SKETCH IX
RYERSON AND RYERSE
Very few people in Norfolk can give a true explanation of this riddle in family nomenclature. Many foolish stories have been told from time to time, and each, in turn, was said to be the proper solution of the mystery. That the Ryersons and Ryerses are one and the same family is generally understood, but as to which of the two forms is the correct one, and why the name was changed by one branch of the family, are matters not generally understood. The explanation given here is that of one of the oldest living members of the Ryerson branch, and is, no doubt, the correct one.
The correct form of the family name is Ryerson—a name that stands for one of the most distinguished New Jersey families in old colonial times. The Ryersons were U. E. Loyalists. In fact, a majority of the leading families in all the colonies were Loyalists, and impartial history informs us that the greater portion of the brains and wealth of the colonies was on the side of the Mother Country. This is admitted by all American writers. Mr. Dudley Warner says, "I confess that I never could rid myself of the schoolboy idea that the terms British red-coat and enemy were synonymous, and that a Tory was the worst character Providence ever permitted to exist; but those people who were deported or went voluntarily away for an idea, were among the best material we had in staunch moral traits, intellectual leadership, social position and wealth; their crime was superior attachment to England and utter want of sympathy with the cause of liberty of the hour. It is to them, at any rate, that Ontario owes its solid basis of character, vigor and prosperity."
Professor Hosmer, in his "Life of Samuel Adams," states that at the evacuation of Boston, 1,100 Loyalists retired to Nova Scotia with the British army, of whom 102 were men in official station, 18 were clergymen, 213 were merchants and traders of Boston and 382 were farmers and mechanics. He says, "There were, in fact, no better men or women in America as regards intelligence, substantive good purpose and piety." He says, "They loved beauty, dignity and refinement," and that "their estates were among the fairest."
Shortly after General Howe entered the city of New York, he was presented with an address signed by one thousand New York and New Jersey Loyalists, and steps were immediately taken for recruiting them into service. Oliver De Lancy, one of the most distinguished New York colonists, was commissioned a brigadier-general, with authority to enlist three battalions of volunteers. The troop numbered two thousand, and was officered by New York's wealthiest and most prominent citizens. Another well-known and influential Loyalist, Cortlandt Skinner, was authorized to recruit a brigade of five battalions, called the New Jersey Loyalists. Among the commissioned officers of Skinner's brigade were the heads of some of our most distinguished Ontario families, two of whom were Samuel and Joseph Ryerson, of New Jersey. It will be observed that Samuel Ryerse, of Norfolk, was Samuel Ryerson, of New Jersey, when he received his commission as an officer in this troop of New Jersey Loyalists. But when his name was enrolled it was written "Ryerse" through a clerical error. It was overlooked at the time, and when he came to draw his pay he was compelled to adopt the error and sign his name as it had been recorded on the army roll. In the war records he was known only as Samuel Ryerse, and as a U. E. Loyalist entitled to a grant of land in Upper Canada, he could be no other than Samuel Ryerse, and thus we have the Ryerse family of Norfolk.
Before the war Col. Samuel Ryerse, who was older than his brother Joseph, was a prosperous business man of New Jersey. He was well educated and exerted considerable influence in colonial affairs; and his wife, being a woman of more than ordinary intelligence, was a distinguished leader in colonial society. In 1783 the family fled to New Brunswick, where, in 1794, the Colonel met Governor Simcoe, who induced him to start a settlement at Long Point, Upper Canada.[1] He came to the new country at once and built a log house on the lake shore at the mouth of the creek known as Young's Creek. This spot he named Port Ryerse, thus indelibly stamping his adopted name upon the map of the new province. Early in the present century he built a grist mill, and the port that bears his name became a trade centre of considerable importance during the lives of his children.
Col. Samuel Ryerse was a prominent character in the early pioneer times of the country's history. It was through him that Long Point settlement was first organized into a separate district, and this historical fact will always keep his name at the head of the list of our old pioneers who settled in Norfolk in the last decade of last century. In the month of March, 1800, Colonel Ryerse received a packet from the Executive office at York, containing a Commission of the Peace for the new District of London, naming himself and sixteen others to be Justices of the Peace for the said district. The packet also contained commissions for the appointment of a Clerk of the Peace, Clerk of the London District Court, Registrar of the Surrogate Court, Commissioners for the taking of acknowledgements of recognizances of bail or bails for the Court of the King's Bench, and a Dedimus Postatem appointing Samuel Ryerse and two other commissioners for administering the oaths prescribed by law to the officers of the Government. Being thus constituted his Majesty's Commissioner of the Peace for the District of London, he called together those of the newly-appointed magistrates who resided in Woodhouse and Charlotteville, and administered to them and the Clerk of the Peace the oath of office as prescribed by law. This meeting was held April 2nd, 1800, at the home of James Monroe in Charlotteville. William Spurgin was the first to take the oath and then he, in turn, administered it to Colonel Ryerse, after which the latter proceeded in administering it to the others. The newly sworn justices at once held a special Session of the Peace, with Colonel Ryerse in the chair. After taking the necessary steps for the holding of a Court of the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace, they adjourned. The first Court convened, April 8th, 1800, at Monroe's house, and Samuel Ryerse, being chairman, was Norfolk's first judge. In the history of pioneer times in our county, it will be thus seen that Colonel Ryerse played an important part. He was not only at the head of affairs at the beginning, but he remained a leader after the machinery of the district had been set in motion. He was the most prominent man on the Bench during the time the courts were held at Turkey Point. The old court record shows that he served as Justice of one of the Divisional Courts of Request almost continuously for years. In 1805, on November 16th, a special session of the Quarter Sessions was held at his own house at Port Ryerse, at which time a Commission bearing the great Seal of the Province was read, whereby John Bostwick was made Sheriff of London District.
A story is told of a very funny thing that happened at Port Ryerse in the early times. A family by the name of Sprague had settled there, one member of whom was a bright girl of fourteen or fifteen, named Polly. Buckskin was the only kind of dress goods obtainable by the poor settlers at this time. In mild weather a single garment made of this material constituted the entire wardrobe of more than one buxom young lass in those times, and Polly Sprague was one of them. She had often been in the kitchen of the Ryerse home, which was a sort of headquarters for all Long Point settlement at this time, and she had witnessed the operation of washing clothing in boiling soap suds, and she resolved to treat her "buckskin slip" to the same opportunity at the first opportunity. One day she was left in sole charge of the Sprague cabin, and, taking advantage of the situation, she gave effect to her resolution. The reader may imagine the result. When the elder Spragues returned to the cabin they found the shrunken and ruined garment lying on the floor, and they found the unfortunate Polly in the potato hole under the floor. The situation was a bad one. There was no more buckskin in the Sprague household, and the Ryerse home was the only place in the entire settlement where covering of some kind might be loaned until a new supply of buckskin could be obtained. The luckless Polly was put into a barrel and carted to the home of Mrs. Amelia Ryerse-Harris, with an ox team, where her needs were attended to.
Col. Samuel Ryerse had three sons—Samuel, George and Edward; and two daughters, one of whom, Amelia, married John Harris, Treasurer of London District, and settled in London. The other daughter married a retired British officer and settled in the West India islands.[2]
Samuel Ryerse, eldest son of Colonel Samuel was about eleven years old when the family came to Long Point. He married Sarah Cyphor, of Newton, N.J., and, in 1808, settled on 365 acres of land located on Black Creek, a short distance above Port Dover. He had seven sons—Peter, Robert, Samuel H., Edward, Arthur, Isaac and George Collin; and four daughters—Eleanor, Sarah Ann, Harriet and Hannah.[3]
Peter Ryerse, eldest son of Samuel, was thrice married. By his first wife, Mariah Kniffen, he had four sons—William, John, Thomas and George; and one daughter, Elizabeth. By his second wife, Elizabeth Starks, he had two daughters, and the name of his third wife was Mrs. Mary Butler.[4]
Robert Ryerse, second son of Samuel, married Eliza Underhill, and settled on part of the homestead. He had three sons—Philander, Alfred and James; and five daughters—Sarah, Cynthia, Helen, Malissa and Erie.
Samuel H. Ryerse, third son of Samuel, married Elizabeth Mandiville, settled on part of the homestead, and had one son, Samuel, and four daughters—Sarah Ann, Harriet, Rose and Martha.[5]
Edward Ryerse, fourth son of Samuel, married Elizabeth Bishoprick, settled on part of the homestead, and left no children.
Arthur Ryerse, fifth son of Samuel, married Ann Donly, settled in Woodhouse, and had one daughter, Sarah Ann. Subsequently, he married Julia Marks as his second wife, by whom he had two daughters, Martha and Linnie.
Isaac Ryerse, sixth son of Samuel, married Mary Chamberlain, settled on part of the homestead, and had two sons—Eugene and Frank; and three daughters—Anna, Emma and Elna.[6]
George Collin Ryerse, youngest son of Samuel, married Sarah Jane Orr, settled on part of the homestead, and had three sons—Norman, Elmer and Arthur; and one daughter, Laura.[7]
Eleanor Ryerse, eldest daughter of Samuel, married George Kniffen and settled in Woodhouse.
Sarah Ann Ryerse, the second daughter, married Frederick Fick and settled in Houghton. She had three sons—Collin, Wesley and Clinton; and four daughters—Cecilia, Amelia, Valdora and Naoma.[8]
Harriet Ryerse, the third daughter, married John Birdsall, settled in Townsend, and had two sons—John and Edward.[9]
Hannah Ryerse, youngest daughter of Samuel, married Samuel Chamberlain, and settled in Woodhouse. She had two sons—Samuel and Harvey, both of whom reside in Michigan.
Samuel Ryerse, the father of this large family died in 1844, in his 62nd year.
Rev. George Ryerse, second son of Colonel Samuel, was a Baptist preacher. He married Elizabeth Vail and settled at Port Ryerse. Many of the old people of Windham and other back townships will remember with pleasure the old house on the hill where they used to go for cherry and other fruit supplies. Elder Ryerse subsequently married Nancy Shaw for his second wife. He had five sons—William, James, Francis, Lewis and George; and six daughters—Maria, Sarah, Amelia, Ida, Bessie and Helen. William married a daughter of the late Col. Isaac Gilbert and settled in Port Ryerse. James married Sarah Ann, daughter of Emmanuel Winter, and settled near Port Ryerse. Francis married Elizabeth Potts, of Woodhouse, and settled near Port Ryerse. Lewis married Kate Kelly and settled at Point St. Ignace, Mich. George married Caroline Lee, granddaughter of the late John Chadwick, of Charlotteville, and settled on the old homestead. Maria married John Austin, the carriage builder, and settled in Simcoe. Sarah married Charles Mabee and settled in Delhi. Amelia married a dentist named Barrett and settled in Buffalo. Ida married Captain Wesley Hazen. Bessie married in Saginaw, and Helen married J. Bottomly and settled in Lynedoch.
Major Edward Ryerse, youngest son of Colonel Samuel, married Martha, daughter of Elnathen Underhill, and settled in Port Ryerse. He left no children.
Colonel Joseph Ryerson fled into the Maritime Provinces after the war, and in 1799, came with his family to Long Point. He was awarded lots 23 and 24 in the lake front of Charlotteville.[10]
Col. Ryerson was Norfolk's first Sheriff, or, rather, the first Sheriff of Old London District, being in attendance as such at the first District Court held at "Fort Monroe," April 8th, 1800. He held the office, consecutively, for about five years, being succeeded by John Bostwick. He was the first Treasurer of the district, holding office about eight years. In 1807 the district received a grant from the Provincial Treasury, and Col. Ryerson was paid £5 for bringing the money from York to Turkey Point. The record shows that he received $470 for summoning the eight justices who served in the several courts for the year 1801. In 1807 he and his brother Samuel were associate justices for the Court of Request for Windham, Townsend, Woodhouse, Walpole and Rainham; and in 1809 they acted as justices in the Court of Request for the three latter townships.
When the township was surveyed, a blunder was committed which caused a shortage in these lots, and by way of compensation the Government made the Colonel a grant of the island known as Ryerson's Island. Col. Ryerson married Mehetabel Stickney in New Jersey,[11] and when he came to Long Point he was thirty-nine, and his wife thirty-three years old.[12] He died in 1854, in his ninety-fifth year, and Mrs. Ryerson died in 1850, in her eighty-fifth year.
Col. Joseph Ryerson had six sons—George, Samuel, William, John, Edgerton and Edway M.; and three daughters—Mary, Mehetabel and Elizabeth. Of these sons, Samuel was the only farmer; all the others were preachers. This generation of Ryersons seems to have been endowed with a passionate fondness for books and "book larnin," as the Colonel used to express it. He used to say that "Sam," was the only one that was any good, and that when he sent the others out on the farm to work he would find them in a fence-corner or under a shade-tree, reading books. He used to say that whenever he bought a new book he was compelled to hide it, to keep his "good-for-nothing boys" from fighting over it. At last the old Colonel gave up in despair and let them have their own way. This meant attendance at Judge Mitchell's District Grammar School, and the reader may rest assured that the old register contained no dilatory remarks against the Ryerson boys. Five of them became Methodist preachers—John and William being noted divines. Egerton's life work is a part of our public history and need occupy no space here.
Rev. George Ryerson, eldest son of Col. Joseph, was married three times.[13] He was at the battle of Fort Erie as lieutenant in Capt. Rapelje's company, and received a shot in the mouth as he was about to give utterance to a fearful oath. This made a serious impression on his mind, and led to his conversion. By his first wife, Sarah, sister of Dr. John Rolph, he had one daughter, Frances, and one son, Joseph. The daughter married John McLaughlin and settled in Wheatland, Iowa; and the son was killed in the American civil war. By his second wife, Sophia Wyatt, he had one daughter; and by his third wife, Isabella Sterling, of Rochester, he had one son, Dr. George, the Toronto politician.[14]
Samuel Ryerson, second son of Col. Joseph, married Eliza, daughter of Capt. McMichael, and settled on Lot 24, adjoining the old homestead. He died in 1826, leaving three daughters—Jane, Elizabeth, and Sarah, and one son, Henry. Jane married Russell Clark, and settled near Buffalo, N.Y. Elizabeth married Lorenzo Mitchell, in 1841. Her children are enumerated in the Mitchell genealogy. Sarah married George Dresser, and settled in Beloit, Wis. Henry the only son, went to sea in 1843, and was captain of a whaling ship.
Rev. William Ryerson, third son of Col. Joseph, married May Griffin of, Grimsby. Of this union there were three sons—Joseph Edway, Smith and William; and three daughters, the names of the two youngest being Phoebe and Matilda. Joseph Edway was a Baptist minister, and at the time of his death (1864) was pastor of the Baptist church in Simcoe.[15] He married Mary, daughter of Elder Shoaf. Smith died on board ship while on his way to Australia. He left no family. William married Eliza Thorn and settled in Brantford, where he died, in 1886. The eldest daughter[16] married Andrew L. Wilson and settled in Brantford. Phoebe married Allen Wilcox, and settled in Virginia City, Montana; and Matilda married David Burch, of Brantford, and settled in Chicago.[17]
Rev. John Ryerson, fourth son of Col. Joseph, married Mary Lewis, of Hamilton. He had one son, Egerton, who opened a law office in Stratford, where he died, single; and one daughter, Mercia, who married Henry Hardy, of Brantford, who was Prosecuting Attorney for Norfolk County at the time of his death.
Dr. Egerton Ryerson, fifth son of Col. Joseph, married Hannah Akeman, daughter of a farmer living near Hamilton. Of this union, the children died in infancy. Subsequently, he married the widow of a clergyman named Armstrong, and one son and one daughter were the issue of this union.[18] Charles E., the son, is a lawyer, of Toronto; the daughter is the wife of Edward Harris, of London.
Rev. Edway M. Ryerson, youngest son of Col. Joseph, married Emily, daughter of Rev. Daniel Freeman and subsequently he married her sister Phoebe. There was no issue from the first marriage.[19] He had one daughter, Josephine, by his second wife, who married one Fitzgerald, a lawyer, of Ottawa.[20]
Mary Ryerson, the Colonel's eldest daughter, married Col. John Bostwick, and had four sons—Joseph, John, George and Henry; and three daughters—Augusta, Mehetabel and Frances. Col. Bostwick settled in Port Stanley.
Mehetabel Ryerson, the second daughter, married John Williams, a teacher, of Port Dover.
Elizabeth Ryerson, the Colonel's youngest daughter, married Judge Mitchell. Her children are enumerated in the Mitchell genealogy.
[1] Samuel Ryerse moved his family from Sunbury County, New Brunswick to New York about 1791 so did not meet with Simcoe in New Brunswick. See Phyllis A. Ryerse and Thomas A. Ryerson, The Ryerse-Ryerson Family, p.p. (Ingersoll, ON: 1994), and their article “Colonel Samuel Ryerse, JP” in The Long Point Settlers Journal, Vol. 3, No. 3
[2] This was Elizabeth (Betsy) Ryerse who married Gatien S. Liger, of French descent who fled in the face of the slave revolt in Santo Domingo (present Haiti). He settled first in New York City then moved to Upper Canada in 1802 and settled in Walpole Twp., Haldimand County In 1820, they moved to Springville, New York where Gatien died. Betsy settled finally in Philadelphia. See Ryerse-Ryerson, p. 53-55.
[3] According to his family bible registry page at the Norfolk Historical Society Archives, Samuel Ryerse Jr. had an additional son Charles who was born on 9 Jul 1805 and died on 27 Oct 1807 aged 2 years 3 months and 18 days, and a daughter Susan who was born on 6 Mar 1827 and died on 9 Sep 1827.
[4] In The Ryerse – Ryerson Family, Peter Ryerse and his first wife Mariah Kniffen were stated to have had an additional daughter Patty Ann, born on 18 Feb 1835, died c. 1840. By his second wife Elizabeth Starks, Peter had three daughters: Loria born c. 1846, and Emma born c. 1847 who were recorded with him in the 1852 Census of Woodhouse Twp. The youngest daughter Ermima was born on 19 Mar 1850 and died on 26 Jun 1850. She was buried in Old Woodhouse Cemetery, Woodhouse Twp.
[5] The Ryerse – Ryerson Family gives Samuel H. Ryerse two more daughters who died young: Margaret Ryerse, born on 3 Sep 1843, died on 26 Oct 1846 and Eliza Ryerse, born in 1854, died in 1855.
[6] Isaac Ryerse had an additional son Luther, born on 9 Spe 1850 and died on 29 May 1853 according to his gravestone in Old Woodhouse Cemetery, Woodhouse Twp. The Ryerse – Ryerson Family gives an additional daughter Ida, born on 6 Feb 1866, died on 10 Jun 1873.
[7] The Ryerse – Ryerson Family gives George Collin Ryerse three more children: Leslie Ryerse, born on 8 Jan 1853, died on 1 Oct 1853; Egerton, born on 18 Jun 1854, died on 18 Jun 1855; and an infant born c. 1860 who died.
[8] Sarah Ann (Ryerse) Fick had two additional children: Sarah Laurine Fick, born on 15 May 1850, died 13 Mar 1851 aged 26 days, buried in Port Royal Cemetery and Frederick B. Fick who died aged 9 months.
[9] Harriet (Ryerse) Birdsell had two children who died young and were buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Waterford, Townsend Twp: a daughter who was born on 5 Aug 1840 and died on 7 Mar 1844 and Sarah Araminta, born c. 1845/6, died on 6 Mar 1848.
[10] Joseph Ryerson’s Crown Grant was in Walpole Township, Haldimand County. He traded those lots with his brother Samuel Ryerse for Lots 23 and 24, Concession 2, Charlotteville Township. Being in the second concession from Lake Erie, these were not lake front lots. The transactions were recorded in the Abstracts of Deeds Registers of Walpole and Charlotteville Townships.
[11] Mehetable Stickney was born at Sheffield Township, Sunbury County, New Brunswick on October 7, 1766. Her husband Joseph Ryerson went with his regiment in the exodus of New York to New Brunswick in 1783. He and Mehetable were likely married there on November 18, 1784, not in New Jersey. Op.Cit.
[12] Joseph Ryerson was born on September 28, 1761 and arrived in Norfolk by July 1797 when he filed his first Land Petition, so aged 34 at the time (Upper Canada Land Petition “R” Bundle 3, Doc. No. 36). His wife Mehetable was born on October 7, 1766, and so aged 30 at the time according to her gravestone in Old Woodhouse Methodist Church Cemetery, Woodhouse Township.
[13] George Ryerson actually married four times. His first wife was Mary Waggoner and they had a son Seth Edward Ryerson who married Anna (daughter of Jesse Owen) and settled at Ellington, New York. George married second to Sarah Frances Rolph (daughter of Dr. John Rolph) and had Frances Mary Ryerson and Joseph William Ryerson. Joseph did not die in the American Civil War, but married and settled at Columbus, Ohio. George married third to Sophia Symes (daughter of Edward Symes) and had a daughter Sophia Mehetable Ryerson. George married fourth to Isabella Dorcas Sterling (daughter of Hon. Ansel Sterling) and had George Ansel Sterling Ryerson. See The Ryerse-Ryerson Family.
[14] Rev. George Ryerson had a first marriage to Mary Waggoner before he married Sarah Rolph according to The Ryerse – Ryerson Family. He and Mary had a son Seth Edward Ryerson, born at Walpole Twp., Haldimand Co. on 18 Feb 1812, died at Bertie Twp., Welland Co., Canada West on 16 Apr 1863. He married first at Bloomsburg, Townsend Twp. on 4 May 1835, Anna Owen (daughter of Jesse and Anna (Winters) Owen), born at Allegheny Co., New York on 27 Nov 1814, died at Ellington, Chautauqua Co., New York on 27 Jan 1853. Seth married second on 6 Feb 1855, Mrs. Catherine M. Hershey (widow of Chrystal Hershey, born in 1823, died at Black Rock (Buffalo), New York on 15 Jul 1894. The son of Rev. Ryerson’s marriage to Sarah Rolph was wounded in the American Civil War but not killed as stated by Owen. He died at Sandusky, Ohio on 8 Jan 1906.
[15] Reverend Joseph Edwy Ryerson was pastor of the Baptist Church in Simcoe then pastored the church at Elmira, New York where he died on August 7, 1863. See Ryerse-Ryerson Family, p. 308.
[16] Eldest daughter Mary Bostwick Ryerson married on 26 May 1841, Andrew Leamonde Wilson and lived at Galt, Ont. See Ryerse-Ryerson Family, p. 308
[17] Rev. William Ryerson’s oldest daughter was Mary Bostwick Ryerson, born in 1821 whose marriage to Andrew Leamonde Wilson on 26 Mar 1841 was recorded in the Talbot District Marriage Register. Ryerse-Ryerson adds two more sons to this family, John born on 14 Jun 1834, died on 17 Dec 1834. Another son George William Ryerson was mentioned in an obituary in the Christian Guardian newspaper issued of 11 Jul 1838, “William Ryerson, son of Rev. Wm. Ryerson, died in Toronto the 29th ult., age 11.”
[18] Rev. Egerton Ryerson and his first wife Hannah Aikman had a son John William, born on 4 Aug 1829, died on 22 Sep 1835 and a daughter Hannah Lucilla, born on 18 Jan 1832, died on 12 Sep 1849. Rev. Egerton Ryerson’s second wife Mary Armstrong was not a widow prior to her marriage. She was a daughter of James Rogers Armstrong, a respected Toronto merchant. The couple had four children: James Edmond Ryerson, born on 19 Jun 1834, died in Jun 1834; Sophia Howard Ryerson, born on 29 Dec 1836; John Adolphus Ryerson, born on 22 Sep 1842, died on 15 Mar 1843; Charles Egerton Ryerson, born on 5 Jul 1847. Of these Sophia married Edward William Harris and lived at London, Ont. Charles married Emily Eliza Beatty and lived at Toronto.
[19] There were five children born to the first marriage, of whom only the youngest, Phoebe Amelia “Emily” Ryerson survived childhood. She married Edwin Powell.
[20] Reverend Edwy Ryerson had six children by his second wife, of whom three survived childhood- Albert Leonidas, Helen Josephine, and George Arthur. Albert married Hatience Carr and lived in Norfolk. Josephine married William Fitzgerald and lived at Ottawa. George married Catherine Eleanor Hamilton, and was a merchant at Port Dover.