Land Petitions of the Niagara Settlers "I"

Ingersoll, Laura (Secord)

Receipt issued at the Receiver General’s Office on 3 Mar 1807 attached to the Upper Canada Land Petition of Thomas Ingersoll

“Laura Secord has paid into this office thro her Husband M^r James Secord Thirteen Pounds eighteen Shillings & eight Pence Ster^g Being the Patent fee according to the regulation acted upon 6 July 1804 on the 11^th June 1800, no part of which fees were paid before—Also two Pounds nine shillings & Six pence Sterling for the Surveying fees thereon [Signed] Peter Russell, Receiver General To John Small Esq^r Clerk of E. Council [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle 5, Petition Number 28c]

Ingersoll, Thomas

Upper Canada Land Petition of Thomas Ingersoll dated at Newark (Niagara-on-the-Lake on 23 Mar 1793

“The Petition of Thomas Ingersoll of Great Barington, County of Berkshire, Commonwealth of Massachusetts in behalf of himself, Gideon Bostwick, Robert Williams, Seth Hamlin & Abel Wilson all of the aforesaid County & their numerous associates—Humble Sheweth That Petitioners being greatly pleased with the high Character they have heard of the Climate, Soil and many other Natural advantages of the Province of Upper Canada, and encouraged by the inducement held out by your Exc^y in your Proclamation of the 7^th Feb^y 1792 and desirous of removing hither with their Families & effects provided they can obtain a United Settlement Sufficiently large for the accommodation of themselves & their Numerous friends & descendants who are willing to follow their Fortune. Your Petitioner humbly presumes to Solicit your Excel^y to grant your Petitioner & his numerous Associates one Township of Land hereafter to be appointed where it shall please your Excellency in your wisdom to allot in this province under such terms & limitations as your Excel^y may be pleased to direct and your Petitioner engages on their part, to bring into this Province a Sufficient number of his Majesty’s faithful Loyalists to settle upon all or the greatest part of the Lots of the said Township so granted. And Petitioner as in duty bound will ever Pray [Signed] Thomas Ingersoll” Read in the Executive Council on 23 Mar 1793. No decision of Council recorded. [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle 1, Petition Number 39]

Upper Canada Land Petition of Thomas Ingersoll dated at York (Toronto) on 14 Jun 1797

“Humbly shews – That Your Petitioner was the approporee for the Township of Oxford, on the River Thames in this Province, and has placed many Settlers thereon, as by his return – That your Petitioner and family consisting of a wife and nine children have been near two years in the Province, & are settled therein – He therefore prays your Honor would be pleased to grant him 1200 acres, as the original Petitioner for the appropriation of Oxford – and that his family may be indulged with a grant of Lands – and as in Duty bound your Petitioner will ever pray—[Signed] Thomas Ingersoll” Received at the Executive Council Office on 14 Jun 1797 and read in Council the same day. Ordered recommended for 1200 acres. [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle 3, Petition Number 13]

Undated Upper Canada Land Petition of Thomas Ingersoll received at the Executive Council Office on 8 May 1797

`Humbly Sheweth—That your Petitioner finding from the backwardness of the Spring, and the late opening of the Communication, he will not be able to have the number of families specified in his agreement, for the hold of the Township of Oxford but trusts in the space of a very few months there will be more families settled in said Township, than is required by his agreement – Your Petitioner therefore prays that your Honor would be pleased for to indulge him with four or five Months – or such space of time as to your Honor may appear reasonable and just—Your Petitioner likewise to solicit your Honor’s approbation for to be allowed to exchange for Lot N^o 21 in front – 1^st Concession, for any other vacant in said Township of Oxford, as lot N^o 21 would be of material Consequence to your Petitioner for the purpose of Settling mechanics, and erecting public buildings—and your Petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray—[Signed] Tho^s Ingersoll” Received at the Executive Council Office on 8 May 1797 and read in Council on 10 May. Ordered the Board does not judge it expedient to grant the Prayer of this Petition. [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle 3, Petition Number 28]

Upper Canada Land Petition of Thomas Ingersoll dated at Queenstown on 21 Jul 1797

“honored Sir Queenstown July 21^st 1797 Permit me to Request your Honnour to give the Indulgence of stating the Conditions these townships was granted. by what was understood by the Proclamation that forty worthy familys should have a grant of a township of Land but Sir I did not suppos that forty settlers was the number that are Required I understood by the Honorb^le Governor Simco and the Council that three times forty was the number that was required Including those Settlers to a family as the governor give Me Leave to give the Incoredgment of twelve Hundred acres to father and two sons that was of age. I wish to Inform your Honnour the Powers I Had from governor Simco. I requested Conditions In the grant his Honnor said he had no athority to give Condition but Ask^d Me how Long a time I wanted to settle the town. I ask^d for seven years it Being Some Distance from orther Inehabetants—the Governor Said these words- M^r Ingersoll if you Come forward and open a door for settlers if its not settle in twice seven years government will not Interfear If I was Like to settle the town as [….] as was Consistant. – the Hon^le M^r Osgood said to Me- that he had Look^d at the Acts of Parlement- that according to his judgement- that the town Could never Be forfeted if the Agent Came forward and was Doing his Duty to wards settling say^d town—I Pray your Honnour to Reanlys My trouble and Expence I beleve your Honnour do fully Convins that theirs No Person that Persiver^d as I have. I had a long Road to Cut throw without any assistance from M^r Daton nor M^r Malery – they would Not build a bridg on their own Lot- that was Very Expensive- and Charg^d Me for their order an for Every Meal that My hands Eat att his house and I believe that town was the worst town to Make a road In the Province—your Honnour is fully Convince the town of Oxford was a wilderness when I first went onto it and that on My Expence I have Made the Lands Valuable – and now for the Persons to Locate on said Lands- that do not wish to settle on the same and some that do not mean to settle In the Province – I think it a […nevance] where for one year [I Can] all May settle Every Lot in the Hull town with good Industrous Men. Your Most obedient Humble Servant [Servant] Tho^s Ingersoll” Read in the Executive Council on 25 Jul 1797. Ordered the Board refers to its report on the subject of the appropriations of Townships for an answer to this Petitioner. [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle 3, Petition Number 49]

Included in a list of persons from whom the Honourable Robert Hamilton, J. P. of Queenston purchased land warrants or rights and the township for which the warrant was issued.

Thomas Ingersol – Full Fees 600 acres in Oxford Township [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “H” Bundle 4, Petition Number 117m]

Upper Canada Land Petition of Thomas Ingersoll late nominee of the Township of Oxford on the Thames dated on 28 Feb 1798

“Humbly shews That your Petitioner has resided four years in the Province, and that his Family consisting of a wife and nine children resides therein also; that in placing settlers in the abovementioned Township, your Petitioner has expended about three Hundred Pounds Halifax in Surveys and making roads nearly thirty miles in length, opening a Communication from the Grand River to the Thames – that having been – informed other persons of similar description have been remunerated of like expenditures Your Petitioner respectfully prays your Honor would be pleased to extend the same indulgence to him, and also that your Honor would be pleased to favor him with an additional grant of Land (to the 1200 acres he has received as a Settler) either as nominee or in consideration of his numerous family none of whom have received any personal grant, and your Petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray—[Signed] Tho^s Ingersoll” [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle 4, Petition Number 33]

Executive Council Notes on the Upper Canada Land Petition of Thomas Ingersoll

Received at the Executive Council Office on 28 Feb 1798 and read in Council on 28 Feb. “1200 acres only, have been granted to any principal Nominee, who was not exclusively entitled to Military Lands—upon a reference to the original Petition of M^r Ingersoll, for himself & numerous associates, as well as to the minute of Council thereon; The Committee are of opinion that the faith of Gov^t stands pledged no further Extent, than what has been already done namely 1200 acres to M^r Ingersoll, & 200 acres to each of the Settlers named in the Chief Surveyor’s Returns, with the Township Report – The Committee think it reasonable that M^r Ingersoll should be repaid the Expenses of Survey, upon producing his Surveyor’s Receipts provided it does not exceed a Sum, which it might have cost Government, for which purpose the Act^g Sur Gen^l will be called upon to report” “6 July 1798 Read the Surveyor Generals Report on the Claim of the Petitioner for being remunerated the Expense of Surveys in the Township of Oxford on the Thames – Ordered that the Sum of fifty three Pounds be allowed to the Petitioner for that Service & the Surveyor General to charge the same in his half yearly Account [Initialled] P. R.” [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle 4, Petition Number 33a]

Undated Upper Canada Land Petition of Thomas Ingersoll received at the Executive Council Office on 11 Jun 1800

“humbly Sheweth That confident of your Excellency’s consideration hear, and humanity to redress Grievances which have a claim upon the Royal munificence for relief, your Petitioner with hu[mility] lays before your Excellency the following Statement of facts. In the year 1793 your Petitioner came into this Province upon the Invitation of His Majesty’s Proclamation [and] petitioned for a Township which was granted to him & to Associates, by His Excellency Lieut^t Governor Simcoe in Council in consequence of which the Township of Oxford Upon the Thames was appropriated to him & them by the acting Surveyor General. —your Petitioner being at that Period in independ[ent] if not affluent Circumstances, he represented to the [Government] [… line folded over at the bottom of the page…] Township by such Documents as would give the Sanction of Prudence to the Investment of his Property in the Settlement thereof, and was answered, with some warmth of animadversion upon his Doubts, “that he could have no Security more Sacred than the Royal Promise, and that if he exerted himself with real & bona fide perseverance in the Settlement of the Township at Should not be escheated or alienated from him & his Associates in “Seven nay in twice Seven Years” Similar assurances were given to your Petitioner in Stronger & more empha[tic] Language by M^r Justice Osgoode—In Consequence of your Petitioners reliance on his Title, thus accredited, he immediately entered upon the most active measures for Settling the Township. In May 1794 he brought Eleven Settlers into it, who were paid & fed by Your Petitioner for a length of time, and employed in opening Roads & other works of a public Nature. —Your Petitioner with equal assiduity and at a heavy Expence, continued filling the Township until June 1797 when it was declared to be open & the claim of your Petitioner & his Associates [….] [d]etermined; at which time [there] were about Thirty Actual Settlers in it, and Twenty more on their way to it, who would within a Couple of months thereafter have Sat down on their Lots—From the Turbulence of the times – Death – and other Casualties none of the four Associates, named as Appropriates with your Petitioner, came into the Province, or Shared in the Expences of the undertaking so that the whole burthen falling upon the Shoulders of your Petitioner has had expended upwards of £1000 N York Currency upon the object [of] his Pursuit & has Sustained Damages & incidental Losses to the amount of half that Sum—your Petitioner has a large family consisting of a Wife & Nine Grown Children, Seven of whom are Now in the Province – & the [……] preparing to migrate into it. Yet for himself & them your Petitioner has only been allowed twelve Hundred acres—Eight Hundred of which his Associated have compelled him to Sell, without being So much relieved as to prevent all his moveable property from having been lately Sold by the Sheriff [……] of a writ of Execution—That your Petitioner submits all these Particulars to Your Excellency & prays for such Compensation in Waste Lands as ~~in Equity, Justice & good faith~~ Your Excellency may think fit to allow & as in duty bound he will pray &c [Signed] Tho^s Ingersoll” [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle 5, Petition Number 16d]

Order of the Executive Council attached to the Upper Canada Land Petition of Thomas Ingersoll

Received at the Executive Council Office on 11 Jun 1800 and read in Council on 11 Jun 1800. “Tho’ the Board is satisfied of the Justice of the principles on which it proceeded in rescinding the appropriations of Townships, yet as it appears that the Petitioner had really expended a large Sum of money on opening the Township of Oxford, & as it also appears that the Co nominees never came into the Province or joined him the Expences of the undertaking, the Board Recommends that the gratuity of 1200 acres which would have been given to the three principles of them if they had come into the Country be divided among the nine children of the Pet^r in grants of 400 acres each.” [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle 5, Petition Number 16g]

List of children dated 31 Jul 1804 attached to the Upper Canada Land Petition of Thomas Ingersoll

“List of the Nine grown Children alluded to in the Order of Council of the 11^th June 1800 in the Petition of Thomas Ingersoll—

1 Laura Secord

2 Elizabeth Ingersoll (dec’ed) She was marr^d to Daniel Pickall

3 Mira Ingersoll—now Wife of Julias Kitchen

4 Abigail Ingersoll – now Wife of Guy Woodworth

5 Charls Ingersoll

6 Tho^s Ingersoll

7Appalone Ingersoll

8 Charlota Ingersoll now Wife of Tho^s Marigold Junior

9 James Ingersoll

I do herby Certify the above Nine names to be the names of my Children mentioned in the order above alluded to—York 31 July 1804 [Signed] Tho^s Ingersoll” Added notation: “*See the Petition of Daniel Pickell Read 25 January 1820 on which the Location is ordered to be made in her Name” [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle 5, Petition Number 28a]

Receipt issued at the Receiver General’s Office on 31 Jul 1804 attached to the Upper Canada Land Petition of Thomas Ingersoll

“Thomas Ingersoll has paid into this office Five Pounds Ste^r for a Grant of 200 acres NR of 30 Dec^r 1802 being part f 400 acres ordered to his Son Charles Ingersol in 1800 – also one Pound Seven Sillings & Six pence Curr^y Surveying Fees thereon [Signed] Peter Russell RG UC To The Hon^ble The Chief Justice” [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle 5, Petition Number 28b]

Receipt issued at the Receiver General’s Office on 3 Mar 1807 attached to the Upper Canada Land Petition of Thomas Ingersoll

Notation attached to the Upper Canada Land Petition of Thomas Ingersoll

“Charlotte Merrigold of Toronto wife of Tho^s Merrigold Jun^r and Daughter of – Ingersoll for 400 Acres Land under an O. C. a long time since” [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle 5, Petition Number 28h]

Innes, John

Upper Canada Land Petition of John Innes dated at Niagara on 13 May 1796 [using a pre-printed form with fill-ins]

“The Petition of John Innes- a native of Born at Bombay in the East Indies- & has served three years in the marine Department of this Province, from which he was regularly discharged—Respectfully shews, That your petitioner is desirous to settle on the lands of the Crown in this Province, being in a condition to cultivate and improve the same. That he has taken the usual oaths, & is ready to subscribe the declaration, that he professes the Christian Religion, and obedience to the laws, and has lived inoffensively in the country which he has left. Prays your Excellency, would be pleased to grant him 200 acres of land upon the terms and conditions expressed in your Excellency’s proclamation bearing date the 7th day of February, 1792, or such other quantity of land as to your Excellency in your wisdom may think meet. And your petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray.” [Unsigned] Read in the Executive Council on 12 Jul 1796. Ordered if not granted before. [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle 2, Petition Number 6]

Included in a list of persons from whom the Honourable Robert Hamilton, J. P. of Queenston purchased land warrants or rights and the township for which the warrant was issued.

John Innis – Full Fee 200 acres in Humberstone Township [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “H” Bundle 4, Petition Number 117l]

Irwin, George

The Upper Canada Land Petition of George Irwin dated at Newark (Niagara-on-the-Lake) on 12 Apr 1794

“humbly Sheweth—That Your Petitioner being desirous of building a dwelling House in the Town of Newark prays that Your Excellency will think meet to grant him leave to occupy Lot N^o 233, in the said Town for that Purpose And Your Petitioner As in Duty bound will ever pray—[Signed] George Irwin” Executive Council Note: 12^th April 1794 Granted. [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle Miscellaneous 1788-1795, Petition Number 4]

Undated Upper Canada Land Petition of George Irwin received at the Executive Council Office on 5 Oct 1796

“humbly sheweth That your Petitioner, born in his Majesty’s 29^th – Regiment while serving in Canada was left in the Protection of a merchant in Montreal, and at the age of twenty one became a resident in Upper Canada where he is desirous to settle for Life, and being able to give testimony of his Loyalty, Integrity, and Industry humbly prays that your honor would please to bestow on him such a Portion of the royal Lands unappropriated as your Honor in Council may seem expedient and your Petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray &c. [Signed] George Irwin” Received at the Executive Council Office on 5 Oct 1796 and read in Council on 9 Oct 1796. Ordered 300 acres as a Loyalist. [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle 2, Petition Number 18b]

Letter from William Dummer Powell to John Small Esquire, Clerk of the Executive Council dated at Mount Dorchester on 8 Oct 1796 attached to the Upper Canada Land Petition of George Irwin

“Dear Sir, I inclose the Certificate of Coltman to accompany the Petition of George Irwin which I will thank you to fill up the Blank (twenty ninth). —Altho born in the Regiment he was never inlisted but served as a volunteer four years when he was permitted to withdraw at the peace. I would have recommended him for 200 acres under the late order, but was desirous to use any Influence I might have to procure to him and George Milmine a young Man who has lived many Years with me 600 acres each. —If you will say as much to the Administrator and Board you will oblige sir, your obed^t Serv^t W^m Dummer Powell, John Small Esq^r” 13 Oct 1796 Laid before the Administrator this day. [Upper Canada Land Petitions LAC “I” “J” Bundle 2, Petition Number 18]