52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Ancestor #44

Elijah Van Camp (1806-1870)

Elijah Van Camp was born about 1806 in Matilda, Dundas, Ontario, Canada and died in Mountain, Dundas, Ontario, Canada on 12 October 1870ⁱ. He is the son of John and Mary (Frees) Van Camp. He married on 18 Jan 1824 in Matilda Catherine Brouseⁱⁱ who was born in 1808 in Matilda and died 8 October 1872 in Mountain.

Like most of his neighbors, Elijah was a farmer. He is enumerated in both the 1851 and 1861 census in Mountain. In the 1851 censusⁱⁱⁱ he appears with his wife Catherine and 8 of his 12 children (George 24, John 15, Frederick 13, Albert 11, Mary 9, Michael 5, Catherine 4, and Oberlin 2). In 1861^iv only 4 of his children are still at home. He took an interest in local politics and in 1853 served as reeve for Mountain Township^v. This term was used in Canada to denote the president of the town council.

Elijah was the son of a United Empire Loyalist and was entitled to 200 acres of crown land when he reached the age of 21. On 22 January 1828 Elijah filed his petition for land^vi. He stated that he was the son of John Van Camp, a UE Loyalist, that he was upwards of 21 years of age and had never received land from the crown. His petition was approved.

Elijah wrote his will on 8 Jun 1870^vii. He left all his personal and household items and his dwelling place to his beloved wife, Catherine. He also gave her the West half of the East half of Lot 8 in the 3^rd Concession of Mountain Township for her use during her lifetime. He left this land to his son, Michael and $400 to his son Oberlin. Michael was to pay Oberlin in 4 equal installments. If he failed to do so, then the land would revert to Oberlin. Because Elijah had only real property in only 1 location, his estate did not have to be probated. Instead his will was entered into the land records to show the transfer of the property.

Children of Elijah and Catherine (Brouse) Van Camp, all born in Mountain:

1. Reuben Elijah⁸ Van Camp, b. 7 May 1826, d. 17 Apr 1888 in St. Thomas, Pembina, North Dakota. He married (1) on 24 Aug 1845, Nancy Mill, b. 6 Mar 1827 in Mountain and d. there 1 Sep 1853 and (2) in 1854 Charity Winegard, b. Mar 1833 in Sharon, Schoharie, New York and d. in 1909 in St. Thomas.
2. George W. Van Camp, b. 28 Jul 1828 and d. 9 Apr 1863.
3. Harriet Eliza Van Camp, b. 10 Sep 1830 and d. 19 Apr 1914, m. in 1848 James Charles Clarke, b. 1 May 1820 in Scotland and d. 24 Jul 1901 in Mountain.
4. Phoebe Van Camp, b. 28 Sep 1832, d. 30 May 1923 in Iroquois, Dundas, Ontario, m. in 1849 John Botfield, b. 1821 in England, d. before 1871 in Iroquois.
5. Murray Van Camp, b. about 1834. Nothing else is known about him.
6. John Van Camp, b. 6 Aug 1836, d. 14 May 1915 in St. Thomas. He married (1) on 12 Oct 1859, Philena Froom, b. 1837 in South Gower, Grenville, Ontario and d. in 1866 in Mountain and (2) on 20 Mar 1867, Mary Smith, b. 12 Mar 1843 in Montague, Lanark, Ontario, d. 9 Jun 1913 in St. Thomas.
7. Frederick Van Camp, b. 1839, m. Mary Campbell. Nothing else is known about him.
8. Albert Van Camp, b. 5 May 1840, d. 9 Apr 1902 in North Amherst, Cuyahoga, Ohio, m. on 31 Oct 1865 Isabella MacDonald, b. 6 Feb 1838 in Brock, Victoria, Ontario, d. 1921 in Cleveland.
9. Mary Elizabeth Van Camp, b. 23 Jun 1842, d. 7 Aug 1871 in Kemptville, Grenville, Ontario, m. on 25 Dec 1861 Joshua Hutchins Huntington, b. 1841 and d. 1915.
10. Michael Van Camp, b. 27 Jul 1845, d. 21 Mar 1906 in St. Thomas, m. 15 Nov 1887 in St. Thomas, Christina Hurd, b. 28 Jan 1868 and d. 25 Jan 1946.
11. Catherine Van Camp, b. 23 Sep 1847, d. 1 Dec 1940 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, m. in 1865 Horace L. Willson, b. Sep 1841 in New York.
12. Oberlin Van Camp, b. 13 Jan 1850, d. 18 Oct 1928 in Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska, m. 7 Sep 1871 Adelaide May Henderson, b. Dec 1852 in Iowa and d. 6 Feb 1928 in Columbus, Platte, Nebraska.

i 1871 Census of Canada, Dundas County, Ontario, Mortality schedule, Mountain, district 71, sub-district, e-1, p. 1, Elijah Van Camp; database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 Sep 2018), citing Library and Archives Canada, roll C-10006.

ii Reid, William D., The Loyalists in Ontario, The Sons and Daughters of the American Loyalists of Upper Canada, (Lambertville, New Jersey: 1973) reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co, Inc. p. 35.

iii 1851 Census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Dundas County, Canada West, Dundas County, Ontario district 5, sub-district 36, p. 5, Elijah Van Camp; digital image Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 Mar 2017), citing Library and Archives Canada, roll C_11717.

iv 1861 Census of Canada, Dundas County, Ontario, Mountain, p. 13, Elijah Van Camp; digital image Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 Apr 2017), citing Library and Archives Canada, roll C_1014.

v Carter, J. Smythe, The Story of Dundas, being a history of the county of Dundas from 1794-1904, (Iroquois, Ontario: St. Lawrence News Publishing House, 1905), p. 328.

vi Land Petitions of Upper Canada, vol 516, bundle V15 (1828), petition 8, roll C-2948, Elijah Van Camp; database and images, Library and Archives Canada (http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca : accessed 7 Sep 2018).

vii Dundas, Ontario Deed Books 1847-1901, vol F, p. 237, Memorial #2463, Elijah Van Camp Will; Family Search Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, accessed 17 Jun 2017, film #201,637.