DIED WITH THEIR BOOTS ON—THE MESSACAR FAMILY
The words “died with their boots on,” is a well-known figurative expression applied to those who cling to life tenaciously, persevering in their worldly undertakings until, over-come by an accumulation of infirmities, they drop dead in their tracks. In this sense, to die with one’s boots on is to stubbornly resist the ills that flesh is heir to, pursuing life’s purposes with the plodding patience of the cart-horse that falls in the traces while pulling at his load.
But the expression is applied to the subjects of this sketch in a literal sense. The two pioneer heads of the Messacar[1] family, of Townsend, died with their boots on. One was found in the woods where the limb of a tree had fallen upon him, and the other was found in the woods with a plank in his arms where he had fallen dead while engaged in repairing a bridge. High water had floated some of the planks off the stringers of the bridge and the old pioneer was engaged in the work of replacing them. Not returning when expected a search was made, which resulted in the finding of his dead body. He had picked up one of the stray planks and was in the act of carrying it to the bridge when he fell dead. He was lying in the mud, with his arms tightly clasped about the plank.
This was Abraham Messacar, who settled on the Nanticoke Creek, near the present Rockford Post-office.
The Messacars came from New Jersey with the Slaghts.[2] Abraham Messacar married Sarah, daughter of the original Job Slaght, in New Jersey. He had two children—Abraham and Job—when the family came to Canada. They were quite young at the time, and while en route the pack horse on which they rode took fright at the sudden appearance of an Indian in paint and feathers, and threw off both children. It was a great experience for the youngsters, and they never forgot it. Mr. Messacar built and operated one of Townsend’s pioneer sawmills. The white pine timber in the vicinity of the mill was as good in quality as any in the county, and during the old pioneer’s time nothing but prime, clear logs taken from a virgin forest was sawed into lumber at this mill.
Abraham Messacar had seven sons—Abraham, Job, Henry, Nicholas, John, Caleb and William; and two daughters—Mary and Elizabeth.[3]
Abraham, eldest son of Abraham, was born in New Jersey. He married Margaret Beal, settled at Rockford, and succeeded his father in the milling business. He had three sons—Eli C., Horace G., and Rolph; and ten daughters—Hannah, Sarah, Mary Jane, Hortense, Martha Ann, Harriet, Ellen, Celia, Margaret E. and Ruth H.
Job, second son of Abraham, was born in New Jersey. He was married three times. By his first wife, Hannah Yerks, he had five sons—Abraham, James, Aaron, George and Edwin; and six daughters—Eliza, Sarah, Arvilla, Maria, Lorinda and Mary. By his second wife, Elizabeth Landon, he had one son, Enoch. By his third wife, Esther Ann Bowlby, he had five sons—Alfred, Louis, David, Adam and John A.; and two daughters—Frances and Lucy. Job Messacar had nineteen children and his brother thirteen, making thirty-two in all. A father and son in the Parney family had thirty-nine children, and in these four Townsend families were seventy-one children, all Parneys and Messacars. Job settled at Rockford, or Nanticoke Falls, as it was called by our grandfathers.[4]
Henry, third son of Abraham, was twice married. By his first wife he had three sons—Warren, John and William; and three daughters—Mary, Martha and Melinda. By his second wife he had two daughters. He settled in Michigan.[5]
Nicholas, fourth son of Abraham, married Sarah Wymer, by whom he had one son. Subsequently he married Getty Yerks, by whom he had four sons—Hiram, Eli, Louis and Alford.[6]
John, fifth son of Abraham, married Lutitia Esmond, of Norwich, and settled just north of Waterford. By this marriage he had one daughter. Subsequently he married Eliza Gilbert, by whom he had two sons—Gilbert and Allen; and one daughter, Susanna.[7]
Caleb, sixth son of Abraham, was twice married. He settled in Townsend and had two daughters by his first wife; and one son, John and one daughter, Rosey, by his second wife.[8]
William, seventh and youngest son of Abraham, married Phoebe Lawrence, and settled in Townsend. He had one son, Charles; and four daughters—Jane, Ann, Augusta and Anice.
Mary and Elizabeth, daughters of the original Abraham, married, respectively, _____ Murphy and Dr. Pomeroy.[9]
John Messacar, pioneer head of the other branch of the family, settled north of Waterford. As before stated, he was accidently killed in the woods by a branch of a tree falling upon him. He had five sons—Henry, John, William, Abraham and Matthew; and two daughters—Mary and Sarah.[10]
Henry, eldest son of John, married Anna Chambers, and settled on the homestead. He had one son, Levi; and three daughters—Euphemia, Nancy and Hannah.
John, second son of John, married Sarah Clouse, and settled south of Waterford. He had four sons—Louis, John, Aaron and Abraham; and three daughters—Elizabeth, Amanda and Mary Jane.[11]
William, third son of John, married Anna Slaght, and settled in Burford, where he raised a family.
Abraham, fourth son of John, married Martha Walker, and settled near Waterford. He had four sons—Walker, Eli, Alexander and Levi; and three daughters Mary, Sarah and Euphemia.[12]
Matthew, fifth son of John, married Mary Clouse, and settled in Oakland, where he raised a family. John Messacar, late of Houghton, was a son of Matthew.[13]
[1] The first generation who came to Norfolk County signed their surname “Masecar“. Subsequent generations adopted variant spellings, including “Messacar“ and “Messecar”.
[2] Owen’s statement that the Slaght and Masecar families came from New Jersey together is disputable. On May 14, 1796, Abraham Masecar filed a petition to the Executive Council of Upper Canada stating that he came into the province “about nine months ago” which would make his arrival about July or August 1795 (Upper Canada Land Petition “M” Bundle 2, Doc. No. 157). Job Slaght sold his 220 acre farm at Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey on May 2, 1796. On October 5, 1796, he stated that he “lately removed to the Province” (Upper Canada Land Petition “S” Bundle 2, Doc. No. 79).
[3] Abraham, who spelled his surname “Massecar”, married first to Hannah Scovill, a daughter of Dr. Champion Scovill. She died in May 1825 and was buried in Rockford United Church Cemetery in Townsend Twp. She and Abraham had an only child Scovill Massecar who died thirteen days after birth in 1825 and was buried in Boston Baptist Church Cemetery.
[4] Job who spelled his surname “Massecar” lived on Lot 3, Concession 7, Townsend Township east of Round Plains. The daughter named by Owen as “Lorinda” was actually Clorinda in the 1852 Census and her marriage record to Isaac Losee on March 3, 1857, recorded in the Talbot District Marriage Register.
[5] Henry who spelled his surname “Messecar” settled in Michigan then moved to Cedar, Lake County, Indiana. In addition to those mentioned, he had an oldest son by his first wife, Arthur. By his second wife he had four daughters: Catherine born c. 1847, Sarah born c. 1850, Eliza born c. 1852 and Emeyea born c. 1855, recorded with him in the censuses.
[6] Nicholas Masecar was born on October 25, 1805 making him younger than his brothers John and Caleb. Nicholas and his first wife Sarah had a son Andrew, born in 1828 and died in 1840, buried in Oakland Cemetery, Brant County. The youngest son of the second marriage was Alfred.
[7] John Masecar’s daughter of the first marriage was Lettisia Marie. By his second wife, John has a daughter Rosannah recorded with him in the 1852 Census. Owen might be confusing her with his stated Susannah.
[8] Caleb, who spelled his surname “Massecar,” married first to Mary A. Brooks, who was recorded with him in the 1852 Census of Townsend Twp. The daughters listed with them were Lucy, born c. 1842 and Sarah E., born c. 1844. Caleb married second on June 14, 1870, Eleanor Clouse. He had a son born to this marriage, named Joseph Henry whom Owen named as John.
[9] Mary Masecar married Arthur Murphy. Elizabeth Masecar married Dr. Rufus Pomeroy on June 6, 1816. This information was contained in a letter from Elizabeth to her brother-in-law Arthur Murphy.
[10] John Masecar’s son Matthew was born on March 7, 1792 making him older than his brothers John, William and Abraham.
[11] John Messecar had additional children who died young and were buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Waterford: Elias, born in 1829, died on September 12, 1832; Sarah Jane, born on April 25, 1835, died on December 1, 1861, Wesley, born in 1841, died on April 8, 1845, and Horace, born in 1843, died on March 25, 1845.
[12] Abraham who spelled his surname “Messecar” had another son Lewis, born c. 1844 and a daughter Margaret, born c. 1844 living with him in the 1852 Census of Townsend Twp.
[13] Matthew who spelled his surname “Messecar” married first to Mary Clouse who died in 1832. He then remarried to Lydia McCombs and had a second family. Lydia died on 31 Mar 1843 and Matthew married a third time to Hannah (Richards) Doughance. All were buried in Oakland Cemetery, Brant County. The John Messecar of Houghton Twp. was a grandson of Matthew and son of Hiram Messecar.