The Ontario Pioneers and Available Genealogies 

Settlers "K"

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Pew House at 9387 Lundy's Lane, Niagara Falls (left)

Pew House 667 Portage Road, Niagara Falls (right)

Keefer, George (1773-1858) was born in Paulins Kill, Sussex County, New Jersey on 8 Nov 1773 to George and Mary Maria (Conke) Kieffer.

During colonial times, George Keefer’s parents lived on a property in the area of Paulins Kill, Sussex County, New Jersey. This is now located in Knowlton Township, Warren County in the northwest part of the state along the Delaware River and west of Roxbury Township, Morris County where his grandmother Anna Margaret and her second husband Frederick Saverine lived.

During the American Revolution George’s father declared loyalty for the British cause and died on Staten Island in 1778 when George was just five years old. In 1792, the new Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada (Ontario) set out a resolution making 200 acres of land available to any who came to the province with the intention of settling. At the age of eighteen, George Keefer set out for Upper Canada with his mother and stepfather Michael Teeter in 1792. Normally lots were granted to persons aged twenty-one years old or older. Despite his young age, George Keefer applied for and obtained his grant.

Keefer identified a 136 acre location in Lots 10 and 18, Thorold Township, Welland County.3 The lots are now completely subdivided for the west side of the town of Thorold. In the east Lot 10 fronts on Pine Street between Townline Road West in the north and Water Street in the south. Lot 18 adjoins the southern boundary of Lot 10 continuing south along Pine Street.

Includes five generations, ancestry and biography. Descendant surnames mentoned: Hamot, Converse, Eastman, McFarland, Henry Van Allen, Brewster, Dewitt, Spiers, Barnard, Lindsay, French, Blackstock, Dumbill, Kittridge, Johnston, Bell, Folding, Fleming, Osborne, Harkness, Waddell, McCutcheon, Graham, Reid, Lawrence, Sankey, Ridley, Mahony, Nelson, Wodehouse, Croudy, Sweeney, Gjerdrum, Wright, VanTassel, Cadenhead

Kellam, George (1778-1859). This genealogy begins with the Kellam ancestors who lived in Waltham-on-the-Wolds, Leicester County, England from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries, then continues with George Kellam and his wife Mary Kemp. The couple had ten children baptized in Wymondham, Leicester County then in 1829 immigrated to Vaughan Township, York County, Ontario northwest of the City of Toronto. The genealogy follows the descendants of George and Mary Kellam in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They lived in many Ontario counties including York, Peel, Norfolk, Haldimand, Lincoln and Welland. Some descendants settled in Pennsylvania, New York and Michigan. Descendant surnames included: Holland, Thurlow, Ackrow, Yocom, Topp, Johnston, Otto, McClung, Walker, Carter, Fisher, Pickering, Featherstone, Leggatt, Nelson, Atkinson, Robson, Torrance, Moody, Hall, Chrysler, Yeager, Ellis, Bielby, Tedder, Thomas, Harkness, Miller, Barker, Nattress, Agar, Moffat, Reaume, Tyrell, Poland, Clark, Caulder, Johnson, Devins, Redhouse, Saunders, Hind, Swent, Anger, Bessey, Kramp, Steen, Allen, Leach, Parmalee, Fails, Kightlinger, McKenzie, Tory, Marr, Busch, Edy, Constantine, Farr, Fairchild

Kellum, Lebeus (c. 1784-1856) and his wife Sophia Ansley brought their family from Pennsylvania to Canada in 1828. They settled in Townsend Township, Norfolk County about 1825 and lived between Waterford and Bloomsburg. Includes three generations of descendants in Norfolk and Bruce Counties. Descendant surnames included: McÐonald, Appleford

Kelly, John Bessey (c. 1748-1814) was born in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey to John and Elizabeth (Bessey) Kelly. He married first in Salem, Salem County, New Jersey on 24 Dec 1768. 

John Kelly and his second wife Annie Ollie came to Upper Canada in the summer of 1788 with three children and settled on 200 acres of land in Lots 48 and 49 in Thorold Township, Welland County. This was located on the north and south sides of Beaverdams Road and the east side of Kottmeier Road south of Lake Gibson and the town of Thorold.

The genealogy includes six generations from coast to coast in Canada and the United States. Descendant surnames mentioned: Vanderburgh, Toles, Pew, Averill, Lewis, Marchant, Hoggard, Sussex, Collver, Graves, Cohoe, Ritchie, Albright, Kent, Clapp, Mason, Metzger, Stickle, Raymond, Betts, Oswald, Forman, Price, Bunting, Rice, House and many more.

Kemp, David (1722-  ) was born in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. During the French-Indian (Seven years) War (1756-1763), David Kemp left his native Aberdeen, Scotland and joined the British Army and served in America. 1 Following his service he married Jane Lowry and settled in Oxford Township, Sussex County, New Jersey.

During the American Revolution, David Kemp remained loyal to the British cause and his son Mathew joined Colonel Barton’s regiment in the loyalist New Jersey Volunteers. In his 1795 land petition, David Kemp stated immediately after the peace. He settled on a Crown Grant in Lot 19 in the Town of Niagara (the present Niagara-on-the-Lake) in Niagara Township, Lincoln County.  This half acre home lot was on the north side of Prideaux Street west of Gate Street. He had an additional one acre home lot in Lot 69 at the southwest corner of Queen and Victoria Streets.

The genealogy includes five generations in Ontario, in Western Canada and coast to coast in the United States. Descendant surnames mentioned: Heron, Hurst, McEuen/McEwen, Hartman, McKinney, McCarthy, Ashbaugh, Mills, Cockburn, Thompson, Zimmerman, Patterson, House, Teeter, Book, Robinson, Swayze, Binkley, Bowers, North, Matheson, Weston, Shaw, Barber, Allen, Nisbet, Howard, Isaac, Davis, Sweet, Kitchen and many more.

Kennedy, James (1783-1869) was born in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland on 31 Dec 1783 and came to Upper Canada by 1811. He married Mary Gray (1785-1870) and farmed on 100 acres of land in Lot 1 Concession 16 from the Niagara River, Bertie Township and made this his home.  This was located on the north side of Old Garrison Road and east side of the Humberstone Township line west of the hamlet of Mulgrave. On the west side of this location was a 63 acre strip of land in Lot 1 Concession 2, Humberstone Township. James Kennedy applied to the Executive Council for a grant of the lot and received the Council’s approval and patent in 1822. He also received a grant of the adjoining south half of Lot 2 Concession 2.

The genealogy includes five generations in Welland County, Ontario, New York and California. Descendant surnames mentioned include: Moorhead, Sherk, Buck, Davis, Ralph, Fretz, Danner, Wintermute, Haun, Shaw, Long, Willis, Allen, Goldhawk, Bailey, Cross, Beals, Graf, Wright, Lawson, Reck, Hart, Daniels.

Kent, George (c. 1775-1824) and his wife Elizabeth emigrated from Alveston, Gloustershire, England to Simcoe, Norfolk County. Includes his son George Kent (c. 1800-1850), a merchant in Simcoe who married Sarah Sheppard. Includes three generations of descendants in Norfolk County. Descendant genealogies included; Wallace. Another of the name George Kent (1820-1896) came from Cornwall, England and settled in Delhi, Middleton Township where he farmed and operated a mill. Includes children and grandchildren in Norfolk County.

Ker, Thomas (1772-1855) was born to James and Margaret (Johnston) Ker) Sprouston, Roxburghshire, Scotland on the River Tweed near the English border. Thomas and his wife Janet left Scotland in 1797 and voyaged to the port of Philadelphia then on 30 Aug 1797 continued to New York followed by a journey overland and by water to Niagara, Upper Canada. He settled on Lots 10 and 11 Concession 9, Grantham Township, Lincoln County.  This is located along Twelve Mile Creek north of Glendale Avenue. The Welland Canal was developed along Twelve Mile Creek and in 1829 Ker sold some of his land to the Welland Canal Company. Over time the Ker farm was subdivided and developed for homes and businesses in the village of Merritton, now a part of the City of St. Catharines.

He “was a stone Mason by trade, worked at government works at Niagara, and did the principle part of plastering, chimney building and other Mason work throughout this part of the District, he built the first chimney in St Catharines, namely, the one in old Paul Shipman’s Yellow Tavern which used to be there.”

The genealogy includes parents in Scotland and five generations in Ontario, western Canada and coast to coast in the United States. Descendant surnames mentioned: Vanderburgh, Marlatt, Howell, Mudge, Fleming, McIntyre, Bruce, Gaffney, Bravender, Morrison, Watson, Garner, Buckbee, Thomas, Etherington, Misener, Young, Best, Lindsay, Hillman and many more.

Kern, Johannes Jacob (c. 1705-  ), born in Schwaigern, Heilbronn District, Baden-Wurtemburg, Germany immigrated with his wife Anna Marie Mayer and son Christopher Kern (1728-1796) to the American colonies. On Sept. 30, 1740 Johannes Jacob with his brother Nicholas Kern took an oath of abjuration to former loyalties and that of fidelity to King George the 2nd of England. The brothers settled in the German Valley, Roxbury Township, Morris County, New Jersey located on Naurightville Road in the area of present Schooley’s Mountain Park south of Hackettstown. The name Jacob Kern appears in the ledger of German Valley store keeper John Peter Nitzer under date of 28 Jun 1763. Johannes Jacob and his son Christopher Kern lived out their lives in German Valley. Three of Christopher’s sons came to Upper Canada:

John Kern (1763-1824), was born in German Valley on 29 May 1763. He married in 1787, Charity Bunn. In 1800, John, his brother Christopher, their wives and children left New Jersey for Upper Canada. On 13 Sep 1802, Kern petitioned for a lease on Crown Reserve Lot 9, Concession 1, Charlotteville Twp. behind the land of Peter Teeple and received the recommendation of the Executive Council. On 14 Mar 1804, Kern purchased from Teeple 106 acres in Lot 9, Concession A. Kern made his homestead on the rear part of his purchase near the present village of Forestville.

Christopher Kern (1758-1846) who came with John moved on to Oxford County. Christopher spelled his surname "Karns". David Kern (1770-1850) made a first visit to Upper Canada in 1796. On 12 Oct 1796, David Kern filed an Upper Canada Land Petition requesting a grant of land.3 He returned to New Jersey and then came to Upper Canada with his wife and his wife Catherine Wise (1774-1826) and family in 1799 settling briefly in Norfolk County and received a grant of Lots 17 and 18, Concession 8, Barton Township, Wentworth County south of the present city of Hamilton and made that his homestead

Philip Kern (1772-1850) lived out his life in German Valley. Two of his sons came to Upper Canada: Isaac Kern (1800-1848) lived for a while in the Niagara area of Upper Canada then moved to Glanford Township, Wentworth County. Samuel Kern (1812-  ) also settled in Glanford Township.

Includes ancestral biographies and three to four generations of descendants in Norfolk and Elgin Counties in Ontario, and in Michigan and elsewhere. Descendant surnames included: Stokes, Stockwell, Smith, Cox, Watson.

Kilman, Philip (c. 1715- ) arrived at the port of Philadelphia from Germany in 1754 with his wife Anna Maria Mayer and children Johannes, Jacob Friedrich and Christina. Philip Keilman of Albany Bush was naturalized in Albany, Albany County, New York on 3 Jul 1759.

Philip Kilman and his son Jacob came to Upper Canada by 1786. Philip Kilman settled on a crown grant of 200 acres of land in Lots 87 and 88, Stamford Township, Welland County. This was located on the east and west sides of Montrose Road between Dorchester Road and Kalar Road about ½ kilometre south of Thorold Stone Road. In Kilman’s time this area was entirely rural. It has since been subdivided and developed for commercial and residential properties in the City of Niagara Falls. The Queen Elizabeth Way runs through Lot 87. Meadowvale Park is located at the centre of Lort 87.

The genealogy includes seven generations in Ontario, western Canada and coast to coast in the United States. Descendant surnames mentioned: Rettig/Reddig, Garner, Scholfield, Wright, Camp. Howey, Spencer, Hyatt, Hutt, Shugg, Johnson, Miller, McFate, Tice, Foss, , Sherman, Beckett, Groff, Upper, Quance, Thompson, Faherty, Lewis, McBurnie, Yates and many more.

Killmaster, John (1781-1861) came from Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England by 1814 and settled in Walsingham Township, Norfolk County. He married widow Elizabeth (Stacy) Smith and was a prominent merchant in the village of Port Rowan. Includes three generations of descendants in Norfolk and Elgin Counties, and in Michigan and elsewhere. Descendant surnames included: McLennan, Clutton, Cook, Benedict, Stearns, Minkler

Kitchen, Joseph (1786-1868) lived in Mansfield Township, Sussex County, New Jersey then came to Canada in 1809 and married Miriam Barber. The couple settled in Charlotteville Township, north of the village of Vittoria where he was Deacon of the Baptist Church. Includes ancestry and children and grandchildren in Norfolk and Elgin Counties. Descendant surname included: McConnell. James Kitchen (1791-1868), brother of Joseph Kitchen, and his wife Cornelia Bray came to Canada and lived for a time in Townsend Township, Norfolk County then about 1818 settled in South Dumfries Township, Wentworth County. Includes children and grandchildren in Brant County and elsewhere. Descendant surnames included: Rosebrough, Payne. Another brother, Edward Kitchen (1800-1889) lived in Norfolk and Elgin Counties then in 1886 bought a farm in South Dumfries Township, Elgin County. Includes children and grandchildren in Brant and Wentworth Counties. Descendant surnames included: Howell, Clump, Blasdell, Bonham, Patten, Bell

Kitchen, Richard (c. 1765-1826) lived at Schooley’s Mountain, New Jersey then after 1793 in Derry Township, Northumberland County, New Jersey until bringing his family to Townsend Township, Norfolk County in 1810, settling in the village of Bloomsburg. Includes ancestors and four generations of descendants in Norfolk, Halton and Wentworth Counties and elsewhere. Descendant surnames included: German, Robins, Baker, Cowan, McKenney, O’Brien, Tate, Smith, Bulmer, Walsh, Bell, Ormandy, Hoover, McCrae, Hill, Stallwood. Joseph Kitchen (c. 1766-), cousin of Richard Kitchen, and his wife Elizabeth Hendershot lived in Greenwich Township, Sussex County, New Jersey then near Richard in Derry Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania before coming to Townsend Township, Norfolk County in 1810. Includes three generations of descendants in Norfolk County. Descendant surnames included: Weaver. Thomas Kitchen (1799-1868), another cousin of Richard Kitchen, came with his parents from Sussex County, New Jersey to Ancaster Township, Wentworth County, Upper Canada and married Ann Drake. Later in life he settled in Townsend Township. Includes children and grandchildren in Norfolk County, Descendant surname included: Price. The Richard Kitchen story was included in Biographies of the Long Point Settlers.

Kniffen, George Thomas (c. 1776-1860) was born in New York to Jacob Kniffen and his wife Rosanna Devough. He married Elizabeth Jones and lived in New York City. George Kniffen, a shoemaker, brought his family from New York City, New York to Upper Canada by about 1824 and settled on a ten acre home lot in in the northeast part of Lot 2, Concession 2, Woodhouse Township. This was located north of Port Ryerse on the south side of St. John’s Church Road east of Highway 24.George Kniffen died in 1861 following an accident with a horse power threshing machine in the previous November. His widow continued in their home in Woodhouse Township and died on 14 Dec 1875. They were buried in Port Dover Cemetery, Port Dover, Woodhouse Township.

Includes ancestors and four generations of descendants in Norfolk and Lambton Counties, and in Iowa, Michigan and elsewhere. Descendant surnames included: Boyington, Taylor, Middleton, Sowersby, Sowter, Furlong, Withered, Gruver, Bolster, Slagle, Moat, Owen, Russell, Rubell, Worley, Brandow, Wilson

Knight, Charles (1796-1875) was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and came to the Long Point Settlement about 1811. he married Hannah Tallman then settled in Southwold Township, Elgin County at Talbotville Royal. Includes children and grandchildren in Elgin County. Descendant surnames included: Mills, Smith, Penwarden, Kettlewell, Partlow, Harris, Hill, Ellison, Maynard, Martin. Includes two more unrelated families of this surname: Silas Knight (1802-1867) and his wife Phoebe Short came from the United States and settled in Woodhouse Township, Norfolk County by 1829 then moved to Walpole Township, Haldimand County and afterwards to Burr Oak, Winneshiek County, Iowa. Includes children and grandchildren in Iowa. Descendant surnames included: Duff, Carl. John Knight (c. 1787-) also settled in Woodhouse Twp. by 1829.

Knowles, Robert (c. 1792-1862) and his wife Margaret Allen emigrated from Antrim County, Ireland about 1845 and settled near Carholme, Walsingham Township, Norfolk County. Includes three generations of descendants in Norfolk County. Descendant surnames included: . James Knowles, perhaps related (1801-1883) and his wife Jane Barkley emigrated from Ireland to Cincinatti, Ohio about 1841 then came to Carholme  about 1846. Includes three generations of descendants in Norfolk County. Descendant surnames included: Alexander, Hagan. Solomon Knowles (c. 1819-), unrelated, came from the United States by 1832 and married Agnes Cowan. The couple settled in Middleton Township, Norfolk County. Includes children and grandchildren in Norfolk County. Descendant surnames included: Langtry, Ferguson, Neilson

Koehl, Conrad -- see Cole

Krafft, Lorenz (Lawrence) (1795-1865) was born to Lorenz and Barbara (Kraus) Krafft in Rechtenbach, Bavaria, Germany. He came to Canada by 1828 and married Dorothy Jacky. Lawrence Krafft settled on 100 acres of land in Lot 16 Concession 8 from the Niagara River, Bertie Township, Welland County.  This was located along the south side of Townline Road at its meeting point with Netherby Road. Black Creek runs through the centre part of the lot. The west part has been subdivided and developed for residential properties in Douglastown near the village of Black Creek. Part of Niagara National Golf & Country Club is located in the south part along College Road.

Franz (Francis) Krafft (1808-1885), brother of the above, married in the Evangelishe Kirche, Oberotterbach, Bavaria on 11 Jun 1833,  Catharina Margaretha Wittermann/Westermann and brought his family to Canada in 1836 or 1837. On 10 Jun 1840, he purchased a ½ acre home lot in the hamlet of Ridgemount, Lot 9 Concession 8 from the Niagara River, Bertie Township.  This is located on Ridgemount Road north of Bowen Road. On 7 Apr 1851 he purchased 31 acres in the north part of the east end of Lot 9 Concession 9 from the Niagara River, Bertie Township for ₤62. This was located on the north side of Bowen Road about 1 kilometre west of Ridgemount. Francis sold his home lot and farm to James Weeks on 10 Mar 1855. On 10 May 1855 he purchased from John H Troup 90 acres in the west part of Lots 7 & 8 Concession 10 from the Niagara River, Bertie Township for ₤725. This was located along the east side of Winger Road and south side of Bowen Road about 2 kilometers southeast of the village of Stevensville. The Kraft homestead was located at 3347 Bowen Road.

The genealogy includes parentage in Germany and six generations in Welland County, Ontario and coast to coast in the United States. Noted entrepreneur James Lawrence Kraft of Chicago, Illinois is included in this genealogy. Descendant surnames mentioned: Jacky, Tripp, Claus, Ayers, Quinn, McFadden, Sturges, Stewart, Appleby, Stady, Baker, McLeod, Fehrman, Beam, Rose, Beach, Learn, Beach, Weaver, Awre; McKenzie, Kennedy, Anderson, Rasch; Bodart, Follstad, Hardy, Dahlberg and many more.