SKETCH CIII
BACKHOUSE FAMILY—MAJOR JOHN BACKHOUSE
The Backhouse family of Norfolk are the descendants of one of the oldest and most distinguished Quaker families of England. Lancashire is the original home of the family, although for many generations the name has been a common one in Yorkshire. A history of the Backhouse family has been published in England, extending back for 250 years. The book is entitled: “ The Descendants of John Backhouse, yeoman, of Moss Side, near Zealand Redman, Lancashire.”
John Backhouse, the old Walsingham pioneer, left his native shire in 1793 and came to America; and after spending a year or two in New York and three years in New Jersey, he came to Niagara. In 1798 or 1799 he came on to Long Point settlement, and took up Lots 16 and 17, in the 1st concession of Walsingham. During the first few years he spent a portion of his time at Niagara, where he had certain business interests. Mrs. Backhouse, whose maiden name was Margaret Longbottom, died in the early years of her pioneer life, and the Major went back to England and married Jane White, a dairy-maid and former acquaintance.[1] The grazing advantages in the Backhouse settlement were excellent, and Mrs. Backhouse’s knowledge of cheesemaking was turned to practical account in the home manufacture of cheese. It is said that this old English pioneer was close-fisted and somewhat inclined to over-exaction in the treatment accorded to those who were employed in his service. A story is told of the way one of the McMichael boys looked out for himself while in the employ of Mr. Backhouse as cattle-man. The cattle were herded in different places, and McMichael seldom had an opportunity to participate in the regular meals with the family. He often went hungry, and no provision was made to meet the requirements of his case. The cheese was cured in the barn, where it was kept covered with chaff, and the neglected cattle-man availed himself of this means of supplying the wants of the inner-man. A cheese was taken from the barn and carried to a place convenient for use and secreted, and when this was consumed another was put in its place and in this way McMichael and his fellow-workers managed to make up for deficiencies in the ordinary tabel d’hôte.
When the second Mrs. Backhouse died the Squire married a third wife—one Hannah Haines; but he had no children by this union.
John Backhouse was one of the seventeen residents of London District included in the first batch of His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace. The commission was received April 1st, 1800, but Squire Backhouse was not sworn into office until the following June term of the Court. During the spring term of the following year the township of Walsingham was set off as a District Division for judicial purposes. A divisional Court of Requests was established, and Squire Backhouse was appointed an associate justice for this Court, which was held at his own house.
Squire Backhouse was an adherent of the Church of England, and on January 3rd, 1803, he and a number of other Episcopalian settlers met at Job Loder’s tavern, at Turkey Point, to consider ways and means for the organization of a Protestant Episcopal English Church in the settlement. Mr. Backhouse presided at this meeting, and at a subsequent meeting he was deputized to learn how a glebe lot might be obtained from Government and a clergyman secured. He was made a member of the first vestry, and was also one of the first church wardens. In June, 1809, he was sworn in as High Constable for the District of London.
Before the war of 1812 Squire Backhouse built a grist-mill and sawmill on his land in Walsingham.[2] The grist-mill was the first one erected in the township, and was overlooked by the American General McArthur during his mill-burning raid. It was a bonanza for Mr. Backhouse, as the little Russell mill at Vittoria—the one saved by a Masonic appeal—was not of sufficient capacity to meet the requirements of the time. During the war Squire Backhouse was Major of the 1st Norfolk Militia, including Charlotteville, Walsingham, Windham and Middleton. When Finch’s mill was burned the Major was at Turkey Point with two or three hundred militiamen; and, as alleged by the old settlers, he prevented a landing of the Americans at Fort Norfolk by making a vain display of his bright red uniform on the heights above, while the enemy was approaching the fort. He was blamed for this, because a complete preparation had been made to give the invaders a warm reception when they landed. A company of regulars were lying in wait in the fort, and a detachment was stationed in the cedars to cut off retreat by taking possession of, and disabling, the boats.
At the summer term of the Quarter Sessions held at Vittoria in 1824, Squire Backhouse was chairman, and for years after he was remembered by the young men of that time, for the charge he gave the Grand Jury on that occasion. He told them that as the Grand Inquest they were the conservators of law and order and the morals of the District, and that it was their bounden duty, individually as well as collectively, to discountenance immorality and irreligious practises even to the suppressing of infidelity and the destruction of anti-Christian publications. A charge of this kind would naturally be remembered by the young people as a sort of memento of the less tolerant ideas that prevailed at that time.
By his first marriage Squire Backhouse had four sons—William, John, Abraham and Thomas; and three daughters—Mary, Elizabeth and Esther. These children were all born before the family came to Long Point.[3] By the second marriage he had one son, Henry, and two daughters—Jane and Nancy. As before stated, he had no children by his third wife.
William Backhouse, eldest son of the Major, was born in England. He married Hannah, daughter of Captain Edward McMichael, and settled on Lot 23, a few lots distant from the old homestead. He had thirteen children, all of whom grew up and married. There were four sons—George, John A., James Jackson and Edward; and nine daughters—Elizabeth, Margaret, Jane, Hannah, Jemima, Eleanor, Amelia, Mary Ann and Matilda. Of this numerous family, George married Elizabeth Haines, of Malahide, settled at Port Burwell, and has reached his 81st year. John A. married Sarah Bostwick, and settled on the old homestead. He died in 1876. James Jackson married into the Saxon family, of Bayham, where he also settled and died. Edward married Violet, daughter of Abraham Countryman, of Port Rowan. He settled at Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he still lives. Elizabeth married Rev. Romulus Cook, a Methodist preacher. She has reached her 94th year, and is living (1897) in Chicago, with her son, Dr. Cook. Margaret married Levi Johnston, and settled in Bayham.[4] After Mr. Johnston’s death she married Samuel Cairns, of Waterford. She died in 1887. Jane married David Smith, and settled near Simcoe. She died in 1892. Hannah married Peter Vanderberg, settled in Iowa, and died in 1893. Jemima married John Roberts, of Bayham, and after his death she married Jesse Ball, a surveyor, of Vienna. Eleanor married King Cooper, and settled on a farm in Iowa, where they still live. Amelia married James Willard, a storekeeper, of St. Williams. She lives there still, a widow. Mary Ann married John Taylor, and settled on a farm in Walsingham; and Matilda married Isaac Foster, Esq., and settled near Port Royal.
The descendants of William Backhouse are very numerous and widely scattered. He was commissioned a Justice of the Peace, and led a quiet, industrious life.
John Backhouse, second son of the old Major, married Hannah Dedrick, and settled on the homestead. In John’s family were Lucretia, who married Thomas Smith; Emma, who married Frederick Bouck; John, who married Sarah Ann, daughter of elder William McDermand; Adelaide, who married a man named Brandow; Cornelius, who died single; Mary Ann, who married John Alexander; and Hannah, who married Frederick La Fortune. John, the only married son in this family, succeeded to the homestead.[5]
Abraham Backhouse, third son of the Major, married into the Alway family, and settled at Clear Creek, Houghton. In this family were two sons—John and Abraham, who died single; and six daughters—Margaret (Mrs. William Rusling, of Houghton), Amelia (Mrs. Henry Perley), Hannah (Mrs. Albert J. Nevills), Emma (Mrs. Ceremus Smith), Matilda (Mrs. Smith), and Mrs. Walter Brown, of Aylmer. Mrs. Perley was a well-known school teacher in an early day.[6]
Thomas Backhouse, fourth son of the Major, married Amelia Young. He inherited the Major’s mill property, and won a reputation for himself as a citizen that any man might envy. He was upright in character, honorable in business transactions, and refined in manners. In his social affiliations he was exceedingly pleasant and agreeable, and was one of the most popular citizens of his township in his time. He had two sons—John D. and Thomas; and three daughters—Jemima, Ruth and Matilda. Of these sons and daughters, John D. married Sarah Dedrick, and settled in the home neighborhood; Thomas died single; Jemima married Lucas Dedrick, and settled near the old home; Ruth married in the Barrett family; and Matilda married a lawyer named Holt, and settled near Port Rowan.[7]
Mary Backhouse, eldest daughter of the old Major, was born in England. She lived a single life, and was past eighty when she died.
Elizabeth Backhouse, the second daughter, married Alexander Hutchinson. Her children are enumerated in the Hutchinson genealogy.
Esther Backhouse, third daughter of the Major, married James Hutchinson. Her children are also enumerated with the Hutchinsons.
Henry Backhouse, fifth and youngest son of the Major, and the only son by his second wife, married into the Smith family, and had three sons—Thomas, Alvenza and Jugurtha; and one daughter, Jane. No data was furnished as to the marriages of Jane and Nancy, the Major’s youngest daughters.[8]
[1] In his Land Petition of June 4, 1794, John Backhouse stated he removed from Yorkshire, England to Upper Canada (Upper Canada Land Petition “B” Bundle 1, Doc. No. 7). He settled first on Twelve Mile Creek, Grantham Township, Lincoln County in present St. Catharines where he established a dairy as mentioned in his petition of May 16, 1796. (Upper Canada Land Petition “B” Bundle 2, Doc. No. 85). He filed a third on March 6, 1797 and was given a grant of 600 acres (Upper Canada Land Petition “B” Bundle 2, Doc. No. 148). He located in Lots 17, 18 and 23, Concession 2, Walsingham Township, Norfolk County, His patent was dated on September 1, 1797 and recorded in the Abstracts of Deeds Register of the township. His second marriage to Jane (Moore) White seems to have occurred before John moved to Norfolk from Grantham. During his time in his Grantham location, John Backhouse was given a commission dated June 15, 1795 for a Magistracy in his Home District (Simcoe Papers, Vol. IV, p.334). This appointment transferred with him to his new residency in Norfolk. More concerning this is included in The Long Point Settlers Journal, Vol. 6, No. 1.
[2] On July 16, 1796, John Backhouse wrote a letter to Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe stating that he had received a grant of 600 acres of land at Long Point with a mill seat on the tract and was awaiting a survey of the land in that quarter. “He and his friends are ready to build a saw and grist mill.” (Simcoe Papers, Vol. IV, p.334)
[3] John Backhouse had an additional daughter born to his first marriage, Jemima Maria who was born in England c. 1789 according to her later Woodhouse Township census records. Her marriage to Joseph Culver on December 21, 1825 was recorded in the London District Marriage Register.
[4] According to Montross: A Family History by John and Eva Taylor (pp. Stanton, VA: 1958), this ancestor was Levi Johnson, not “Johnston”, a son of Larrence and Margaret (Montross) Johnson.
[5] John Backhouse Jr’s daughter Adelaide married Abraham Brandow on September 26, 1855, the marriage recorded in the Talbot District Marriage Register.
[6] There was an additional daughter born to Abraham and Amelia (Always) Backhouse, Mary Jane, born c. 1837. Her marriage record with Henry Piercy on 23 Dec 1866 recorded in the Elgin County Marriage Register confirmed her parentage.
[7] Thomas Backhouse had an additional son Peter E. who was recorded with him in the 1852 Census of Walsingham Township. Thomas’ daughter Jemima married to Lucas Dedrick and was recorded with him in the 1852 Census. Her sister Mary Matilda married on November 28, 1865 to Samuel Newell Holt. The third sister Ida Ruth married on October 10, 1861, Hugh Massey Barrett. The latter two marriages were recorded in the Norfolk County Marriage Register.
[8] Henry Moore Backhouse married Hannah Smith on December 29, 1818, recorded in the London District Marriage Register. The will of Henry Backhouse of Malahide Township, Elgin County, dated on November 13, 1862, named his children Thomas, Henry Augustus, William Allicott, Alvinza, Jugurtha and Esther Watts, wife of John Watts (Elgin County Surrogate Court Registry, Doc. No. 102).