Irish John Willson United Empire Loyalist Family Fonds

John Willson first came to Upper Canada along with his friend Nathaniel Pettit in the late 1700s. They both moved with their families from New Jersey where they had both been imprisioned for not siding with the rebels and maintaining Loyalist allegiences. Pettit arrived with his four daughters, leaving his son behind. Willson came with his wife and nine children. Willson received 1200 acres of land as well as 200 per child. He settled at the corner of Dorchester road and Thorold Stone Road, where he and his family did very well for themselves. Willson as well as his son Thomas ran ox-teams on the portage. His son John became the proprietor of the Exchange hotel at Niagara, and Charles operated at the Pavilion hotel at Falls View. Shortly after his arrival in Upper Canada John Willson changed his name to “Irish” John Willson, as there were 5 other “John Willsons” which appeared on the Loyalists lists. Irish John drowned in the Niagara River in 1798, and his family continued to thrive in Niagara after his death. His second son Thomas Willson, married Abigail Pettit, daughter of his Father’s friend Nathaniel. Thomas was awarded 250 acres of land as a Loyalist and 200 for Abigail, as she was the daughter of a loyalist. He became a blacksmith and also operated ox-teams along the portage. He was Assessor for Stamford Township for 1800, 1807, 1820 and 1829. During the years 1808, 1822, 1825, 1826 and 1831 he was a tax collector and overseer of Statute of Labour. Thomas and Abigail Willson had nine children together. Francis Bond Head Willson of Beaverdams (mentioned throughout the collection) was a great grandson of Thomas and Abigail. Thomas and his wife are both buried beside the Lundy’s Lane United Church. *for more information on the remaining Willson family please refer to box #1, folders 1-3. * Genealogical information from a paper prepared by Pearl Wilson and given before the Lundy’s Lane Historical Society, May 1945, by Hazel Culp Ferris. Box 1 Folder 1.

Clippings - Births, Deaths, Engagements

Clipping of a birth announcement of a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. P.C. Band, 1924. Clipping of a birth announcement of a son to Mr. and Mrs. Percy C. Band, September 11, 1927. Clipping of the obituary of Mrs. Annie Leslie Woodruff, widow of Welland Woodruff, 1934. Clipping of the announcement of the funeral of Mrs. Annie Leslie Woodruff, February 3, 1934. Clipping of the write-up of the funeral of Mrs. Annie Leslie Woodruff, 1934. Clipping of the obituary of Mr. B. Harvey Foster, n.d. Clipping of the funeral of Mr. Bernard H. Foster in Sheffield, England, n.d. Clipping of the obituary of Mrs. Mary Lanman Douw Ferris, widow of Morris Patterson Ferris, n.d. Clipping of the engagement announcement of Margaret Julia Woodruff to Captain Percy Carruthers Band, n.d.

Clippings - Births, Deaths, Marriage

Clipping of the obituary of Mrs. Mary Lanman Douw Ferris, widow of Morris Patterson Ferris, n.d. Clipping of the obituary of Alfred Sanderson Woodruff, March 20, 1926. Clipping describing the wedding of Margaret Julia Woodruff and Captain Percy Carruthers Band, n.d. Clipping of a birth announcement of a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. P.C. Band, 1924. Clipping of a birth announcement of a son to Mr. and Mrs. Percy C. Band, Sept. 11, 1927.