pay unto my two sons Silas and Ezra Baldwin or their heirs the sum of Two hundred and twenty five dollars with the term of five years commencing at the date of this my last will and testament then my sons Silas and Ezra shall give to my son Daniel and his heirs a good and sufficient deed or title to the West half of the Said East half  of lot number thirteen in the fourth Concession of the Said Township of Mountain which is herein before named as the Staddard farm.

And I further will and bequeath to my son William Baldwin the sum of ten shillings currency payable one year after my decease.  I also give and bequeath to my son John Baldwin the sum of ten shillings payable as before written.  And I also give and bequeath to my son Thomas Baldwin the sum of ten shillings payable as before written. And I also give and bequeath to my son George Baldwin the sum of ten shillings payable as before mentioned.  Also I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Reid the sum of ten pounds currency payable in produce or stock in one year after decease.  I also give and bequeath to my daughter Sarah Brown or her heirs the sum of eighteen pounds fifteen shillings currency payable in produce or stock in one year after my decease.  And lastly I give and bequeath to my sons Silas and Ezra Baldwin and their heirs all my personal estate of which I may die possessed  of being composed of all my farming utensils stock of cattle horses and all other articles which I may own at the time of my decease not mentioned herein and also all debts due to me by note, bill, bond or account or in any way or manner whatsoever and further that my said sons Silas and Ezra Baldwin shall pay all the legacies herein given and bequeathed by me at the time mentioned for the payment thereof.  And also my sons Silas and Ezra are to pay all debts due by me and also to fulfill all obligations which I may or might be obliged to fulfill if living.

And I do hereby appoint  my beloved and trusty friend Edmund Doran of the Township of Mathilda in the County of Dundas and Thomas Armstrong of the Township of Mountain aforesaid my executors to my last will and testament. And further I appoint George  F. Sheaver of Mountain aforesaid also one of the executors of my said last will and testament. Which said last will and testament is testified by Edmund Doran of the Township of Mathilda in the Eastern Yeoman, Thomas Armstrong of the Township of Mountain which, Yeoman and George F. Sheaver of the same place, Yeoman.  And this memorial is required to be registered by me Silas

You will notice that it also gives the date of death. He died 26 September 1846. This is not a usual source for a death date but surprises like these are always welcome.

 

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[i] Land Records of Dundas County (v. C-D) 1839-1847. FHL microfilm: 201602. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.