Harrison Family History

 Welcome to the Harrison Family History blog.

The origins of my Harrison family are in a corner of North Yorkshire near the North Sea.  So far, research has confirmed my oldest ancestor as Joseph Harrison (1707-1780), originally a mariner,  ship's carpenter and innkeeper who lived in Whitby, North Yorkshire on the North Sea coast in the 1730s.  He later took up farming in Newton Mulgrave Township to the west of Whitby when he purchased Pearson's Farm located in the Tranmire area in 1738.   His parents are currently unknown.  However on the 1717 Recusant list there is a John Harrison and William Harrison listed as living in the Parish of Egton.  Is one of these his father? There are no Harrisons listed for Whitby which only has one listed name.  Or did he convert to Catholicism when he married Jane Hodgson?

This is the story of my Harrison family down to my grandparents. 

1.  Joseph HARRISON (1707-1780) married Jane HODGSON (?-1743) about 1733.  Jane was the daughter of William Hodgson, who died in 1730, and his wife Elizabeth Spedlin of Ugthorpe Township.  Returns of Roman Catholics made for Anglican Archbishop Blackburn and dated 21 September 1735, list Joseph and Jane HARRISON in the parish of Whitby.  Joseph is described as a mariner.  This is confirmed by an indenture in the North Yorkshire Deeds Registry from 1737 which lists him as a ship's carpenter.  A James Harrison, mariner, witnessed the document as well (a relative? - however there is no James Harrison on the 1735 recusant list).  On May 3, 1738 Joseph Harrison, using the proxy of John Peirson of Egton, purchased present day Low Whins Farm (then called Pearson's Farm) in Newton Mulgrave township for £225. Did Joseph Harrison use a proxy because he was Catholic and afraid that the land could be taken by the government given his illegal faith?  On May 16, 1738 the will of John Hodgson of Biggin House in the parish of Lythe, who died in 1738 was registered in the North Yorkshire Deeds Registry.  Joseph Harrison was a witness to the will and when it was registered the additional information that Joseph was living in Whitby and was an innholder was included.  He is named in the Whitby Poor Assessment records for 1738 and 1739 with a weekly assessment of 3 shillings, one of the higher amounts on the list.  He is 10th on the list and very close to Leonard Hart, who is third on the list, and who's house is located at 113 Church Street very close to the bottom of the 199 steps up to St Mary's Anglican Church.  This means that Joseph Harrison's inn was very close by to this location.  On August 31, 1741 the burial of his daughter Dorothy was recorded in the parish register for St. Mary's (Anglican) church in Whitby as follows: Dorothy daughter of Joseph HARRISON of Tranmire dying at Whitby.  In 1745 Joseph and his family were still living in Newton Mulgrave township, parish of Lythe as they are included there on the recusant list from that year.   Joseph HARRISON next appears on the recusant list of 1767 aged 60 years (this suggests a birth year of 1707).  The list also states that he has lived in the township of Newton Mulgrave, parish of Lythe, for 12 years.  This is at odds with the 1738 date when he acquired Pearson's Farm but most likely indicates that while he owned it it was leased out and he didn't move there until 1755 (possibly).  

Jane HODGSON died in April 1743 as recorded in the Whitby Anglican Parish Register as the wife of Joseph HARRISON, husbandman, Whitby. Now, the description of Joseph HARRISON as a husbandman is interesting.  This essentially describes a tenant farmer but we know that he had purchased his farm in Tranmire in 1738 and so should have been described as a yeoman.  Even though this was in secret, given his Roman Catholic faith, it was not in Whitby township.  So, was he actually a tenant farmer on a farm in Whitby township at the same time he also owned - and was presumably renting out - the farm in Tranmire?  What makes this even more mysterious is that he was clearly living in Tranmire in 1741 when his daughter Dorothy died as stated in the same Whitby Anglican parish register.  If he was indeed renting a farm in Whitby Township it might explain the listing in the 1767 recusant list where it stated that he was living in Newton Mulgrave Township for 12 years (that is since 1755).  This however raises another question.  If he already owned a farm why was he not farming it and instead renting a farm in another location? 

Joseph HARRISON of Low Whins (the one on the right) died and was buried at Egton on April 18, 1780.  His will dated February 18, 1780, and passed almost exactly one year later on April 7, 1781 lists his three living children; as well as stating that his son Henry had "four children"; his son Joseph had "seven children" and his daughter Elizabeth's married name was GARBUT; as well as stating that he had a brother John HARRISON.  The following bequests were granted by his will:  Both Henry and Joseph are given the farms they currently occupied in Tranmire in the township of Newton Mulgrave (Joseph Harrison Jr at High Whins and Henry Harrison at Low Whins).  Their living children were to be given £5 each when they "attain the ages" of 21 years.  Henry was further granted £15 owed to his father Joseph by his brother John.   Elizabeth GARBUT, his daughter, is granted £1.  Joseph Jr.'s daughter Mary is specifically mentioned and left a bed. 

Joseph and Jane had four known children:

• Henry (1734-1812)  He was baptized by Father Monox Hervey, Roman Catholic priest at Ugthorpe, on November 19, 1734. Mary HODGSON was Godmother and was identified as the child's aunt.   Joseph and Jane Harrison are described as being of "Ugthorpe".  Henry would later marry Hannah DALE.  Banns for the marriage were read on December 20, 1764 at Lythe.  Both were listed as living in Danby Parish.

• Elizabeth (c1735- ?).  married to William (?) GARBUT (William GARBUT was a witness to the marriage of Joseph HARRISON and Mary DALE). Elizabeth GARBUT was mentioned in her father's will of 1780.  However no corresponding marriage can be found in Yorkshire.  This suggests that it was a Catholic marriage only.

• Joseph (c1737-1816) married Mary DALE (sister of Hannah DALE)

• Dorothy (?-1741)  Dorothy died and was buried in the cemetery at St. Mary's Anglican Church in Whitby on August 31, 1741.

2.  Joseph HARRISON (c1737-1816) married Mary DALE (1740-1816) at Lythe on May 26, 1761.  Witnesses were Thomas MILBURN, George DALE and William GARBUTT.  Mary is believed to be the daughter of John DALE and Ann HILL who were married by Father Monox Hervey on July 26, 1736.  Their marriage required a dispensation as they were third cousins with great great grandparents in common.  Joseph and Mary first appear on the recusant list of 1767.  Though this list is just initials for North Yorkshire it is clear that it is them.   Joseph HARRISON and Mary DALE are both listed as 25 years old (which would give them a birth year of 1742 if correct). Joseph is listed as a farmer resident in the township for 25 years (so essentially lived in the township for his entire life).  They next appear on the recusant list of 1780 for the Parish of Lythe as follows:  Joseph and Mary HARRISON with sons John, George,  Joseph and William; and daughters Mary, Alice, Dorothy and Jane. (This is one more than the "seven" noted in Joseph HARRISON's will of 1780 so one additional child was born between February 18, 1780 when the will was written and September 1780 when the recusant list was dated).  

In his manuscript "Hearts of Oak", Leslie O'Connor noted that:  

"It appears that at some time after their fathers death, Henry and Joseph may have separated the former remaining in the Tranmire area occupying the farms at Redmires and Whinns, whilst the latter with his wife Mary, moved to Mickleby, two or three miles nearer the coast (were they living with their daughter Mary Porritt in Mickleby?). This is evident from a careful analysis of the Ugthorpe Easter Communion records over the period 1795-1827, in the first of which a Joseph and Mary are shown and continue to be shown till 1804 when a move to Barnby is noticed."

Joseph HARRISON of Barnby died on January 16, 1816 at the age of 78 and was buried at Lythe on January 19th.  His death date was recorded in the Roman Catholic Parish records from Ugthorpe, and his burial on January 19, 1816 was recorded in the burial register for St Oswald Anglican Church in Lythe.  Since his death was at the very beginning of 1816 he most likely turned 78 years old in 1815 giving a probable birth year of 1737.  His wife Mary DALE died a few months later in June 1816 and was buried with him on June 26.  

Joseph HARRISON died without a will (or no will survived) and with the gap in Roman Catholic Parish records for the late 1700s I only have the 1780 recusant list, as well as the Easter Communion lists from the Catholic Church at Ugthorpe, to work from to try and reconstruct his family (the list from 1788 lists a Hannah Harrison Jr - who's daughter is this?  Or is this the daughter of Henry Harrison, Joseph's brother who's family is also apparently indicated to live at "Winns" on the list?).  Using these sources Joseph Harrison and Mary Dale are believed to have had the following children:

• Mary - (1764 - Feb 1831) would be the eldest daughter if the 1780 recusant list has the children in order of age.  This looks to be correct as her grandfather specifically mentioned her in his will and left her a bed - a valuable piece of furniture in the 18th century.  Was she about to get married and so needed one for her own household?  This appears to be correct as Mary Harrison married Matthew Porritt, a shoemaker at Mickelby at St. Oswald's Anglican Church in Lythe on July 8, 1783.  Joseph Harrison, Mary's father, was a witness.   In 1789 Matthew Porritt would be a witness at the wedding of Mary's younger sister Alice to Solomon Harker at Lythe.  Matthew Porritt converted to Catholicism on January 6, 1796 and was "taken in" to the church at St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church in Ugthorpe.  He then appears in a number of Easter Communion lists in the same location and at the Roman Catholic Chapel in Egton Bridge.  It is clear from these that he lived in Mickelby.  A baptism of one of their children appears in the register for St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church in Ugthorpe.  In March 1799 Mary Porritt was baptized with sponsors Michael Snowden and Jane Harrison.  This would fit well as Jane Harrison was Mary's sister.   Mary Porritt died at Mickleby in February 1831 and was buried at St. Oswald's Anglican Church in Lythe.  Matthew Porritt died at Mickleby in 1832 and was buried at St. Oswald's Anglican Church in Lythe.   No will has been found.

• Alice (c 1768-1826) - "Ellice" Harrison appears on the 1788 Easter Communion list for the Catholic Church in Ugthorpe.  She later married Solomon HARKER on August 29, 1789 at the Anglican Church in Lythe.  Though the vicar listed her as Alice on the register she signed it as "Ellice".  Her brother in law Matthew Porritt, married to her sister Mary, was a witness.  She died in 1826 and is buried at Lythe.  Only one child is known from this marriage - Jane Harker born in 1791 who married George Marsay on February 3, 1811 at Lythe and had a large family.  Baptisms for three of their nine known children have been found in the parish records for St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church in Ugthorpe.  These include William in 1811, John in 1820 and Thomas in 1824.   An additional two children were baptized at St. Hilda's Roman Catholic Church in Whitby including George in 1822 and George Harrison in 1827 (the younger George must have died).  They had the following children:  William (baptized on Nov 19, 1811 with sponsors George and Ellis Harker), Joseph (1817), Mary (1818), John (baptized May 5, 1820 with sponsors Mary Porritt nee Harrison, his aunt or first cousin and John Porritt), George (baptized August 17, 1822 with sponsors John and Mary Porritt - his aunt or 1st cousin?), Thomas (baptized December 31, 1824 with sponsor Joseph Harrison (his uncle?), George (baptized October 6, 1827 with sponsors Francis Fishburn and Mary Harker) and Alice (c. 1829).

• John - (1772-1831) - the 1780 recusant list has a son John near the beginning which suggests he is one of the older sons.  However he does not appear on the 1788 Easter Communion list at Ugthorpe.   There is a John Harrison listed on the 1788 Easter Communion list at Ugthorpe as being of Whitby.  Why come all the way from Whitby for Easter mass when there was a Catholic Chapel in Whitby?  Unless he was coming back home to attend Easter mass with his family?  He is the only attendee from Whitby on the list.   It is believed that John Harrison married Ann Hutchinson (1784-1832) (sister of Mary Hutchinson who married his brother William) at Egton on January 28, 1805. The witnesses were Margaret Hutchinson (her sister) and John Peckett (bailiff of the Egton Estate).  I can only find one child born in Egton.  A daughter Mary was baptized in the Roman Catholic Chapel at Egton Bridge on September 24, 1814, one of the sponsors was Margaret Leadley (her aunt), the other was her uncle William Hutchinson.  She died a few years later and was buried at Egton on February 3, 1817, aged 2 years, designated "RC" in the Egton Anglican Register.  John Harrison of Egton Bridge died on February 14, 1831 and was buried at Egton on February 17, 1831, designated "R. Catholic" in the Egton Anglican Register, aged 59.   His wife Ann Harrison, nee Hutchinson of Egton Village was buried in Egton on February 16, 1832, aged 47, also designated "R. Catholic" in the Egton Anglican Register.   I am certain that this Ann Harrison was Ann Hutchinson.  The administration documents for John Harrison's probate from 1831 include a William Leidler (Leadley).  Various Leadley family members were sponsors at the baptisms of various Hutchinson and Harrison family members.   It is believed (though I continue to look for more evidence) that this John Harrison was the son of  Joseph Harrison and Mary Dale. 

• George (?-?) - appears on the 1788 Easter Communion list for the Catholic Church at Ugthorpe after which there is no information on him.

• Joseph - (1775-1825).  Joseph appears on the 1788 Easter Communion list for the Catholic Church in Ugthorpe.  There is a burial for a Joseph HARRISON of Barnby in the Lythe Parish Register in February 1825 which is believed to be the son of Joseph Harrison and Mary Dale.

• Dorothy - Two Dorothy Harrisons appear on the 1788 Easter Communion list for Catholic Church in Ugthorpe living at "Winns".  Two Dorothy Harrisons appear on the 1806 (or is it 1815?) confirmation list at St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church in Ugthorpe.

• Jane (1778-1815) - married George DALE on January 14, 1815 at Lythe. The witnesses were Johane (Jane?) HARKER and William ELAND.  This looks to be her niece and namesake Jane Harker daughter of her sister Alice who was born in 1791.  The signature looks strikingly similar to the one of Jane Harker's marriage to George Marsay in 1811 at Lythe including the last name in lower case.  Did Jane Harker sign with her maiden name?   Jane Dale's death is recorded in the Hinderwell Parish records occurring in Barnby.  She was buried on May 10, 1815 in Hinderwell, aged 37 years.  Her death in Barnby on May 8, 1815 is also recorded in the parish register for St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church but mysteriously her age is given as 48.  I am going with the 1778 birth year based on her age at death in the Hinderwell Anglican Parish Register as it is consistent with the 1780 Recusant List which has her as the youngest daughter.

• William - (c. 1780 - May 2, 1836) married Mary HUTCHINSON in Egton on January 24, 1804.  Later lived in Egton township at Murkside and then immigrated to Canada in April 1831 (see below).

• Hannah (c 1782- 1849) - I believe that Hannah was the sister of William Harrison 1780-1836 as both he and Joseph READMAN were witnesses at her marriage to Isaac LINTON at Egton on April 21, 1829.  She was born circa 1785 and so was born after the 1780 recusant list was made.

3. William Harrison (c 1780 - May 2, 1836) married Mary Hutchinson (May 13, 1782 - August 17, 1856) at Egton Anglican Church on January 24, 1804. The witnesses were Joseph Readman and William Hutchinson.  Under the Marriage Act of 1753 only marriages performed by the Church of England were considered legal. They were no doubt married the same day by the priest at the Roman Catholic Chapel in Egton Bridge. Mary was the daughter of John and Margaret Hutchinson of Egton Township. John Hutchinson was a tailor.  Her birth date of May 13, 1782 was registered with the Anglican Church in Egton.  William Hutchinson who was a witness at the wedding was her brother.  

When he married Mary Hutchinson in 1804 in Egton both were listed as being of that parish.   William and his family lived at Murkside in Egton township.  Various clues suggest it was Murkside Farm (as opposed to Murkside House which appears to have been the long time farm of the Hodgson family).  The area gets its name from the Murkside Esk that flows northerly into the Esk River.  William and Mary raised their family at Murkside attending the nearby Roman Catholic Chapel in Egton Bridge.  The original chapel was built in 1798 and is now a school (a new church was built beside it in 1867 long after William Harrison and his family had left).  William Harrison was listed here in 1824 in tax assessment records for Egton township (assessed with an annual value of over £49); and was still in this location in 1826 as they are listed in the  Easter Communion List for the Roman Catholic Chapel at Egton Bridge.  I would also note that the family of John Readman 1742-1826 and Sarah Dowson 1740-1824 also lived in Murkside.  Their son Joseph Readman 1781-1843 was the best man at William Harrison's wedding to Mary Hutchinson in 1804; and along with William Harrison witnessed the marriage of William's sister Hannah Harrison to Isaac Linton at Egton in 1829.  Joseph Readman (and his brother William) also immigrated to Canada and settled on the lot just south of William Harrison in Toronto Gore Township before dying there in 1843 intestate.  William Harrison was a witness to the will of Joseph's father John Readman who died in Egton Township in 1826.
   

The family immigrated to Canada on board the 380 ton King William which left Whitby on April 11, 1831 with about 300 passengers for Quebec. This is confirmed by my research in the 1831 editions of the Quebec Mercury newspaper which lists the King William leaving Whitby on April 11, 1831 and arriving in Quebec City with 271 settlers on May 22, 1831; and Richard Weatherill's The Ancient Port of Whitby and its Shipping, published in 1908 that confirms the information in the Quebec Mercury. Upon their arrival in Canada they would have taken another ship to Montreal and then from there to the Town of York (Toronto).  The King William was a new ship which was launched on March 7, 1831 at Whitby built for Mr N Campion and Mr R Campion of Whitby.   The journey to Quebec was its maiden voyage.

The family then settled in Toronto Gore Township, Peel County, Upper Canada (present day City of Brampton) north west of present day Toronto. William purchased Lot 8, Concession 9, Toronto Gore Township, 100 acres, from John Beikie, first clerk of the Executive Council in the city of Toronto and the original Crown patent holder, on June 5, 1835 for £75. Though the purchase of the property was not made until 1835 the Harrison family had settled on this property in 1831, as proven by the fact that they were noted in this location by John Dixon in his letter of 1832. I believe that the location of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church, established in 1830 a short distance to the north, was a critical factor in the selection of this lot by William Harrison. 

Interestingly William Porter in his mss History of Claireville, written in 1910, stated that "a half mile north" of John Dark's tavern in Claireville where "one Joseph Champlin kept his hostelry in good old Yorkshire Style" the settlement was named Egton.   Egton would be located at the corner of present day Clarkway Drive and Highway 50 in the present day City of Brampton. This is the only reference that I have come across for the Egton name outside of North Yorkshire suggesting that a number of families from Egton settled in the area.  Claireville was located at the intersection of Toronto Gore Township, Peel County and Etobicoke Township, York County. Remnants of the old hamlet of Claireville still exist close to present day Steeles Avenue West and Highway 50 centered on Codlin Crescent in the City of Toronto. 

The surviving baptismal records for the Roman Catholic Chapel in Egton Bridge (built in 1798) only begin in 1813 and Catholic families were generally no longer baptizing or registering their children in the Anglican Church in Egton at that time.  A note in the Egton Anglican Church records states that the Catholics had not been baptizing their children there since 1781 (though a few families did register their children).  The names of children born before 1813 are noted below and are taken from the 1826 Easter Communion list for the Roman Catholic Chapel at Egton Bridge.  In addition to the parents the following were named:  Alicia (Alice), John, George,  William and Joseph.
  
William Harrison and Mary Hutchinson had the following known children: 

• Joseph - ?  The only mention I can find of this child is in the 1826 Easter Communion list for the Roman Catholic Chapel in Egton Bridge.  He was listed as unmarried. 

• John - ?  The only mention I can find of this child is in the 1826 Easter Communion list for the Roman Catholic Chapel in Egton Bridge.  The list indicates that he was married.  Did he marry Mary Barker in Danby in 1824?  John Harrison is listed as of Egton Parish on the marriage record.  Mary Barker is listed as of Danby Parish.  The baptisms of two children are found at the Catholic Chapel at Egton Bridge: April 17, 1825 - Ann Harrison, dau of John and Mary Barker, sponsors  Matthew Hutchinson (this must be the Matthew Hutchinson who came to Canada and was living with my gggrandfather Matthew Harrison in the 1861 census) and Cath. Knaggs; and June 1, 1836 - Mary Harrison, dau of John and Mary Barker, sponsors:  John and Anna Harrison.  The baptismal records from1828-1834 are missing from the Catholic Chapel records. 

• Alicia (Alice) - ?  The only mention I can find of this child is in the 1826 Easter Communion list for the Roman Catholic Chapel in Egton Bridge.  She was listed as unmarried.

• George (1809-1855) married Faith –later Mary- LINTON (bap June 17, 1804, Goathland, North Yorkshire, England - January 1884) on December 15, 1829, in Goathland (Parish of Pickering) (Church of England), North Yorkshire, England.  Esther Linton, Faith's sister was the witnesses.  Faith changed her name to Mary when she made her "profession of faith" and converted to Catholicism on June 17, 1837. Faith was the daughter of Thomas LINTON and Mary LOWNSBROUGH.  Her brothers Brian and Moses also immigrated to Canada.  Faith's brother Isaac married William Harrison's sister Hannah (Ann) at Egton in April 1829.  George and his family originally lived in Toronto Gore township but later moved to King Township in York County.  He was included in the 1826 Easter Communion list for the Catholic Chapel in Egton Bridge.  He would have been 17 years old then and was listed as unmarried.

• William (1812-1849) married Mary O'CONNOR, April 19, 1838 at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Wildfield, Peel County. William Harrison died on March 11, 1849.  Mary O'CONNOR remarried Edward GALVIN at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Wildfield on January 27, 1864 though her four sons soon sent Edward on his way.   The extant baptismal records of the Catholic Chapel in Egton Bridge only begin in 1813.  He was included in the 1826 Easter Communion list for the Catholic Chapel in Egton Bridge.  He would have been 14 years old then and was listed as unmarried.

• Ann (1813- 1855) was baptised at the Roman Catholic Chapel at Egton Bridge on January 14, 1813.  The sponsors were James Harrison and Dorothy Roe.   She married James C. SMYTH on July 20, 1841 at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Wildfield, Peel County.  She died and was buried at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic cemetery, Wildfield in January 1855. The age on her tombstone is 27 years which is not believed to be accurate as that would have meant she married James C. SMYTH when she was 14 years old which does not seem realistic.  As her mother had married James C SMYTH's widowed father in 1840 her mother became both her mother and mother-in-law.

• Margaret (1814-1891) was baptised at the Roman Catholic Chapel at Egton Bridge on August 19, 1814.  Sponsors were William Hutchinson, Mary Hutchinson's brother and Agnes Readman.  She married George JACKSON on June 23, 1836 at St. James Cathedral (Church of England) Toronto - and then at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Toronto on January 10, 1837 no doubt at the insistence of her mother. George and Margaret left Canada and immigrated to the United States in 1871 settling in Troy, Missouri, north west of St. Louis. 

• Mary (1818 - ?) was baptized at the Roman Catholic Chapel at Egton Bridge on February 8, 1818.  The sponsor's were William Harrison and Ann Harrison.  I do not have any additional information on Mary or know what happened to her.   Did she marry?  The marriage records for St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Wildfield are well documented from 1830 but there is no marriage for her.  There is however a Mary Harrison about the same age who married John Maw on October 7, 1846 in Etobicoke Township.  This marriage was by a Wesleyan Minister and her witness was a William Harrison. Is this her?  Or did she die?  It is possible as the burial records for St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Wildfield are very poor.

• Jane (1820-1901) married James MIDDLETON on February 27, 1838 at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Wildfield, Peel County (though for some reason her name is recorded as Jean).  No baptism has been found in the Roman Catholic Chapel records for Egton Bridge.

• Matthew (1821-1887) was baptised at the Roman Catholic Chapel at Egton Bridge on March 10, 1821.  However no first name or sponsors are listed.  He was married twice.  First to Ann HEWGILL and then after her death to Winnifred BULGER.

William HARRISON died in May 1836 and was buried at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church cemetery at Wildfield, Peel County, Ontario.  The age of 55 years on his tombstone suggests a birth year of 1780 or 1781.  

An educated and literate man himself, he made specific mention in his will that his executor William Harrison, provide his younger brother Matthew with "reasonable schooling until of age."   

Four years after his death his widow Mary HUTCHINSON married Thomas SMYTH on April 27, 1840 at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Wildfield, Peel County. 

4. Matthew HARRISON (1821 - January 6, 1887) married 1. Ann HEWGILL (August 9, 1829 - July 17, 1869) (converted to Catholicism on June 17, 1869) on May 20, 1849 in St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Wildfield, Peel County. They were married a second time by a Wesleyan Minister on July 1, 1849.  Ann HEWGILL died of consumption on July 17, 1869 and was buried on the Matthew Harrison farm on Lot 9, Concession 10, Toronto Gore Township along with a child. The cemetery was protected and preserved as part of the residential development of the property. It is a mystery why she was buried here but I speculate that there was a dispute between the Harrison and Hewgill families over her last resting place. Given that she only converted to Catholicism one month before her death I am guessing that Matthew Harrison wanted her buried in St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cemetery in Wildfield and her father William Hewgill wanted her buried at the Hilltop Gore Methodist Cemetery. Burial on the farm seems to have been a compromise for all concerned. The cemetery can be viewed here. Ann Hewgill's white marble tombstone lying flat on the ground can be easily seen under the tree in the centre - part of the original apple orchard. When the city of Brampton landscaped the cemetery they cut down the old apple tree being removed (contrary to what I was told me).  

Matthew purchased his first farm -  100 acres on Lot 9, Concession 10, Toronto Gore Township on March 1, 1854.  However, there was an existing lease on the property and so he had to wait three years until moving to this lot.  In the meantime he was renting a farm further north.  This is a bit of a mystery since he already owned 50 acres nearby that he purchased in 1845.  Later he acquired another 100 acres of Part Lots 14 and 15, Concession 10, Toronto Gore Township. Part Lots 14 and 15, Concession 10 would be given to his son William Harrison (my great grandfather). Matthew Harrison and Ann Hewgill had the following children: 

• Mary Elizabeth (1850-1904) married Martin BRYNE at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Wildfield, Peel County. They had 11 children. 

• unnamed twins - lived 2 days (referred to in a letter by William Hewgill).

• William (1854-1923) married 1. Julia Ann O'BRIEN, married 2 Mary Jane BRYNE. 

• John Francis (1857-1858) 

• Ann Jane (1860-1943) married Thomas O'BRIEN on February 6, 1883 at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Wildfield, Peel County. They lived in Huron County near Clinton, Ontario and had 6 children. 

• Unnamed child (1869-1869) buried on Lot 9, Concession 10, Toronto Gore Township with Ann HEWGILL (only one grave shaft was found during the archaeological investigation of the cemetery). 

Matthew HARRISON married his second wife, Winnifred BULGER on November 7, 1869 at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Wildfield, Peel County. Winnifred was the daughter of James BULGER and Ann CULLITON. They had the following children: 

• Alice Josephine (1870-1937) married John James KEHOE on February 23, 1892 at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Wildfield. They had 7 children (including 2 priests and 1 nun). 

• Theresa (1872-?) She could have been registered as "Eliza" when she was born on March 26, 1872. There is a birth registration of a daughter of Matthew Harrison and Winnifered Bulger for this date with this name. She married William DAVIS on January 31, 1894 in St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Wildfield. In the 1911 Census they had 6 children.

• Agnes Loretto (1873-1963) - never married. 

• John Francis (1875-1954) married Mary ROBINSON on May 6, 1895 at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Wildfield, Peel County. They had 7 children. Upon his father's death John inherited the 100 acres of Lot 9, Concession 10. However, due to legacies owed to his siblings after the death of Winnifred in 1921 he became indebted to his brother-in-law John James Kehoe borrowing $4,500 in September 1921. Unable to pay this debt he signed over the farm to John James Kehoe on March 1, 1932 for $1. John Francis Harrison remained on the farm until he retired in 1943 when he held an auction to sell all this farm produce and equipment.  He then moved to Brampton and died there in 1954.  Mary Robinson died in Brampton in 1956.  The property would remain in the Kehoe family well after the death of John James Kehoe in 1950.  His executors held the property until it was sold to George B. Smith in 1958 for $2 and a mortgage of $22,500 which Smith paid off in 1962.  Smith held the land until 1974 selling it for $10 and a mortgage of $480,000.

• Charles Augustus (1878-1898) - never married.  Charles died of appendicitis when he was 21 years of age.  

• Emanuel (1879-?) married Mary HORAN at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, Albion Township, Peel County on October 6, 1903 and them moved to Rochester, New York where he worked on the railway.  In the 1910 US census he is living at 56 Barnum Street in Rochester.  By the 1920 US census he is living not too far away at 1 Greenleaf Street in Rochester, New York.  They had the following children: Henry (b. 1906, California), Theodore (b. 1908, New York), Mary (b. 1911, New York), Helena (b. 1915, New York) and Alma (b. 1918, New York). He and his family were living at the same location in the 1930 and 1940 census. 

• Mary Helena (1882-?) married Bernard CAMPBELL on January 16, 1907 at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Wildfield 

• still born male child - twin of Mary Helena (1882-1882) 

Matthew Harrison died on January 6, 1887 and is buried in St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cemetery in Wildfield.  I have not been able to locate a death registration for him which is a real mystery since his nephew Nicholas Harrison was the local registrar.  I suspect that Nicholas did indeed file the required documents but they were subsequently lost.  According to her death registration, Winnifred Bulger died on February 19, 1921 of old age. She is buried in St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cemetery, Wildfield. 

5. William HARRISON (February 28, 1852- June 22, 1923) married 1. Julia Ann O'BRIEN (1855 - February 24, 1882) on March 12, 1881 at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Dixie, Peel County.  Julia was the daughter of Christopher O'Brien of Etobicoke Township, York County.  According to her death registration Julia died of septicemia 10 days after the birth of her daughter Mary Clare. When Julia died she was buried in the Fifth Line Cemetery (also known as Elmbank Cemetery). The cemetery later became landlocked within the grounds of the Malton Airport (now Pearson International Airport). Though many opposed it (including me), the cemetery was "closed" in 2005 to allow for further expansion of the airport and the 634 remains were excavated and re interred at Assumption Catholic Cemetery on Tomken Road just south of Derry Road East in Mississauga. The remains were placed in a dedicated section at the east end of the cemetery with a ceremonial plaque listing all the names of those buried there. From the excavations it was possible to identify a number of the remains but unfortunately Julia Ann O'Brien was not one of them. William had 100 acres of land on the west side of present day Clarkway Drive south of Mayfield Road. He sold this circa 1906 and moved to the north east corner of Dixie Road and Dundas Street in Toronto Township (present day City of Mississauga) where he operated a market garden. They had one child: 

• Mary Clare (February 14, 1882 - April 23, 1932) m. Thomas COLLINS on May 5, 1908 at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church. They had no children.  

William Harrison married his second wife, Mary Jane BRYNE (1857 - August 31, 1932) at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, Arthur, Ontario on June 11, 1883. Mary Jane Bryne was the daughter of James and Ann Bryne. William Davis and Lizzie Bryne were the witnesses. The marriage registration writes "Bryne" as "Burns". Mary Jane Byrne was a cousin of William's.  Her family was originally from Toronto Gore Township. According to his death registration, William Harrison died on June 22, 1923 of cystitis. It indicates that he was buried in Port Credit. According to her death registration, Mary Jane Bryne died on August 31, 1932.  

They had the following children:

• Matthew Joseph (August 2, 1884 - 1946) married Anne Loretto KELLY on November 22, 1916 at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Port Credit, Peel County Annie was born in Streetsville and was the daughter of William KELLY and Anna MCKEOWN. Witnesses to the marriage were James Francis Harrison (my grandfather) of New Toronto and Nellie Madigan of 321 Brock Avenue. The Kelly family was originally from Oxford County.  They had 5 children together. Matthew worked as a Stationary Engineer for Dominion Bridge Company making sure that the machinery in the facility was running properly. Matthew lived with his family first on Brad Street, then Dundas Street West, and later at 318 Pacific Avenue across the street from St. Cecelia's Roman Catholic Church. Originally in the Town of West Toronto, it was a short streetcar ride down Dundas Street West to the Dominion Bridge Company located on Sorauren Avenue just south of Dundas Street West. 

• Anne Esther (March 24, 1886 - April 7, 1905). According to her death registration Anne died of consumption after an illness of 2 years. She never married. 

• James Francis (April 8, 1888 - 1948) married Helen Teresa SANDFORD (1889-1975) 

• William Joseph (October 3, 1890 - April 19, 1931) According to the 1911 census Bill was a linesman employed by the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario. According to his death registration record, William was listed as a Market Gardener. He died in St. Michael's Hospital on April 19, 1931 of tuberculosis meningitis, an inflammation of the brain. His sister told me that this was a result of an infection that developed after he had a number of teeth extracted. He never married. He is buried in Mount Peace Cemetery in Mississauga. 

• Bridget (1892-?) 

• John (Jack) Joseph (September 6, 1893 - May 26, 1922) According to his death registration he was an auto mechanic and died of a stroke. He never married. 

• Martin Ambrose (October 28, 1895 - 1980) married Madeline BOYCE (1895-?) at St. Cecilia's Roman Catholic Church on January 2, 1918.  They were both 22 years of age. Madeline was the daughter of Alex BOYCE and Mary FARLEY. Witnesses were William J. Harrison, Ambrose's brother and Evelyn Boyce. At the time Ambrose was living at 195 Perth Avenue and Madeline at 136 Edwin Avenue, Toronto. Madeline was born in New Westminster, British Columbia. They had 15 children. Ambrose worked for the Toronto Transit Commission as a streetcar driver. For a while Ambrose and his family were in the running for the big prize in the Great Stork Derby - an interesting tale of Charles Vance Miller who left the majority of this estate to the mother who had the most children within ten years of his death.  The contest ran from 1926 to 1936. The Harrison family did not win but were featured in an advertising campaign for Carnation milk products due to the publicity.

• Mary Margaret Rita (September 10, 1901 - 1993) entered St. Joseph's Convent, Toronto in 1921 and became Sister Mary Caroline. Sister Mary Caroline was educated at the Toronto Normal School and taught in Catholic schools in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Ontario. She died on February 22, 1993 and is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Vaughan. 

6. James Francis (Frank) HARRISON (April 8, 1888 - January 31, 1948) married Helen Teresa SANDFORD (November 14, 1889 - June 8, 1975) on June 15, 1926 at St. Theresa's Roman Catholic Church, New Toronto, York County. Frank was 36 years old and a railroad conductor. Helen was 35 years of age. Witnesses were William Harrison, Frank's brother and Madeline Sandford, Helen's sister. Frank worked for the Grand Truck Railway (which became the Canadian National Railway in 1923) where he eventually became a conductor. At the time his parents were living at the north east corner of Dixie Road and Dundas Street in Toronto Township (present day City of Mississauga) and he was working out of the Mimico Yards in the Town of New Toronto. This was too far to commute on a daily basis so he boarded at homes in New Toronto. In the 1911 census he is boarding at the home of James O'Neill on Sixth Street. In that year he listed his occupation as "trainman" with an annual salary of $720. He had $250 worth of life insurance for which his annual dues were $7.30.  By 1918 he was boarding at the home of Edward Sandford and Mary Coady on the north west corner of Seventh Street (present day Islington Avenue) and the Lake Shore Road (present day Lake Shore Blvd West).  He is also listed as living there in the 1921 census.  Today it is the TNT store. It was here that he met their daughter Helen and fell in love. They were married in 1926 and the new couple moved to a new home that they had built in the adjacent community of Mimico.  

They had two children: 

• Francis Edward (Ed) Harrison (July 27, 1927 - February 10, 2012) Ed attended St. Michael's College School in Toronto, playing both hockey and football before beginning his professional hockey career with the Boston Bruins in 1947. He later played for other teams both in the NHL and other leagues before retiring from professional hockey in 1962. He then moved to Brantford, Ontario to raise his family. 

• living