The brave old pioneers who erected the first family altars in Long Point settlement, were actuated by most praiseworthy motives. The foundation built by them was broad and deep. It was laid on a concrete composed of three ingredients—fear of God, love of home, and loyalty to country. This foundation will endure forever, and it is for us to see that the superstructure is worthy of its foundation. One of the most prominent men among these old foundation builders was Oliver Mabee. The Mabee family played an important part in the settlement from its very beginning; indeed, it is more than probable that they erected the first log cabin in Charlotteville, if not in all Long Point country, as will be seen in sketch “Buried in a log Coffin.”[1] Oliver was a mere lad during his experience on Turkey Point, being about sixteen years old at the time of governor Simcoe’s visit. His mother was awarded a U.E. Loyalist land grant of six hundred acres on the lake front as the wife of a U.E. Loyalist. Oliver’s land was located near Vittoria, but he sold it and bought Jesse Smith’s grant, being Lot 17, in the 5th concession. Here he settled and reared his family. He married Mary, daughter of the original Abraham Smith.

Oliver Mabee was one of nature’s noblemen. His education was quite limited, as, indeed, was the case with all the original pioneers who came into the settlement in youth. Just the time when they should have attended school, was the very time when there was no school to attend. No one of the pioneers of this class regretted, in after life, this lack of education more keenly than did Oliver Mabee. On one occasion while Mr. Mabee was discussing the advantages of an education with Judge Mitchell, he exclaimed, “Oh, well, Judge, you’ve got a good education, but I can outrun you.” The Judge accepted the challenge, and Mabee came out second best. This little affair was the cause of much merriment in the settlement.

Mr. Mabee was a God-fearing man. He set up a Christian altar in his home, and the fires kindled upon it were ever kept alive. His first duty was to his Creator, and it was the one desire of his heart that his children might grow up into useful, honorable and God-fearing members of society. For years he and Joseph Kitchen led the singing, alternately, in the old Vittoria Baptist church, and many of the old people remember with pleasure the whole-hearted earnestness that characterized his style of singing. These were the good old days of congregational singing, when old “coronation’ thawed the hearts of men, and gave the Christian momentary glimpses of heaven. Deacon Mabee was proud of his home. He was affectionate in his family, and industrious, frugal and economical in the management of his affairs. He was very companionable being generous and exceedingly good-natured. In business transaction he was quick and displayed good judgment. He kept himself posted in business affairs, and knew when and where to buy and sell as well as any man in the settlement. He drove to Niagara on one occasion with a load of truck, consisting of pork, veal, butter, eggs and various other things. At this time Niagara was a larger town than York (Toronto), and Hamilton did not exist. When Mr. Mabee arrived with his produce the “powers that were” in old Niagara would not permit him to sell roll-butter inside the town limits. In order to disposed of it he carried it outside, where he employed a woman to work it all up in pound patties. This was in 1825, a time noted for scarcity of money in the settlement.

Oliver Mabee was noted for his loyalty to country. In the war of 1812 he was captain of a company of militia and took part in the battle of Lundy’s Lane. He never wavered in his devotion to the Old Flag. His word was as good as his bond, and he had no respect for a man who was wilfully negligent in meeting business obligations. He served one year as High Constable for the district of London, being sworn into office, June 1st, 1805.

Mr. Mabee had three sons—Peter, Gabriel and Oliver; and five daughters—Elizabeth, Julia, Naoma, Rachel and Abigail.[2]

Peter Mabee, eldest son of Deacon Oliver, married Abigail Gilbert, and settled near Fredericksburg, Middleton. He had eight sons—Oliver P., Simon, Peter, William, Samuel, George, Frederick and Albert; and four daughters—Mary, Abigail, Eliza and Rhoda.[3]

Oliver P., eldest son of Peter, married Mary Laur, and was one of the Goshen pioneers in Middleton. He raised a large family.

Simon, second son of Peter, married Fanny Leaton, and settled at Port Rowan.

Peter, third son of Peter, married Rhoda, daughter of Abraham Smith, of Charlotteville, by whom he had one son, William. He subsequently married Eunice Visat,[4] and by this marriage had two sons—Judson and Walter. He lives in Simcoe and is the well-known auctioneer.

William, fourth son of Peter, and Samuel, the fifth son, both died single.

George, the sixth son, married and settled in Michigan; and Frederick, the seventh son, settled in Green City, Iowa.

Albert, youngest son of Peter, served in the American civil war, and died single.

Mary, eldest daughter of Peter, married William Shepherd, who was also a Goshen pioneer, having settled there in 1844.

Abigail, second daughter of Peter, married Isaac, son of Abraham Smith, of Charlotteville, and settled on part of the Smith homestead. She had two daughters—Aggie and Minnie.

Eliza, third daughter of Peter, married William Thorold, and settled at St. Williams. She had four sons—Charles, William, James and Frederick; and four daughters—Mary, Fanny, Elsie, and Sophia.

Rhoda, youngest daughter of Peter, married Edward Ordish, and settled in Dorchester.

Gabriel Mabee, second son of Deacon Oliver, settled on the old homestead. By his first wife, Jane (daughter of Alexander Cowan), he had two sons—Alexander and Oliver D.; and two daughters—Mary Ann and Cecilia. Subsequently he married into the Blainey family, and by this union had four sons—Gabriel, Ira, James and Tyrus; and one daughter—Elmira.[5]

Alexander, eldest son of Gabriel, married Eunice, daughter of Christopher Oaks, and settled in Charlotteville.

Oliver D., second of Gabriel, married Susan Williams, and settled in Middleton.

Mary Jane, eldest daughter of Gabriel, married William Finch, of Vittoria. She had two daughters—Marilla and Emma.

Cecilia, second daughter of Gabriel, married George Baker, and settled in Michigan.

Gabriel, third son of Gabriel, married Christine Winters, and settled in the States.

Ira, fourth son of Gabriel, married Martha Jane Stitt, and settled on part of the homestead.

James, fifth son of Gabriel, married Agnes Winters, and also settled on part of the homestead.

Tyrus, sixth son of Gabriel, married Hannah, daughter of David McCall, and is the present owner of the David Shearer homestead.

Elmira, youngest daughter of Gabriel, married William, son of Duncan Walsh, and settled on the Walsh homestead.

Elizabeth Mabee, eldest daughter of Deacon Oliver, married Elder Samuel Baker, and settled on Talbot Street, in Malahide. In the Baker family were three sons—Simon, Oliver and Judson; and four daughters—Rhoda, who married John Gillett, of Malahide; Mary Jane, who married a teacher named Roach, and settled finally in the States; Sarah, who married Cyrus Abel, of Malahide; and Jerusha, who married in the States.[6]

Julia Mabee, second daughter of Deacon Oliver, married David Baumwart, and settled in Charlotteville.

Naoma Mabee, third daughter of Deacon Oliver, married Duncan, son of the original Duncan McCall. Her children are enumerated in the McCall genealogy.

Rachel and Abigail, two youngest daughters of the old pioneer, married, respectively, Alexander Cowan and David Cowan, both of whom settled in Gananoque, Leeds County.

Oliver Mabee, the youngest son of the original Oliver, married Matilda Webster, and settled on Lot 17, in the 4th concession of Charlotteville, he has passed his 80th year, and lives in Vittoria. He had two sons—Henry W. and Robert Y.; and one daughter, Jane, who remains single.

Henry W. married Maria, daughter of the late Gabriel Shearer, and resides in Vittoria.

Robert Y. married Nora Raymond and settled on the Webster homestead in Vittoria. At present he is a merchant of Vittoria and a prominent member of the old Baptist church his grandfather was deacon of; and, furthermore, he leads the singing in much the same spirit that characterized his grandsire.

[1] The Mabee family arrived at Norfolk County in the spring of 1793. They were preceded by several others as early as 1790 in Charlotteville and Walsingham Townships. See the Footnotes to Sketch V.

[2] Family historian Royal Mabee gave a somewhat different list for the children of Oliver Mabee:

Lydia, born January 22, 1797, married Samuel Baker

Peter, born November 11, 1799, married Abigail Gilbert

Miriam, born September 14, 1800, married John Sovereign

Gabriel, born May 1, 1802, married first to Jane Cowan and second to Phoebe Blaney

Naomi, born April 29, 1804, married Duncan McCall

Julia, born June 24, 1806, married David Baumwart

Rachel, born October 7, 1800, married Alexander Cowan

Rhoda, born September 3, 1810

Abigail, born April 26, 1814, married first to Colin Cowan and second to David Bowen

Oliver, born June 5, 1816, married Matilda Jane Webster

[3] Peter Mabee had two daughters who died in infancy—Miriam born April 24, 1825 died January 7, 1826 and Naomi born August 29, 1837, died February 2, 1839. They were buried in Vittoria Baptist Church Cemetery, Charlotteville Twp.

[4] The second wife of Peter Mabee, Jr. was Eunice Bissette whom he married on June 9, 1859, recorded in the Norfolk County Marriage Register.

[5] Gabriel Mabee had an additional son named Elias who died on 25 Jan 1849 and was buried in Vittoria Baptist Church Cemetery. Gabriel’s son Oliver D, born 18 Jul 1825, according to his gravestone in Rosehill Cemetery, Parker, South Dakota, was older than Alexander, born c. 1831, according to his 1852 Charlotteville Census record.

[6] Deacon Oliver Mabee’s oldest daughter Lydia was mistakenly named by Owen as Elizabeth. Lydia was recorded with her husband in the censuses of Malahide Township, Elgin County and buried beside him in Aylmer Cemetery. In the list of children for Samuel and Lydia Baker, Owen seems to have substituted the name Simon for Samuel who was recorded with his parents in the 1861 Census of Malahide Twp. The daughter Jerusha married Edward McKinney of Malahide Township on November 21, 1848, recorded in the Talbot District Marriage Register. There was an additional daughter Zipporah Baker who married Jacob Scott on December 28, 1848, recorded in the London District Marriage Register..