SKETCH XC

A JEWELL AT LUNDY’S LANE—JEWELL FAMILY

The Jewell family came to Long Point with the Oaks family in the early dawn of the century. The pioneer head of the Jewell family, Ezekiel, was a brother-in-law of the Oaks brothers, and all came from the same neighborhood in the Province of New Brunswick. Ezekiel Jewell settled on 200 of the 2,500,000 acres of Crown Lands, which were set apart by the Constitutional Act of 1791 for the support of a Protestant clergy. This Lot was No. 13, 1st concession of Charlotteville, and the terms of occupancy were as follows: Seven dollars per annum for the first seven years, fourteen dollars for the second seven, and twenty-one dollars for the third seven years. It was a leasehold for twenty-one years with a pre-emptory right to purchase at the end of the tenure; or, in case of a non-desire to purchase, a vested right, which was transferable to a would-be purchaser for a consideration based upon the value of the tenant’s improvements and the natural advantages of the land. One-seventh of all the Crown Lands in the new province were thus tied up, thereby impeding materially the development of the new country. Settlers would not go upon these lands as tenants of the Crown while desirable lands might be purchased cheaply, and the result was that for many years these numerously scattered tracts of wild unimproved lands lay upon the face of the settlements, marring and disfiguring them like ugly festering blotches on the otherwise fair young face of a child. And not only as eye-sores did they exist, but they added to the burdens of the settlers by preventing that neighborly touch or contiguity in settlement that makes possible a minimum expense in the construction of public roads, the support of Public Schools, and in the enjoyment of various social advantages.

Ezekiel Jewell was known in the settlement as a quiet, unostentatious, good-natured and peace-loving man. He was loyal to his country, warmly attached to his home, and well disposed in all his intercourse with his neighbors. Mrs. Jewell’s maiden name was Freelove Oaks.[1] They had six sons—James, Ezekiel, Reuben, William, Thomas and Abraham; and three daughters—Jane, Rebecca and Elizabeth. With the exception of Abraham, their children were all born in New Brunswick. The father died in about 1830, on the lot he had chosen for a home.

James Jewell, the eldest son, was one of the noble sons of Young Upper Canada that so signally distinguished themselves in the war of 1812 for their sterling patriotism, their intrepid courage, and their marvellous efficiency as undisciplined soldiers on the field of battle. The story of 1812 contains enough martial glory, as it is rehearsed in our Public Schools, to inspire “Young Canada” with the spirit of national patriotism. Is there a boy in all this fair and prosperous land of ours, so stupid and utterly devoid of noble impulses, as not to be thrilled with patriotic emotions as he reads of what his great-grandsires did at Queenston Heights, at Frenchtown, at Stony Creek, at Beaver Dams, at Chrysler’s Farm, at Chateauguay, at Lacolle and at Lundy’s Lane? Surely if “Young Canada” ever displays a lack-lustre devotion to country, the fault will not lie in a dearth of wholesome nourishment.

James Jewell enlisted as a volunteer in Captain Abraham A. Rapelje‘s company of “Incorporates,” as the old settlers term it. Jewell’s company was with General Riall when he retreated to Lundy’s Lane, after the repulse at Chippewa. On that memorable July 24th, 2,000 Canadians stubbornly resisted an attack of 4,000 Americans under Generals Brown, Ripley and Scott. Let us recall this unequal struggle to our minds. Slowly the smaller body yield their ground; inch by inch they fall back overwhelmed by double their own force. Who is that private in Rapelje‘s company who has thrown down his musket and is pelting the invader with gravel stones? It is James Jewell, of Norfolk. His musket has been discharged so rapidly it has become too hot to handle, and he has thrown it aside! He cannot wait for it to cool, and so he fights the enemy with such weapons as are at hand! Five o’clock arrives and the few are giving way to the many, and Chippewa is about to be repeated. But, hark! What martial music is that heard in the distance? A glad shout goes up above Niagara’s awful roar, and the fiery steed of General Drummond comes snorting and prancing along the river road followed by 800 men, brave and true. Riall‘s men are faced about, and 2,800 loyal defenders of British-Canadian homes grapple with 4,000 American invaders in an embrace of death that continues until midnight, and which virtually terminates the war and immortalizes our noble old grandsires and their handful of redcoat and Indian allies.

James Jewell drew one hundred acres of land in York county for his war services. He never married.

Ezekiel Jewell, second son of Ezekiel, and his brother Reuben, settled in the States.

William Jewell, fourth son of Ezekiel, married Cynthia Rapelje, and settled in Charlotteville, near the present Walsh station. He had four sons—Thomas, Henry, Abraham and John; and six daughters—Matilda, Helen, Adelaide, Rebecca Ann, Jane and Cynthia.[2]

Thomas Jewell, fifth son of Ezekiel, died single.

Abraham Jewell, youngest son of Ezekiel, married Jane Oaks, and settled on the homestead. He had four sons—Ezekiel, George, William and John; and three daughters—Freelove, Emmar and Rebecca.[3]

Jane Jewell, eldest daughter of Ezekiel, died single.

Rebecca Jewell, the second daughter, married Michael Forse, and settled near Vittoria.

Elizabeth, youngest daughter of Ezekiel, married Jacob Powell.[4]

[1] Following the American Revolution, Ezekiel Jewell went in the exodus of New York to New Brunswick in the company of Bartholomew Crannell on the ship Alexander. Ezekiel was single in the passenger list, then in the 1784 victualling list he had a wife. Ezekiel settled in Plan 521, Grand Lake, New Brunswick. Sources: D. G. Bell, Early Saint John, p. 31, 212; Esther Clark Wright, The Loyalists of New Brunswick p. 296.

[2] William Jewell had an additional daughter, Cecilia Ann, born on March 30, 1829 and baptized in the Wesleyan Methodist Church, Charlotteville Twp. on November 2, 1844.

[3] There was also a Hozea Jewell, aged 14, living with Abraham Jewell at the time of the 1852 Census.

[4] Elizabeth (Jewell) Powell was born on April 17, 1792 according to the Wood family register from Ida V. Hambly published in Isaac Gilbert, United Empire Loyalist by Harriet Walker and confirmed in the 1852 Census of Windham Twp. in which Elizabeth is shown as 60 years old. Her sister Rebecca (Jewell) Forse was aged 61 in the 1861 Census of Charlotteville Twp. suggesting that she was born c. 1800 and so younger than Elizabeth.