chapter 8,14 John Henry Hedley & Margaret Johnston
Chapter 8,14
John
Henry Hedley (1838-1910)
m1 Margaret Florence
Johnston
(1847-1887)
m2 Ann (Young) Alexander
(1852-1932)
Pedigree
Descendancy
John Henry Hedley, the second of the
fifteen children of Nicholas and Jane Hedley, was born Nov. 4, 1838 in
a log cabin in Harwood Plains (Lot 18, Concession 4 of March Township, Carleton Co.). John
Henry’s father, Nicholas Hedley, was born in Northumberland, England in
1814. His mother, Jane McBride, was born in Ireland in 1819. They were
married in Wesleyan Methodist Church, Bathurst Dist., Carleton Co.
October 12, 1835. Nicholas was 21 and Jane 16.
In the years before the marriage of John Henry’s parents, the Hedley
family had built at least two log homes on their property. Their
original dwelling, beside Constance Creek, which ran through their
property, was probably built about 1824. This original log house still
exists today as a stable. A second log house was built closer to River
Road (later called Kerwin Road). It was probably to this newer log
house that Nicholas brought his young bride and in which William, their
first child, was born in 1837, followed a year later by John Henry.
In 1838, the year of John Henry’s birth, the log house near the
road was destroyed by fire. Nicholas immediately set about
building a fine stone house for his
family further back on the property, one of the first stone houses in
March Township. This sturdy stone house, with its broad stone
fireplace, still serves as a family dwelling 167 years after its
construction (See Chapter 2).
The stone house was the residence of John Henry’s parents, Nicholas and
Jane, and their growing family for the next 20 years.
The births of William and John Henry were followed by the arrival at
the stone house of four brothers and six sisters: Thomas 1840, Nicholas
1843, Robert 1844, Anne 1846, Edward 1848, Mary Jane 1850, Maggie about
1853, Martha about 1854, Adeline about 1856 and Susan 1861.
In 1842 Nicholas Hedley was listed in the Land Registry as the owner of
the south ½ of Lot 18, although his parents John and Frances
(grandparents of John Henry) continued to live there also, until about
1850. The 1851 Ont. Census for
March Twp., Carleton Co. lists John and Frances Hedley, ages 80
and 74 respectively, in the household of Nicholas’s younger brother
William and his wife Bridget and their four little girls.
The family of Nicholas and Jane farmed and operated a grist mill
powered by the waters of Constance Creek. The mill was one of only two
in March Township (Pinhey’s and Hedley’s). Mills were in high demand in
early Upper Canada, and Pinhey’s gristmill, located on the Pinhey
property on the Ottawa River would have been inconvenient for farmers
in the South March area since it would have required a trip across the
swampland that separated the interior settlers from the riverside
settlement. It was probably because of their role as millers that the
Hedleys were able to advance from indentured servants to owners of one
of the first stone houses in March Twp.
A measure of the comparative financial worth of individual residents
was given in the 1848 March Twp. Collector’s Roll: Hamnett Pinhey was
by far the wealthiest, with an assessment of 1011 pounds. Next were
Mrs. Bridge, at 377 pounds and F. W. Richardson at 273 pounds, then
Nicholas Hedley, assessed at 217 pounds. The family that started out in
1819 as indentured servants were, thirty years later, the fourth
wealthiest in the township!
By 1846, the grist mill had been converted to a sawmill, producing
20,000 feet of sawn lumber according to the 1851 census; however, the
use of steam to power gristmills and saws was increasing, and water
power was becoming less essential. In addition, the flow of Constance
Creek was becoming less dependable as a result of large-scale
deforestation.
John Henry’s grandfather, John Hedley, who had brought his family from
Northumberland, England in 1819, died in 1855 at age 82. He was
buried in the churchyard of St. John’s Anglican Church in South
March. Not long afterwards, the Hedley stone house and property
on River Road (Lot 18, Concession 4) was sold to Richard Mowbray for
$2,000. Nicholas, Jane and their family of twelve children, were
looking westward, towards newly opened Wawanosh Township in Huron
County. John Henry would have been about 17 at the time.
It is not known where the family lived in the seven years following the
sale of their property in 1855 until 1862, the year of Alexander’s
birth. By 1862 they were established as millers at the Treleavan Mill
and as farmers on the adjoining property, Lot 16, Concession 10 of
Wawanosh Township. The family of Nicholas and Jane Hedley has not been
found on 1861 censuses. Perhaps in the process of moving from Carleton
to Huron Co., the family was missed by the 1861 enumerators. In
the absence of census reports, one of the few sources of information
about the family during the period 1855 to 1862 is three lists of
family names and birth dates found among the belongings of John Henry’s
younger sister, Ann (Hedley) Phillips, after her death in 1934 and
supposedly in her handwriting. Ann’s lists included four
sisters born after the 1851 census (Maggie, 1853; Martha, 1854; Adeline
1856; and Susan, 1860). One list includes “James” without a birth
date. It is probable that this child, possibly born between Adeline and
Susan (between 1857-1860) died in infancy or childhood. Susan, age 11,
also appears on the Ontario 1871
Census for Wawanosh Twp., Huron Co., but the other three
sisters listed by Ann do not appear on that census. In 1871 the missing
girls would have been about 15, 17, and 19 and may have been already
married (Maggie), or possibly they were working outside the family home
(Martha and Adeline).
At the time of his family’s move to Huron County, John Henry would have
been between 17 and 24 years old. The
1860 U.S. Census for Canton, St. Lawrence County, N.Y. State has
the following entry in the household of Jos Lytle: Jno Hedley, age 23, born in Canada”.
If John Henry was actually living in N.Y. State in 1860, it was
probably for a relatively short time. In 1863 John Henry and his sister
Ann were witnesses at the marriage of their elder brother William to
Sarah Phillips of neighbouring Ashfield Twp. At that time John Henry,
his sister Ann and his brother Nicholas were all living in Ashfield
Twp.
Three years later, in 1866, Ann married William Phillips, Sarah’s
brother, and John Henry was a witness at this marriage also. Two more
marriages occurred in 1866: Thomas, John Henry’s younger brother, age
26, married Mary Ann Armstrong in Carleton County on May 15 and later
settled in Kincardine. On October 31 John Henry married Margaret
Florence Johnston.
Margaret Florence Johnston was born in 1847 in Chinquacousy Township,
York County, and moved with her parents to Ashfield Township during her
childhood. The 1861 Ont. Census for
Ashfield Township, Huron Co. shows James Johnston, age 62, and
his wife Martha, 59, both born in Ireland, farmers, living in a log
house with their three children, all born in Upper Canada: Samuel 15,
Margaret 14 and Elizabeth 8.
MARRIAGE OCTOBER 31, 1866 CHURCH
OF ENGLAND,
DUNGANNON, HURON CO.
GROOM: John Henry Hedley, 25
Residence: Ashfield, born in Ottawa
Parents: Nicholas and Jane
|
BRIDE: Margaret Johnston, 19
Residence: Ashfield, born in Clinquacousy
Parents: James and Martha |
Witnesses: Hugh McCroaty, Ashfield and Anne E. Irwin,
Ashfield
Clergyman: Wm. Daunt, Church of England , Diocese of Huron
John Henry and Margaret Hedley settled on Conc. 5, Lots 17-18 Kinloss
Township. Their first child, William Samuel, was born Feb. 16,
1868 at "Grey Ox."
Their second child, Emma, was born Nov. 4, 1870. (Kinloss Township Map)
Ontario 1871 Census for Bruce County,
Kinloss Township
Hedley, John, age 33, b. in Ont., Church of
Eng., English, farmer
Margret, age 22, b. in Ont., Church of Eng., Irish
William, age 3
Emmie, age 6/12 (Sept.)
The 1871 Ont. Agricultural Census shows John Henry, owner of
Lots 17-18 Conc. 5 with 100 acres total--10 acres improved, 5 pasture,
6 garden/orchard and 14 acres in wheat. Production for 1870 was 20
bushels wheat, 39 bu. barley, 120 bu. oats, 50 bu. peas, 20 bu.
carrots, 100 bu. potatoes (3/4 acres), 400 bu. turnips and one acre in
hay (1 ton).
John Henry and Margaret Hedley’s third child, John Henry (Harry)
Hedley, was born Sept. 26, 1873 in Kinloss Twp.
Martha Jane (Jen) was born Jan. 11, 1875 in Kinloss Twp.
Robert Wesley James (Wes) was born July 15, 1877 on Concession 6,
Kinloss Township
Margaret Florence (Maggie) was born May 30, 1880. in Kinloss Twp.
On March 2, 1874, according to Land
Registry Records, John H. Hedley bought Lot 8 on Concession 5 of
Kinloss (Lucknow P.O.) This is also the address listed for John Headley
in the 1880 Historical Atlas of Grey
and Bruce Counties (H. Belden & Co.) It was near "Grey Ox"
at the intersection of the “Lucknow Road” and the 3rd & 4th
Concessions of Kinloss.
The Assessment Roles for Kinloss Twp.
(1871-5) show John Hadly/Hedley farming
100 acres on Lot 10, Concession 6, School Section # 6, with 40 acres
cleared. The 1876 Directory for the
County of Bruce also lists Jno Hedley at this location. Since
the property is close to his Concession 5 property, John Henry may have
been farming both properties.
The 1881 Ont. Census for Kinloss
Township, Bruce Co. shows John, 41, and "Margret", 33, with six
children: William, 13; Emmey, 10; John, 8; Martha, 6; Wesley, 3; and
"Margret," 1. The three eldest children were attending school. It is
puzzling that "Margret" appears on this census, for she was not born
until 1883. Perhaps Lillian was originally named Margaret. It was
Lillian who was born July 6, 1879, two years younger than Wesley.
Sometime after Albert's birth in October 1844, John Henry decided to
move his family of eight children to Greenock Township, and in 1886 he
bought Lot 32 Concession 6 of Greenock for $3,850. Two months later, on
March 11, 1886, Alice, John Henry and Margaret's ninth child, was born.
Fourteen months after Alice's birth, Margaret Hedley, age 38, died of a
heart attack on May 29, 1887. She was buried in South Kinloss Cemetery,
Lucknow. John was left to care for nine children ranging in ages from
one to nineteen years.
Ann Alexander, a young widow living in Greenock Township, was the
daughter of Irish parents, Simon and Sarah Young, who lived in Biddulph
Twp., Middlesex Co. before moving to Lot 33, Concession 7 Kincardine
Twp. Ann, born in 1852, had married Edward Alexander of Kincardine Twp.
on March 30, 1875 at the Anglican Church of the Messiah, Kincardine and
had a son Edwin ‘George’ Alexander, born in Nov. 1885.
The 1881 Ont. Census for Greenock
Township, Bruce County lists Ann Alexander, 26, widow,
born in Scotland, of Irish origin. George is 5, born in Ontario, of
Irish origin. Ann and George were residing with Henry and Sarah
Alexander and their three children, Sarah Ann, 12; Roena (Rowene), 3;
and Henetta (Henrietta), 2.
Ann Alexander and John Henry were married a year and a half after
Margaret's death.
MARRIAGE
OCTOBER 18, 1888 AT THE BRIDES HOME IN GREENOCK
GROOM:
John Henry Hedley, 48
Residence: Greenock Twp.
Birthplace: March Twp.
Yeoman, Widower
Anglican
Parents: Nicholas and Jane
|
BRIDE:
Ann Alexander, 35
Residence: Greenock Twp.
Birthplace:
Biddulph Twp.
Widow
Anglican
Parents:
Simon and Sarah Young
|
Witnesses: Wm. and Harriet Young,
Kincardine Twp.
The following year, 1889, John
Henry mortgaged his farm, on Lot 32, Concession 6, Greenock
Township, for $1400 at 6% interest to build a new house, which was
completed in 1893 (from
Greenock Township History 1856-1981) House,
Lot 32, Conc. 6
The 1891 Ont.
Census for Greenock Twp., Bruce Co. shows
John, 50, Ann, 35, and all nine children:
William 23
Emma 20
John 17
Margaret 16
Robert 13
Lillie 11
Florence 8
Albert 7
Allice 4
Alice is also on the 1891 Ont. Census
Ashfield Twp., Huron Co.:
Brown, John, 44, b. in Ire.,
farmer, bp. of father Ire., bp. of mother Ont., Methodist
Elizabeth, 35, wife, bp. Ont., bp. of father Ire., bp. of mother Ont.,
Meth.
Alice, 5, daughter, bp. Ont., bp. of father Ire., bp. of mother Ont.,
Meth.
Johnston, Martha, 81, widow, b. in Ire., bp. of father
Ire., bp. of mother Ire.
Apparently John and Lizzie (Johnston) Brown (Margaret's sister)
were providing a home for
Martha, the mother of Lizzie and Margaret, as well as for their niece,
five-year-old Alice, the
youngest of Margaret and John Henry's children.
The 1901
Census for Greenock Township, Bruce Co.
Hedley, John H., 60, b. Nov. 4, 1840
Ann, 46, b. Nov. 5, 1854
Martha J., 25, b. Jan. 11, 1875
Robert W., 23, b. July 15, 1877
Lillie A., 21, b. July 6, 1879
Albert E., 17, b. Oct. 15, 1887
Lillian is also listed on the
1901 Census for Kincardine Town, Bruce Co:
Lilly Hedley, age 21, b. July 16, 1872 in Ont., race Eng.,
nationality Can., Ch. of Eng.,
employment: girl servant at the Royal Hotel.
The three eldest children, William, Emma and Harry, were already
married. Alice would have
been 19 and possibly working or living with her aunt, Lizzie Brown of
Ashfield.
John Henry and Ann retired to Kincardine in 1908, two years before
John Henry died of
enlargement of the prostate and nephritis. His birthdate on the Ont.
Reg. of Death was Oct.
14,1839. He was buried in South Kinloss Cemetery, Lucknow.
|
DIED
In the Town of Kincardine on
Thursday,
June 30th, 1910
JOHN H. HEDLEY
Aged 70 Years, 7 Months
THE FUNERAL
will take place from his late
residence, Queen St. North
on
Friday, July 1st, 1910
at 1.00 o'clock p.m.
Proceeding to G.T.R. Station, where remains will be
taken to Lucknow for interment.
Service at the house at 12.30
p.m.
Friends and acquaintances will
please accept
this intimation
Funeral under auspices
of Court Lakeview, No.
53, Canadian Order of
Foresters. The breth-
ren will meet at 12.30
p.m. sharp, at the Court
Room, to attend the
funeral of the late Bro.
J.H. Hedley. Lucknow
brethren are invited to
meet the 2.00p.m. train
and take part in funeral
(Accompanying
the above is a large maple leaf insignia
bearing the initials C O F
above the head of a stag surmounted on a crown under
which are the letters L.B.C.)
|
Ann Hedley died in 1932 at age 80 years. Her grave is in Kincardine
Cemetery with her son
Edwin G. Alexander, his wife Florence and their two children, Nellie,
age 1 and Greta, age 6.
The Nine Children of John
Henry Hedley and Margaret Florence Johnston
William
Samuel
Hedley
|
b. Feb.16, 1868, Kinloss Twp.;
m. Catherine McLean (1869-1949) Nov. 25, 1891,
St. Matthews Anglican, Kingarf; farmed in Kincardine Twp. Con. 5; Five
children
(Fred, Lizzie, Minnie, Jack & Ed); d. Mar. 31, 1931, age 63;
Kincardine Cemetery
|
Emma
Hedley
|
b. Nov. 4, 1870, Kinloss Twp.;
m. Thomas Splan (1869-1957) June 9 (or July 11)
1896, St. John's Ang. rectory, Bervie; farmed in Greenock, later moved
to B.C.; no
children; d. Dec. 2, 1921, age 51, buried in B.C; Thomas b. in
Kincardine Cem.
|
John Henry
(Harry)
Hedley
|
b. Sept. 26, 1873, Kinloss Twp.;
m. Catherine (Annie) Campbell (1873-1962) Feb.
26, 1896 in Chesley; tinsmith, Kincardine, farmer near Clarksburg, Grey
Co.,
hardware store proprietor in Thornbury, factory worker in Oshawa; 12
children
(Cyril or Carlyle, Trefina, Ethel, David, Edwin, Garfield, Orlando,
Orville, Janet,
Helen, Carman, Meldrum); d. March, 1923 (heart attack) age 50; St.
Johns Cem.
Norway, Toronto
|
Martha Jane
(Jen) Hedley
|
b. Jan. 11, 1875, Kinloss Twp.;
m. William John McDonald (1868-1942) April 15,
1903, St. Matthews Anglican, Kingarf; farmed in Greenock Twp. retired
to
Kincardine; Four sons (Allister, Bill, Grant & Jack); d. 1953, age
78
|
Robert
Wesley
James (Wes)
Hedley
|
b. July 15, 1877, Kinloss
Twp.Con. 6; m. Martha Gibson (1878-1955) Jan. 21,
1903 St. Matthews Anglican, Kingarf; farmer & drover in Greenock
Con. 6, Lot 6,
retired 1943 to Glammis, then home of daugter Marrietta after 1955.
Four
surviving children (Mervyn, Marrietta, Charles & Clarence); d. Jan.
23, 1977 at
Brucelea Haven, Walkerton, age 99; South Kinloss Cem.
|
Lillian A.
Hedley
|
b. July 6, 1879, Kinloss Twp.;
m. John A. W. Gray (1880-1941) Oct. 7, 1903, St.
Matthews Anglican, Kingarf; Kincardine Twp., Con. 7, (Bervie) (stone
mason);
Three surviving children (Mary, Melvin & James); d.1927, age 48;
Kincardine
Cem.
|
Margaret
Florence
(Maggie)
Hedley |
b.
May 23 (or May 30), 1883, Kinloss Twp, Con. 6; m. Jonathan Atkinson
(1878-1931) March 5, 1902, St. John's Anglican rectory, Bervie, farmed
in Kincardine
Twp. (Millarton, Durham Rd.); One child (Olive); d. Jan. 2, 1923 (heart
failure)
age 39; Kincardine Cem.
|
Albert (Ab)
Edwin
Hedley
|
b. Oct. 7, 1884, Kinloss Twp.
Con. 6; m. Harriet Chadbourn (1886-1972) May 30,
1906, St. Mathews Anglican, Kingarf; farmed in Greenock Twp. Con 7, Lot
32;
Four children (Orville, Mabel, Jack & Bert); d. May 11, 1941
(probably heart
failure) age 56; Kincardine Cem.
|
Alice Hedley
|
b. March 11, 1886, Kinloss Twp.
Con. 6; m. William John McKenzie (1877-1943)
Oct. 19, 1904, Lucknow Presbyterian; farmed Kinloss Twp. Con. 10, then
moved
to Kincardine (3 years) & Lucknow; No children; d. Aug. 19, 1976 at
Brucelea
Haven, Walkerton, age 90; Greenhills Cem., Lucknow |
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