Sketch XL
A Case of Church-Going Mania
The name of Forse[1] sounds more familiar to the old people of Norfolk than it does to the young people. It is one of many names we often hear mentioned by the old folks when they talk of life and times in their younger days, but which has become nearly extinct at the present time. Philip Forse was an early settler in Windham. When he built his log-house on or near the spot where the fine Widner residence now stands, on Lot 1, 13th concession, there were no settlers in Windham, except the Culvers and a few other families in the Colborne settlement.[2]
The Forses are of Dutch descent,[3] and, it is said by the oldest living members, that the father of Philip, with his four sons¾Philip, William, Peter and John¾migrated from New Jersey to New Brunswick, and thence to Upper Canada. This makes it appear as though they had been U. E. Loyalists, but there seems to be nothing definite to show that such was the case.
Philip Forse came first. He was married in New Brunswick. He settled first on Lot 1, 1st concession of Woodhouse, and it was he who donated land for the first public burying ground in the settlement, being the older portion of the old Woodhouse Methodist grounds. About the beginning of the century he sold his Woodhouse land and settled in Windham, where he lived the remainder of his long life.[4] He was a quiet, industrious and honorable man, and highly respected by his fellow pioneers. The late Duke Campbell, while speaking of his business integrity, said that his word was as good as his bond. Mr. Forse reached an extreme old age, being ninety-four years old when he died.[5] He left no children.
William Forse came several years later, and settled in Windham on “Buckwheat Street,” as it was called.[6] He had five sons¾Michael, William, Philip, John and George; and four daughters¾Ann, Eliza, Mary and Margaret. Michael and Ann were born in New Brunswick.
Michael Forse, son of William, married Rebecca Jewell, and settled on the homestead in Windham, where he died. He had five sons¾Charles, Henry, Edward, George and William; and three daughters¾Amanda, Isabel and Henrietta.
Philip Forse, son of William, married Drusilla Boughner, and had no children.[7]
John Forse, son of William, was a captain in the militia. All the older people will remember the old hotel in Simcoe kept by him, and known as “Forse’s Tavern.” Captain Forse died a bachelor.
George Force, son of William, married Maria, daughter of Jacob Powell, and settled near the homestead. He had four sons¾Edward, Henry, George and John; and three daughters¾Mary Jane, Theresa and Caroline.[8] The family are nearly all gone, but the father is living, having reached his 85th year.
Of the daughters of William Forse, Anna married Samuel Fisher after she was fifty-six years old. She died within one week of her marriage.[9] Mary married John Edison, and settled in Bayham. She left no children. Margaret married Amos King, and settled at the Rondeau.
Peter Forse came in 1830, and brought the old folks with him. They settled in Windham also. Peter had three sons¾Philip, John and George; and three daughters, who came here¾Amy, Catherine and Hannah.[10] His father, Peter Forse, died in 1849, in his 82nd year.[11]
Philip Forse, eldest son of Peter, married Sarah Charlotte, daughter of John Tisdale, and settled in Windham. He had three sons¾Nelson, Thomas H. and John H.; and three daughters¾Maria, Helen and Margaret.[12]
John, second son of Peter, died single.
George Forse, third son of Peter, married Eliza, daughter of Captain John Robins, and settled on the homestead in Windham. He had four sons¾Edward, George, Charles and John; and three daughters¾Emily, Elizabeth and Rhoda. Five out of this family died with smallpox.[13]
The daughters of Peter Forse¾Amy, Catherine and Hannah¾married, respectively, William Forse, William Millard and Louis Laings.[14]
Philip Forse, son of Peter, was a ship carpenter, and many old people will remember with pleasure the various novelties, by way of miniature ships, which he made during his spare moments and presented to his young friends, who took pride in exhibiting them in various public places.
In the Forse family we have a peculiar case of religious mania. The subject was John, son of Peter, the one mentioned as having died single. When a mere child he was religiously inclined. He grew up physically weak and exceedingly taciturn in disposition. His mania took the form of walking to church regularly. It was nine miles from his home on “Buckwheat Street” to St. John’s Church in Woodhouse, and doubling this distance it made a walk of eighteen miles every time he attended church. John Forse got it into his head that God had called him to perform this special duty, and for nine years he performed it. It is said that he never missed a Sunday during all this time. Through blinding snowstorms and in the drenching rain went John Forse and always on foot. So regular was he in his church-going that people watched for him along the way, and his appearance, like the ringing of a church bell, was accepted by them as a monitor in the regulation of time.
[1] The first two generations of the family signed their name “Force.” Later in the 1800’s most adopted “Forse.”
[2] It is necessary to distinguish between Norfolk pioneer Philip Force Jr. and his father Philip Force Sr. who arrived more than a decade after his son. Following the American Revolution, Philip Sr. took his family to New Brunswick in 1783 and lived on Long Island, Kings Co., NB until 1811 when he came to Norfolk County late in life (there was a brief visit in 1801). His son Philip Jr. came to Upper Canada in 1795 and received a grant of Lot 1, Concession 5, Crowland Twp. and Lot 7, Concession 7, Willoughby Twp., adjoining lots in Welland County in the Niagara District. Philip Jr. arrived at Norfolk by 1800 and purchased Lot 1, Concession 1, Woodhouse Twp. south of Simcoe which he made his early home. In 1811, Philip Jr. purchased Lot 13, Concession 1, Windham Twp. which became his homestead for the remainder of his life. By 1811, there were more than 10 other settlers in Windham. See “Force and Matthews” in The Long Point Settlers Journal, Log Cabin Publishing, (Ridgeway, ON:1998), Vol. 5, No. 2.
[3] The family may actually have been German. See article cited in previous note.
[4] Philip Jr. purchased his land in Windham Twp. on 27 Jun 1811, according to the Abstracts of Deeds Register, and moved there at that time.
[5] Philip Force Jr. died between the date of his will, 12 May 1837 and its probate on 19 Jun 1837. The age of ninety-four stated by Owen would make his birth year about 1743, much too early for a child of his father.
[6] William Force arrived in 1811 with his father, Philip Force Sr. and settled on Lot 3, Concession 9, Windham Township.
[7] Philip Forse (used “Forse” as did his siblings) married first to Drusilla Boughner as stated. She died and Philip remarried on February 20, 1849 to Hulda Boughner, according to the Talbot District Marriage Register. By his first wife, Philip had a son Robert William Forse, born c. 1843 living with him in the 1852 Census of Windham Township.
[8] The 1852 and 1861 Censuses and Old Windham Township Cemetery stones give the following children for George Forse: Edwin born c. 1845, Thomas Henry born c. 1848, Sarah A. born c. 1849, Theresa born c. 1850, George born c. 1853, Catherine born on 21 Jun 1854, died on 9 Oct 1856, Charles born c. 1861, Frank born on 9 Jan 1862, died on 28 Dec 1883. John, Mary Jane and Caroline may have been born subsequently.
[9] Anna was actually a daughter of Peter Force, not William. She was named in Peter’s will as Anna Bacon, her first married name. On December 19, 1844, Anna Bacon married Samuel Fisher, according to the Talbot District Marriage Register. Owen also mentions an Eliza, sister of the above Anna. She might be the Elizabeth mentioned in Peter Force’s will.
[10] The first record of Peter Force in Norfolk was the baptisms of his younger children at St. John’s Anglican Church, Woodhouse Twp. on October 14, 1830, recorded in the church register. “The old folks” came in 1811 with Peter’s brother William. Peter settled on Lot 4, Concession 9, Windham Township. His will dated at Windham Township on June 13, 1844 named children George Force, John Force, Philip Force, Catherine Force, Elizabeth Bantam, Anne Bacon, Rhoda Demill, Amy Force and Hannah Langs.
[11] This death date is for Peter Force, not “his father Peter”.
[12] In the Windham Township Census records Philip Forse had the following children: Martha born c. 1832, Maria born c. 1837, Nelson M. born c. 1839, Thomas Hanford born c. 1841, John Hiram born c. 1843, Helen born c. 1845, Margaret born c. 1847, James born c. 1851
[13] In the Windham Twp. Census records George Force had the following children: Harry born c. 1846, Emily E. born c. 1847, Major E. born c. 1849, Elizabeth born c. 1851, Catherine born c. 1857, Charles born c. 1860 and George born c. 1862. The children John and Rhoda not seen in the census records might be two of those who died with smallpox.
[14] As mentioned before, Peter Force had a daughter Anna Bacon Fisher. He also had daughters Elizabeth Bantam and Rhoda who married William Demill. These last two daughters may have remained in New Brunswick.