Will of Hendrick Laroe, 1760

Posted on July 18, 2010 by Gary

Wills, like all documents, are social creations and so reflect the beliefs and values of the times in which they are created.  I have chosen a few lines from Hendrick’s will to demonstrate this.

Excerpt of Will of Hendrick Laroe (1693-1760), dated 1760 – Grandfather of the Hendrick of interest to this blog.

I give unto my said son Jacobus Laroe three pounds lawful money in right of his primogeniture or birth right.
I give unto my said son Jacobus one fourth of that tract of land lying at Ramapogh in the county of Bergen where I now dwell ….     [note: he then gives to each son 1/4 of another piece of land.]

I give unto my four sons, Jacobus Laroe, Lambartee Laroe, Arie Laroe and John Laroe, each of them an equal share of all my rights or title of in and to a certain cedar swamp lying upon the mountain near Statling  ….

I give unto my loving wife to possess and enjoy all my estate both real and person during she continue or remain my widow but in case she should happen to come to a new wedlock that then and in that case she shall have a good feather bed with furniture thereunto belonging, both woolen and linen, and in case her husband should happen to die then she shall be reasonably maintained out of my estate by my four sons or the survivors of them.

I will and ordain that my four sons …. shall raise and pay the sum of one hundred and sixty pounds to my five daughters … , four years after the decease of my said wife …

Signed by Hendrick and witnessed.

[  Taken from the disc by of the 1939 genealogy of the Laroe family compiled by Emojene Demarest Champine titled Jacques Lereus, the French Huguenots and some of his descendants.     Note you can find this through the web site, Heritage Quest, if your library has access to this or you can order the disc on line.]

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Ray Simpson (1889-1921)

Posted on July 18, 2010 by Gary

Harold Ray Simpson (1889-1921) was the son of Hugh Simpson and Helen Thornton and the grandson of George Kidd Simpson.  He was born in Myrtle, Ontario ( his father was a teacher in nearby Whitby) and moved to Saskatchewan with his family in 1901.  He married Kate Bridger (1881-) in August or September of 1917, while he was in Military service during WW I.   Ray and Kate returned to Canada in 1919 and went on to Saskatchewan.  However, he then appears to have spent two years working in a logging camp in Algonquin Park, Ontario.  (Part of the McLachlin empire headquartered in Arnprior, ON.)  Ray died in Montreal on August 3, 1921 but we are not clear about the circumstances of his death.  A brief obituary reports he died of a sudden illness.   Kate Simpson returned to Regina and appears for the first time in 1921-22 directory.  In 1923 she is listed as the widow of Harold Simpson and after moving a few times disappears from the directory in 1931-32.  Did she remarry?  Return to England?  The couple do not return to Canada with children and given her age it is unlikely there were any children.

Ray’s military service was memorable.  He enlisted 1915 and served two years in France as part of what became known as the Suicide Battalion, a group that suffered many deaths and casualties. [See the 1978 book of the same title by McWilliams].  Ray was quite badly injured in late September 1918, preparing for the Battle of Cambrai,  but his military records indicated that he was fit to return to service by the end of the war.  He received the British Military Cross in March, 1918 for his actions at Vimy Ridge as well as the Belgian Military Decoration in August of 1917 for his gallantry.  His service was dotted with promotions and demotions but at the end of the war he was a lieutenant, a commissioned officer, and facing court martial for leaving his post briefly in June 1919.   The court martial records are of interest as they make statements about Ray’s character.   First, they claim he was of exemplary character “until” arriving in England.  This suggests that they saw a change in his behavour.  Second, they report that he had a “great deal of family trouble”.   Again, this suggests a change in behaviour perhaps, leading one to wonder if he wasn’t suffering from what we now call post traumatic stress disorder.  This may be related to his untimely death.

His name appears on the war memorial in Orono, Ontario.  Ray was buried in Orono, Ontario on August 9, 1921.

Thanks to librarians who helped me track down some of this information.

Below: Ray on his way to war, 1915.

Ray Simpson on left.  Taken in France in 1918, just prior to his injury.

Ray’s grave (and brother Percy) in Orono, ON.  Note: the line “he gave his life for his country” suggests the family saw his death as linked to his war service.

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Ray Simpson’s war bride

Posted on July 18, 2010 by Gary

I am not sure we have a photo of Kate Bridger but follow the link below to find a lovely letter written by a war bride in 1919 while on board the ship sailing to her new home in Canada.   I believe that Kate continued to live in Regina after Ray’s death.  May have remarried or moved.

Thanks to  Annette for this.  War brides of Canada.



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Ralph Dowson and Margaret Campbell

Posted on July 18, 2010 by Gary

Ralph Dowson (1870-1913) was one of two children of Sarah Thornton (1848-1914) and John Dowson (1842-1914).  He married Margaret Campbell (1869-1953), also of Ontario, and they had four children: Frank, Ralph Roscoe, Evelyn and Samuel.  I believe this photo was taken in Ontario prior to their migration to Saskatchewan and the birth of their fourth child, Ulysses Samuel Dowson.  Ralph and Margaret lived in Broadview, Saskatchewan although they had move to Limerick prior to Ralph’s death in 1913 from a lightening strike.

We have a letter written by Ray Simpson from the war front in 1917 to Margaret in which he expresses his gratitude, and that of his friends, for the cake she had sent.  He also expresses sympathy for the death of Ned Dowson, Ralph’s uncle.  See the post for Sarah Thornton for a photo of Ralph’s mother.

  • Frank Dowson (1896-1977), farmed in Broadivew.
  • Roscoe Dowson (1897-1986), farmed in Broadview.
  • Evelyn Dowson (1899-1953).  Married Charles Tulloch of Broadview.  This branch of the family is still in Broadview.
    • Alfred Tulloch.   Married Shirley Matchett
    • Gordon Tulloch
      • Randy Tulloch
    • Ralph Andrew Tulloch.  Married Lucille Green.
    • John Rattray Tulloch ( )  Married Alice Jane
    • George Ernest   Married Giselle Fafard.
    • Alice Jane Tulloch.
    • Hazel Lorraine.  Married Floyd Berken.
  • Samuel Dowson (1905-1973). Married Siga Nelson in 1939 and lived in Whitewood area (near to Broadview).

Photo taken from the Centennial Tribute for the town of Broadview, 1882-1982.

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Sarah Thornton (1848-1914) and John Dowson

Posted on July 17, 2010 by Gary

Sarah Thornton (1848-1914), daughter of Thomas Thornton and Susanna Powers, married John Dowson (1842-1914).  Dying within 3 weeks of one another, both are buried in Broadview, Saskatchewan.  They had two children:

  • Ralph Dowson (1870-1913) [died of a lightening strike in Saskatchewan].  Married Margaret Campbell (1869-1953).  Margaret and Ralph moved to Broadview, Saskatchewan around 1904, apparently following uncle Ned [Edward] Dowson who had arrived a few years earlier.  They then moved to the Lynthorpe area of Saskatchewan, where Ralph died.  Their children all ended up around Broadview.
    • Frank Dowson (1896-1977).  Never married
    • Roscoe Dowson (1897-1986).  Never married
    • Evelyn Dowson (1899-1992).  Married Charles Tulloch (1886-1968) of Broadview area.  The Tulloch family moved from Scotland to Ontario in about 1832 and a son then moved to Manitoba in about 1876.  In 1881 he moved on to Broadview by ox-cart and his wife and children followed in 1882 on the first train out of Winnipeg to Broadview.
      • Alfred Tulloch (1925.)   Married Shirley Matchett.
        • Frances May Tulloch
        • Heather Elizabeth Tulloch
      • Gordon F. Tulloch(1930-1996).  Married Isabel Gormican (1930-2001).
        • Randy Tulloch, who still farms in Broadview.
      • Ralph Andrew Tulloch (1927-).  Married Lucille Greey (1930-).
        • Andrew Tulloch
        • Sylvia Tulloch.
        • Gordon A. Tulloch.
        • Donald J. Tulloch.
      • John Rattray Tulloch (1928-1935).
      • Alice Jane Tulloch (1932-).  Moved to the USA.
      • George Ernest Tulloch (1935-2007).  Married Giselle Faffard (1934-).
      • Hazel Lorraine Tulloch (1937-).   Married Floyd Berken (1933-).
    • Ulysses Samuel Dowson (1905-1973).   Married Saga Nelson (1910-2003) of the Broadview area in 1939.
      • Ronald Well Dowson (1940-1974).
      • Dale Murray Dowson (1942-).  Married Sharon Brown (1947-).
  • Thomas William Dowson (1871-1940).  While he had come to Saskatchewan with his brother in 1904, I know little about him.  Died of Pneumonia in the Gravelbourg hospital and body returned to Broadview for burial.
  • Arvilla Dowson (Died as infant?)

John Dowson & Sarah Thornton

Grave stone in Broadview, Sask.

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Percy Simpson (1883-1901)

Posted on July 16, 2010 by Gary

Percy Simpson (1883-1901), the son of Hugh Simpson (1858-1944) and Helen Thornton (1860-1932), died at a young age due to an infection resulting from a minor cut.  Not much is known about this time but we have a photo as well as an interesting letter written to Percy’s father’s by his school mates, expressing the student’s sympathy.

Here is  poem which appeared in the Orono News and appears to have been written by school students (either Percy’s friends or his father’s students).

In Memory of Percy

Son of Mr. & Mrs. H. Simpson

“The Saviour has taken his loved one home.

Among the angel bright and fair,

Where he will need no earthly care.

Our Heavenly Father who knows all,

Has quietly made a call,

And taken his spirit up above,

Where all is perfect love.

Father, mother and brother,

Feel in their hearts, that no other,

Can fill the vacant space

That God has seen fit to before them place.

We are so sorry you could no longer stay,

But we will meet you again some day,

In the other world so bright and fair,

Where jewels are shining everywhere.

Jesus has taken Percy’s spirit to rest,

To be forever with the blest;

He has gone home, to come back no more

And has left hearts behind very sore.

In that city so fair,

Jesus smiles are everywhere,

The streets are of shining gold,

But the half has never been told.

Cheer up, cheer up, weep no more,

He has just gone a little before,

He is out of this world of sorrow and pain.

Soon we will see him again.

We know thy crown full of stars shall be

And that Jesus sweet face you will see,

Your life was faithful and true

And now you have to bid us all adieu.

Good-bye Percy, our thoughtful schoolmate and friend,

You were ever good and kind to the end,

Your words and your deed forever will be,

Remembered by others and me.”   (Thanks to the archivist at Clarington Museum for doing the transcription.)

Below:  Percy Simpson (the older one) with brother Ray.

I believe this is Percy Simpson with his cousin Myrtle Simpson (daughter of John A. Simpson) of Manitoba.

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Land grant application of Rebecca LaRue

Posted on July 16, 2010 by Gary

As the daughter of a Loyalist, Rebecca was entitled to receive land.  Below is her application since it is a form of proof that her father Hendrick really was a Loyalist.  You will see from other posts that Hendrick himself has made understanding complicated as he applies, many years later and when again living in the USA, for a pension for his service in the Revolutionary War.   Leaves one to doubt which side he was on.  All of this also leaves me to wonder what the criteria were for being “Loyalist”.  I haven’t yet seen Henry LaRue’s land grant application but in others from that date, those who were not fighting for the King, only had to say they wished to be loyal to the King on arrival in Canada.  Was that enough to become a Loyalist?

I have now learned that the land Rebecca was granted was located on the site of what is now the City of Ottawa.  When did she, and her husband Nathaniel Powers, sell?

Petition of Rebecca LaRue for land as the daughter of an United Empire Loyalist.

To his Excellency Francois Gore Esq. Lieutenant Governor of the province of  Upper Canada.

In Council
The petition of Rebecca LaRue of the township of Younge humbly herewith showeth that your petitioner is the daughter of Henry LaRue of the township of Younge in the county of Leeds, a UE loyalist, that she is married to Nathaniel Powers and has never received lands or order for lands from the Crown.

Wherefore your petitioner prays your excellency may be (pleased?) to grant her 200 acres of the waste lands of the Crown and permit Thomas Hamilton of the town of York to be her agent to locate the same and take out the deed when completed.
Township of Younge.                signed by Rebecca Powers
May 1810

Rebecca Powers, maketh oath and sayeth that she is the person she describes herself to be in the within petition that she is married to Nathaniel Powers and has never received any land or order for land from the Crown.  Rebecca Powers
Sworn before me at Elizabeth town of the province of Upper Canada in Elizabethtown, district of (Johnston and Bay?).  May 1810.    signed

I certify that Rebecca Powers signed the within petition in my presence and she is the person she therein describes herself to be and has never received any land or order for land from the Crown to the best of my knowledge and belief.  Witness my hand at Young, county of Leeds.  13 day of May 1810   John oilyea ? district of Johnstown?

Rebecca Powers.  Received July 20 from Thomas Hamilton – the name of Henry LaRue appears on the UE list.  Petitioner has had no land by order in council.  Signed by four people.
Lieutenant Governor’s office, York, August 1810.  Referred to the executive  council by order of the Lieutenant Governor.  (signed William Halton).
Entered in land book UE page.

Read in council 16th August 1810.
The petitioner recommended for 200 acres of land as the daughter of a UE loyalist.  Signed.

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Henry LaRue (1755-1850) of Leeds County

Posted on July 16, 2010 by Gary

You can find a great deal of information on the web regarding this family so I will provide a summary of relevant material of interest to this family history.  Our interest lies with Hendrick (Henry) Larue (1755-1850) and Marritje Mandeville (1753-1806). The Mandeville family arrived in the USA around 1647 and the LaRue family (variously spelled Le Ruex, Laroe and others)  in 1670 with the arrival of three children of Pierre LeReux (he apparently dying on the ship):  Abraham, Suzanna and Jacques.  Both families were French Huguenots (Calvinists) and under persecution for their religion. The families settled in what became New Jersey and New York. The son of relevance to our story was Jacques who had 13 children, one of them a Hendrick who had at least 9 children, one of whom was Jacobus who had at least 5 children, one of them Hendrick (1755-1850).

Hendrick and Marritje lived in New Jersey, were the first 5 of their children were born.  They then moved to Leeds County, Ontario as Loyalists, in 1788. Another five children were born in Ontario. At least two of their children, including Rebecca, applied for land grants as the children of Loyalists were permitted to do. Marritje died in Ontario and is buried in Mallorytown.  Hendrick returned to the USA in 1810 and remarried. When he was almost 80 years old he applied for a pension from the USA government, claiming he was a Revolutionary and detailing his military service which seemed to be quite minor (and probably exaggerated by memory and the needs of the application).  In any event this has confused me. The family name has all but disappeared from Canada – the daughters married and the sons eventually drifted back to the USA.   Henry’s grave is located in the Brookside Cemetery of Plessis, NY.   Of interest to me is that the stone apparently says:  Rev. War Vet.    There are a great number of indications he was seen as both a Loyalist and a Revolutionary.  If you look at the land grant application of Rebecca LaRue it makes it quite clear that Henry was on the UE list and on the basis of that he is listed in William Reeds book on Loyalists.  But he is not acknowledged by the more official Loyalist web site.  And as stated above he did apply for a revolutionary pension and his grave marker described his a revolutionary war veteran.  I have also looked at the only land grant paper work I can find for Henry which is from 1793.   This application makes no mention of being a Loyalist.  It states that at an early date he moved to Canada and occupied land and later applied to the land board for this land.  In 1793 he simply request an additional grant of land to expand his farm.  Nicely done Henry.

Here is a summary of Hendrick’s and Marritje’s family:

A. Jacobus (James) LaRue b. 1780 in NJ.   m. Hannah Andreas.  James served in war of 1812 while in Canada.
B. Maria Polly LaRue b. 1781 in NJ.,  d. 1865 in Ontario. Married John  Hagerman,  son of a loyalist in Leeds county.  Maria (Mary) received a land grant in Ontario in 1805.

  • Henry LaRue Haggerman
  • Richard Haggerman
  • Charles Norman Haggerman
  • Norman Haggerman
  • John Haggerman
  • William Haggerman
  • Rachel J. Haggerman
  • Mary Ann Haggerman

C. Peter LaRue b. 1783 in NJ    d. 1870 in Breedsville, Michigan.  Was in Canada in 1812 and served in war of 1812.  m. Fanny ?

  • James  LaRue b. about 1820
  • Ann LaRue  b. about 1822

D. Hendrick LaRue b. 1785 in NJ

E. Crynis LaRue b. 1787 in NJ  d. 1871 in Breedsville, Michagan.  m. Hannah Griffin of Mallorytown, Ont. Cryness served in the war of 1812, later living in Clarke Twp, Ont. where he was clerk of the township.

  • Samuel b. 1810
    • Susan b. 1830? in Canada d. ? in USA m. Clark Champine  b. 1830 in NY. d. in USA.
      • Louis Champine  b. 1859 in Canada.
      • Frederick Champine   b. 1864
      • Jessie Champine  b. 1870
      • Sybil Champineb. 1873
      • Jennie  Champine b. 1876
      • Inez  Champine  b. 1879

F. Sophia.  Became a teacher.

G. REBECCA LaRue (1792-1856) who married Nathaniel Hart Powers in Canada, the son of a revolutionary.  Rebecca received a land grant in 1810.  They had a daughter, Suzanna,  who married Thomas Thornton, so check out more on the Powers family and the Thornton family.

H. Rachel LaRue  b. 1793 in Young, Ont.   d. 1868.   m.  (1)  Herman Dochman perhaps born in Young.  (2) James Bradford in 1829.

    • John Dockman    b.  about 1824 in  d. 1927 in Michigan (is this right)
    • Henry Dochman b. 1826 in Wisconsin

I. Hiram LaRue b. 1795 in Young, Ont.

J. Horace LaRue b.  1797 in Young, Ont.

K. Samuel LaRue b. 1797 in Young, Ont.

believe there is a religious quotation at the bottom of the stone.

NOTE:   You can find Hendrick LaRue mentioned in Reid: Loyalists in Ontario, p. 178.

I have no photos yet.  Does anyone else have anything?

Here are some links to external resources.

(1) Check this site for some photos of children of Maria LaRue (Haggerman).    Thanks to Marg Hunter.  Haggerman family

(2) Here is a link to a photo of a LaRue barn from the 18th century (about 1760).   Worth a look.  LaRue Barn

(3) Also find online or through your library the 1939 work by Emojene D. Champine titled:  Jacques Lereus: the French Huguenots and some of his descendants.

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Pension application of Hendrick LaRue

Posted on July 15, 2010 by Gary

PENSION APPLICATION

Following is the official pension record for Henrick LaRue.

Henry La Rue of Oneonto aged … Born Bergen Co., NJ. Oct 7, 1755 and resided there until about 10 years of age, when father moved to Warwick, Orange Co., NY and resided there during Revolutionary war and until his death. Henry entered service there as a volunteer on last day of June or July 1st in Company of Peter Bertholf in Col. John Haythorn’s Regt.   Heard of independence being declared while at the fort.  About half of the Company was discharged as there were twice as many men as were needed, Henry LaRue being of the number.  ……   In Feb. joined Capt. Andrew Miller’s Company and went to West Point.  Worked on the Fort until taken ill and dischrged.  … In 1778 – fall- served six weeks at Tappan in Captain David Ambler’s Company and in 1779 joined Capt. John Minthorn’s Company as a volunteer.     ….. and estimated his entire service at not less than two years.

In 1788 he removed to the town of Young in Province of Upper Canada and remained until 1806, when he removed to Otsego County, NY where he still lives.

signed by Henry La Rue

Found in the Emojene D. Champine document Jacques Le Reux, the French Huguenot and his Descendants.

Stumbling on to this appli ation left me in doubt as to whether Hensrick really was a Loyalists. There are only minor reference to him being a Loyalists although his children did apply for land as Loyalists.  However, I recently found the following statement from an interview with H.L. LaRue (the son of Nathaniel Hart Powers and Rebecca LaRue).

His maternal grandmother LaRue, of French ancesotry, fought for the King of the day and had his property confiscated for his pains.   [Found in Pioneers of Old Ontario by W.L. Smith, 1923.]


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William Thornton (1818-1897)

Posted on July 13, 2010 by Gary

William Thornton (1818-1897) was a son of John Thornton and Frances Bowers.   Married to Anne Rinch they had a number of children.

  • Henry R. Thornton (1845-)
  • Charlotte Ann Thornton (1846-1898). Died in Saskatchewan.   Married Richard Bowen/Bone.  Homesteaded in Carievile, Saskatchewan, which is in the SE corner of the province and not too far from Manor where John James Thornton, son of Jonas Thornton lived.
  • Elizabeth Sophia Thornton (1848-1897)
  • William Albert Thornton (1854-1936)
  • Locklin E. Thornton (1855-1923)
  • Sarah M. Thornton (1860-)
  • Lizzie A.R. Thornton (1861-1920)

The information above and the photo of Charlotte Thornton below were provided by Lisa Kerr.

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