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HomeMy WebLinkAbout783Duotang bound book, 20 pages, compiled by Alyson Hazlett and Pat McCauley, undated. "Pickering Archives The purchase of an old medicine bottle in Pickering marked A.KNOWLES C.W. by my daughter Alyson Hazlett began a search for the man behind this ""German Oil"" and found only one possible person; Abraham Knowles. From there this interest and research went back to Grimsby in 1801, to Scarborough in 1803 and forward to the present where Alyson found a living relative. We think this information will be of interest to those who value history in general and particularly to those who seek information on pioneer times in Scarborough and Pickering. P. McCauley 905-427-8128" "The Knowles Family By Pat McCauley Research by Alyson Hazlett and P. McCauley Abraham Knowles was born in Grimsby, Ontario on March 19th, 1803 and baptised in Scarborough a few days later. He was the eighth and last child of William and Mary Knowles. The Knowles immigrated from New Jersey before 1801 and settled in Grimsby, Ontario which then had a population of about 100 . By February 26th, 1801, William had taken the Oath of Allegiance before Robert Nelles, J. P. On March 16,1801, Peter Hunter the Lieutenant Governor for the province of Ontario, received a petition from William ""now of Grimsby"". It stated that he had purchased Lot #4, Conc. 1 of Scarborough and was ""desirous"" of obtaining a lease on the adjoining Lot #5. However, by My 28,1803 the petitioner declines taking Lot #5 and having removed his family from Lot #4, he purchased Lot #3, Conc. 1 from Jessie Ketchum and this became the family's home. William and Mary's family consisted of: Elizabeth Ann Born 1786 Married George W. Post of Scarborough Sarah "" 1788 "" David F. Burk of Bowmanville Richard "" 1790 "" Mary Stevens of Elmira, New York Anna "" 1792 Spinster William "" 1795 Married Olive Cobb Davis John "" 1798 "" Fanny (Francis Marshall?) Daniel "" 1799 Bachelor Abraham "" 1801 Married Nancy Barclay of Pickering With the exception of Abraham all the children of Mary and William were born in Grannage, Surrey, New Jersey. The Knowles family flourished in Scarborough. William was a blacksmith and it is said he was the first person to produce square-headed nails in the area. A number of fruit trees were planted each bearing the name of the child who planted it. On the death of William in 1825, Daniel became owner of the farm after settling with his brothers. Abraham and John went to Pickering in 1827 and purchased Lot #20 Broken Front from William Gibbons. Abraham took the north half and John the south. Abraham had a large two-storied house built at, what is now, Bailey Street and Sandy Beach Road. It was built by C. H. Linton using clay on the property to produce the bricks. The house stood until the 1980's, when plagued by careless tenants and fires, it was demolished. John purchased several properties in Pickering. In 1832 he bought the south-east quarter of Lot #23, Conc. 5 from Elizabeth and Daniel Thornton. In April 1841 he bought all of Lot #21 from" "King's College.. In June he transferred 42-1/2 acres to Abraham. In 1851 he transferred 50 acres of lot #21 to Jordan Post who was a nephew of John and Abraham. In 1854 John purchased the north half of Lot #19 Conc. 2 from Dillingham, and sold his share (110 acres) of Lot 20 to Jeremiah O'Connor and John Hart. (1) Abraham married Nancy Barclay, daughter of Reverend George Barclay and his wife, Janet Tullis. They married in 1830 when Nancy was 18 and Abraham 27. Abraham and Nancy had nine children, as follows: Mary Born 1832 Married Wm. Forrester Died 1868 George "" 1834 "" Agnes Elizabeth Widdifield Died 1918 William "" 1836 "" Martha Wright Daniel "" 1838 Died 1839 Richard ""1840 Married Susan Huxtable [Scarborough] Died 1890 Jane "" 1842 "" Wm. Henry Trout [Meaford] Died 1898 Charles "" 1844 Bachelor Died 1877 Anna "" 1847 Married John R. Sinclair [Meaford] Henry ""1849 "" Amelia Whitelaw [Meaford] Abraham and Nancy helped establish the Disciples Church together with David Barclay and his wife Marie Houck and the wife of James Barclay, Hanna Parnham. The ""Disciples""""was a religion established in the United States in Pennsylvania in 1809 and in Ontario in 1832. The Pickering Disciples and those of Bowmanville and Oshawa met at a schoolhouse near the Jordan Post property on Brock Road at Kingston Rd. Pickering. In April 1842 Jordan Post purchased about 33 acres on Lot #19, conc. 1, to establish a site for a Disciples cemetery. In 1863 the property, which had been George Leng Jr's was sold to Abraham Knowles "" and others "" on Bill of Sale #21450. A wooden church was built. Later a brick church using clay from the Knowles farm was erected. Some early ministers were Joseph Ash, George Barclay [father of Nancy Knowles and David and James Barclay] ,David Oliphant, and C. J. Lister. Occasionally, John Magill would come from Bowmanville. Edward Sheppard ,who arrived from Nottingham, England to become a teacher in Pickering was a Disciple It is presumed that while boarding there that he brought the brethren to ""the new truths"". William Forrester, a former Scotch Presbyterian, who was baptised a Disciple in 1848,also became a regular speaker. The first convert to be baptised was Sherwood Palmer. Daniel Knowles set up another meeting place at his home in Scarborough for the brethren. The Knowles prospered on their farm. Abraham ruled with a kind but firm hand. He liked to arrange things himself. One day he bought new furniture and stored it in the barn. He was planning to set it up when he was called away to a district meeting. When he returned he found that Nancy had set it out to ""surprise"" him. When Abraham took his produce to Toronto he always brought back a dress pattern and enough material (silk or wool) for his wife and daughters. Years later William Trout, Jane's husband, described Abraham as being ""not only the provider but also the spender, The mother regulated the house and made good use of what was provided. Everything moved like clockwork. Boys and girls worked by uniform routine," "without responsibility; and though seemingly ready, yet they were not educated and well prepared for the eventualities of life"". He also stated that Abraham was a well-to-do and respected man in Pickering and if income from crops failed to meet the bills, his credit was good and a six month note settled it. William also complained that his young wife , Jane Knowles, was not used to change and had difficulty adapting to new circumstances. In the 1850's Abraham began to produce his ""German Oil"". It was advertised in the Whitby Chronicle, a semi-weekly paper, in 1860 and 1861. Exactly where this potion was produced is unknown but the multitude of shards found around Post Manor on Brock Road, Pickering might indicate Jordan's Post's mill as a possible place. It was touted as good for ""man or beast"" and came in 25 and 50 cent bottles, bluish-green in colour bearing the embossing ""A.KNOWLES,. C. W. (Canada West). Matthew Swallow was an exponent of the medicine. In an advertising in the Whitby Chronicle he declared that his scalded daughter, apparently at ""death's door"", had rallied at once when the oil was applied and after two more applications was ""perfectly well"". In another testimonial, G. A.Bannister, one of the first medical men in the area who was also a druggist on Brock Street, Whitby, waxed enthusiastic. In the Chronicle he declared ""Everywhere all over the world your justly celebrated German Oil deserves to known. I have used it in cuts, bruises, frost bite and also sores of long standing; it has never failed to effect a cure and was to be had at his drugstore and all principal places of business in the province"". It was also recommended for horses and cattle suffering from pain and for healing all wounds. Abraham's son Richard was sent to live in Scarborough with his Aunt Anna and Uncle Daniel. This was apparent in the census of 1851, when he would be about eleven and was not listed as a member of the family residing in Pickering. When his Aunt Anna, a spinster and Uncle Daniel, a bachelor died in 1861 a few months apart, Richard took over the house and property. Richard Knowles was an involved citizen in the community of Highland Creek. He was town Councillor in Scarborough in 1862 and again in 1882 until 1887. He became Deputy Reeve from 1888-1890. He was also a Justice of the Peace on Scarborough's magisterial bench. Richard married Susan Huxtable whose family owned the property directly North of the Knowles' Scarborough farm. They had seven children (Herbert (1870-1872) buried in the Disciples Post cemetery. Edward, Lilly, Frank, Beatrice, Walter and Wilfred. Edward married Sarah Chester, Walter wed Margaret A. Taylor, Lilly - James Dimma, Wilfred - Margaret Cokewell, Fred married Iva Hitchcock and Beatrice, John A. Washington. Wilfred (or Wilford as indicated on the 1881 Scarborough census) and his wife ran a general store in Highland Creek and were highly thought of in the community. Richard was Chairman of the School District #11 that gathered historical data for History of the Township of Scarboro by David Boyle." "In 1886 Richard returned to Pickering having purchased 50 acres of Lot #17, Cone. 2 from William Forrester. He and Susan lived there quietly except for an incident of chicken robbery reported in the Pickering News of March 8,1889. Richard died in 1890 . The estate was managed by Wilfred and Edward Knowles until April 1907 when it was sold for $2300. Richard and his wife Susan are buried in St. Margaret's in the Pines in Scarborough along with other members of their family. Mary Knowles, Abraham and Nancy's eldest daughter, married William Forrester, a preacher. They had five children; Nancy, William, Jennie, George and Cordelia. Nancy married William Carruthers after whose family Carruthers Creek in what is now called Ajax is found. Son William married Hattie Post (who was his cousin). Jenny married William Malcolm. George remained a bachelor and Cordelia a spinster and would become an artist. Mary died in 1868. William Forrester married again and had three more children named Fanny, Charley and Fred.. Mary, William and his second wife Helena are buried in the Post Cemetery. George married Elizabeth Widdafield, daughter of a well-known politician in Whitchurch They had three children; Emma, Helen Gertrude and Frederick Charles Barclay. Emma married Joseph McMillan, a dentist, Helen married John Taylor and Frederick wed Grace Walters. George bought farm land in the Whitchurch area. William married Martha Wright. They had one daughter named Jessie, Who married Charles Gates. They had no children. William was the owner of a general store on Lot #14 in Brougham. He also travelled about by horse and wagon selling produce from the Knowles farm. No doubt he carried the famous German Oil. Jane Knowles married William Henry Trout, the afore-mentioned author of The Trout Family. Their love letters spanning a three year period were in the estate of Jenny Renner, a great-granddaughter of Abraham and Nancy. In a letter Jenny wondered how the courtship survived because William on receipt of Jane's first letter to him in Meaford commented extensively by return mail on her spelling and punctuation. They were married at the Knowles home . Trout Senior officiated. He was a church elder who had a private marriage ceremony to his liking. However, William took this draft from his father and ""improved the order and the style a little and gave it back to him on good paper with good bold writing"". Jane and William spent the two first years of married life in Owen Sound., where their first two children were born. May was bora in 1870 and Arthur in 1872. They died within a few days of each other as a result of scarlet fever in 1874. There followed six other children; Walter Charles Born 1874 Married Ellen Elizabeth Percy Jane Mabel "" 1875 "" Otto Wm. Steindorf George Henry "" 1877 "" Franke Kinzie Nelly Amelia ""1880 "" Irvin Wilbur Davis Lucretia Garfied (Lulu) "" 1882 "" Peter Mathieson Norgaard Clara "" 1883 Died 1888 (one year before Jane's death) In 1869 William made the first of many inventions, an improved lock. He reported ""I gave my" "whole time to locks, mostly enjoyable spending a good part of one winter and drew on a small sum held by my father-in-law, Abraham Knowles, for the benefit of Mrs. Trout when she might need it for a living"". As his search for manufacture of the locks did not have good prospects he abandoned the undertaking ""in disgust"". After Owen Sound they moved to Beaverton where William took a job a job in an agricultural foundry as a patternmaker. This business was destroyed by fire so the Trouts moved to Peterborough. There William got steady work as a draftsman and patternmaker. Later, he heard of opportunities for lock production in Milwakee, Wisconsin in The States. He went there in 1884 to prepare for the arrival of his family who were still in Peterborough. Jane's brother Richard went to Peterborough to assist Jane in the packing up of the family and their possessions. They never returned to live in Canada. Charles Knowles remained a bachelor and died in 1877 in the year before his father's death. Little is known about Charles in any thing I have read. He was not highly favoured in his father's will. Anna married John Sinclair of Meaford when the family went there on the death of Abraham in 1878. They had no children. Henry married Amelia Whitelaw of Meaford. They had two daughters; Sybil who wed a Secord and Hazel who married Tom Haig. Amelia died in 1883, not yet 28 years of age. She is buried in the Lakeview Cemetery in Meaford with many others of the Whitelaw family. Henry then married Ellen Lister. They had a daughter whom they named Olive. In Scarborough, Daniel, Abraham's brother, owned Lot 3, Conc. 1, which extended from Lawrence Avenue in the south up to Ellesmere Road. He owned 50 acres of the north part of Lot #4, Conc. 1. He also acquired 75 acres of Lot 7, Conc. 2 which ran between Ellesmere on the south to Sheppard Avenue in the north. In Pickering, about 1837 he purchased from King's College the south 50 acres of Lot #21, Conc. 1, and built a house which still exists today at 1454 Bailey Street. This was across the road from the Knowles' holding on Lot 21, B.F. Daniel opened the first store in the Highland Creek area and was part owner with James Allen of a vessel named The Highland Chief. They shipped goods between the U.S. and Canada. It had been built at the mouth of the Humber river about 1834. It subsequently was lost, with all hands, in a wild Lake Ontario storm and driven ashore at Presqu'Ile Point. It was overhauled and sold to Thomas Scott. Daniel was one of the Scarborough commissioners who supervised the moving of the Kingston Road to a route further north and a more favourable grade. The work was done by Joseph Secor for $11,000. At one time the road was planked from Norway (Kingston Rd. & Woodbine) to Highland Creek. In 1861, the year of his death, he was still active in the area as a Councillor. He was President of the Scarborough, Pickering and Markham Wharf Company at Port Union where farmers and tradesmen could bring their production for export to the States. William Helliwell was the Secretary Treasurer in 1851 Peter Reesor became a company shareholder. Daniel had also been a Lieutenant in the Scarborough Militia about 1836. When the 1837" "rebellion broke out and Toronto was threatened, the Militia marched out 400 strong to defend. Anna Knowles was her brother's housekeeper and lived with Daniel and nephew Richard. She was reputed to be one of the best soap makers in the area. After rising early and accomplishing her household duties in Scarborough, she would saddle up her horse ""Old Sorrel"" to make the five mile trip to Pickering where her brother John lived. There she would bake, wash and scrub his quarters and settled his bachelor house in order. By evening she was following the banks of the Rouge and making Old Sorrel swim any intervening creeks .She is said to have been a matter-of-fact and humorous woman and to be a notable person of the township. When she made out her will she signed it with an X. Both Daniel and Anna died in 1861. He in June and she in August. They are buried in the Post cemetery in Pickering. As Abraham became older he began a plan for a family burial site on Lot #21, B.F. This land had been held for some time by George Knowles and he sold 4-1/4 perch of it to Abraham for the sum of $50.00 in 1863. The burial site was carefully set out on article 21449 as commencing at the north-east angle of Lot #21 and with complex measurements established in a parcel of soft-wood forest. George Knowles owned 42-1/2 acres of this lot, the burial site being but a small part of it. William Knowles also owned 42-1/2 acres of the same lot. The land had been transferred from Abraham to his two sons in 1860. In July of 1877 Abraham made out a will giving to Henry and his heirs the north seventy-five acres of Lot #20 in the second and third ranges of the Broken Front concession. He also gave into Henry's keeping the 4-1/4 perches on Lot #21. He gave his ""beloved"" wife Nancy all of the southern part of Lot 20. He also bequeathed Nancy the north part of the Knowles house including a kitchen "" for her use during the period of her natural life with full exit and egress"". Nancy a lso inherited all his personal farm stock, furniture, book debts and securities To the c hildren[5]of his deceased daughter he gave $200. Jane $200. Annie was to receive $400. Son Charles was to receive $50. payable within three years ""as soon as convenient after my death"". William, George and Richard had already received "" their due portions of my estate"".. Nancy was to receive half of any money earned by the estate each year. Abraham died in January, 1878. Charles in 1877 after the will had been written.. The voter's list of 1878 shows Henry to be the only name recorded on Lot 20. William Knowles was still listed on Lot #14 in Brougham. For some time after becoming interested in Abraham Knowles, Alyson (my co-investigator) and I believed that by looking around in what is now the Bay Ridges subdivision, we would find a cairn or some other indication of this family plot, without any success. I finally went to the Whitby land registry office and l ooked up transactions on the property. In May 1878, about four months after the death of Abraham, Henry sold the 4-1/2 perch of land on Lot 21 that had been designated as the burial area to Thomas Tripp. Obviously, if this was where Abraham wanted to be buried he didn't get his wish. In August 1878 Nancy sold her" "South acreage to George Ormiston.. On August 1, 1882, Henry sold 3.43 acres to Joseph Gordon In December, 1882 the north 1/2 of lot#20 was sold to Henry Westgate by ""Nancy et al"" and the land was finally vacated by all the Knowles. Only the impressive house remained as a reminder of earlier times. Nancy, her daughter Anne,and her niece Lydia Barclay who had been living with Nancy after the death of her mother, all went to live in Meaford. There Anne married John Sinclair and Lydia wed William Sinclair. Nancy still lived in Meaford some fifteen years later when she died in April of 1896 as reported in the Meaford newspaper. Her body was returned to Pickering for burial in the Post cemetery. William Forrester, her son-in-law officiated at the burial. As reported in the May 1st Pickering News of 1896, she was buried in the presence of a large number of former friends and acquaintances and that she was in her 82nd year. I later discovered something I had missed scanning the Post Cemetery list. Under Knowles wereDaniel, Anna, John and Herbert a child of Richard and Susan Huxtable, a grandson of Abraham's. Scanning the list again I found under 18A a marker ""A.K"". Abraham was obviously buried there. Perhaps Nancy shares his grave because no marker or monument now exists to mark her burial in the cemetery in April of 1896. It is strange that these two people so active in establishing the ""Disciples"" church and graveyard would have no memorial stone. However, both Kingston and Brock Roads, the crossroads where the cemetery is located have been widened time and again over the last century, and who knows how much has been lost. We located a Knowles relative named Carolyn Knowles. She is a direct descendant of Abraham and Nancy, who were her great-great grandparents. Richard and Susan were her great -grandparents and their son Walter and his wife Margaret Taylor were the grandparents. Their son Bruce was her father, her mother was Irene Cunningham. She lives in Alliston, Ontario. Whenever I travel the 401 past the area in Pickering where the huge hydro towers emerge from lot #20 at the bottom of which stands the Pickering nuclear plant, I think of Abraham and his family. If they could see the change to the beach were their children played and the plant that obscures the view of Lake Ontario, they would probably be happy that they lived when they did." "Page 1 ""Abraham was born in Grimsby"" - History of the Twnsp. of Scarboro by David Boyle, printed in 1896. ""baptized in Scarboro"" - Morman Church Family Search on Net. ""The Knowles immigrated from New Jersey"" Pg. 45 History of Scarboro - Boyle ""By February 26th, 1801 to removed his family from Lot #4"" -Archives of Onario Canadian Land Petitions ""K"" bundle leases 1799-1835. ""purchased Lot 3, conc. 1 from Jesse Ketchum"" - Pg. 45 History of Scarboro - Boyle ""William and Mary's Family to married Nancy Barclay of Pickering""- facts taken from old German bible of Mary (Marie) Knowles (Knols). The bible printed in high German, covered in cow hide is declared by the American Bible Society to be the second oldest bible published in America. The first being one published for the Indians in Massachusetts and pre-dated any in English. It is dated 1751 and the name of Martin Luther is on both title pages. It was printed by H. P. Schramm and is the first edition of bible printed on American soil for white people. ""With the exception etc"" - Morman Family Search on Net. Entries attributed to Lorraine Romaine Kanary, a descendant of William and Mary through Richard Knowles and Susan Huxtable of Scarboro. ""The Knowles family flourished"" - History of Scarboro - Boyle Pg. 46 ""Abraham and John went to Pickering"" - Whitby Land registry ""Abraham had a large to it was demolished"" - Interview with Plitz family, present owners of the property. ""John purchased several properties in Pickering"" - Whitby Land Registery Page 2 ""Abraham married Nancy Barclay to Amelia Whitelaw"" -Barclays of Pickering- authors Robert Fuller and Kathleen Bowley - available Pickering Library. ""Abraham and Nancy to Pickering."" - Disciples of Canada -by Rueben Butchart Pg.430 ""In April 1842 to Bill of Sale #21450"" - Whitby Land Registry ""A wooden church to for the brethren."" - Disciples of Canada - Butchart ""Abraham ruled the family to adapting to change"". Finished Pg. 3 - The Trout Family - author William Trout of Meaford Page 3 In the 1850's Abraham began to (Canada West)."" - Research Alyson Hazlett - medicine bottle collecting lore. Matthew Swallow to healing all wounds."" -Advertising in. Whitby Chronicles of 1860 and 1861. ""Abraham's son Richard to took over house and property."" - research P. McCauley from census of 1851 and will of Anna Knowles. ""Richard Knowles to magisterial bench."" - History of Township of Scarboro - Boyle" """Richard married Susan Huxtable to John A. Washington"".- Barclays of Pickering by Fuller and Bowley ""Wilfred (or Wilford) to community."" - Facts and Folklore -Pg 45- author John Spilsbury. Corrections P. McCauley Authenticated by Richard Schofield- Available at Scarborough Archives. ""Richard was also Chairman to Scarboro."" Facts and Folklore - John Spilsbury ""In 1886 Richard returned to William Forrestor"". - Map Of 1877 and Whitby Land Registry. ""The estate was managed to $2300."" - Whitby Land Registry ""Richard and Susan to of his family."" - St. Margaret's cemetery list. Page 4 ""Mary Knowles (start end of Page 3) to Post Cemetery."" - Barclays of Pickering by Fuller and Bowley ""George married Elizabeth to Walters."" - Barclays of Pickering by Fuller & Bowley ""George bought farm land in Whitchurch area."" Research Alyson Hazlett 1877 map of StouffVile-Whitchurch. ""William married Martha to no children."" Barclays of Pickering ""William was owner of Lot #14 in Brougham."" 1878 voter's list for Pickering at Pickering library ""No doubt to German Oil."" - McCauley speculation ""Jane and William to scarlet fever in 1874."" - The Trout Family by Wm. Trout ""Walter Charles to Died 1888"". - Barclays of Pickering Fuller and Bowley ""In 1869 William to never returned to live in Canada."" (Pg 5) - The Trout Family - Wm. Trout Page 5 ""Charles Knowles to died in 1877"" - Barclays of Pickering Fuller and Bowley ""the year before his father's death to Abraham's will"". - Speculation P. McCauley ""Henry married Amelia to Tom Haig"" - Barclays of Pickering - Fuller & Bowley ""Amelia died in 1883 to Whitelaw family."" - Lakeview Cemetery List in Meaford ""Henry then married to Olive."" - Barclays of Pickering Fuller and Bowley ""In Scarborough Daniel to Sheppard Avenue in the north."" -Map of Scarborough 1860 ""In Pickering to 1454 Bailey Street."" - an article titled ""The House on Lot 21"" by Henry Gawman ""Daniel operated the first store to notable person of the township.""(Top Pg. 6) History of Twnsp of Scarboro - Boyle Page 6 ""When she made out will she signed it with an X.""- Anna's will. ""As Abraham began to two sons in 1860"" - Land Registery - Whitby ""In July of 1877 to earned by estate each year."" - Abraham's will. ""The Voter's list to Brougham."" - Voter's list of 1878 - Pickering archives - library ""In May 1878 to vacated by all the Knowles."" - Whitby Land Registry ""Nancy, her daughter Anne to William Sinclair."" - The Barclays of Pickering Bowley & Fuller" """Nancy still lived in Meaford to reported in Meaford newspaper."" - McCauley investigation of Meaford newspapers in Meaford (top pg 7) 0 2 Page 7 ""Her body was returned that she was in her 82nd year."" - The Pickering News of May 1, 1896. ""I later discovered to much has been lost."" - Investigation at Post cemetery. ""We located to her father."" - Info received by Alyson Hazlett from Bowley." "The Knowles Arrived in 1803 William Knowles came from England, via New Jersey, and settled on the parcel of land where Centennial Church is. They owned 200 acres which extended from Ellesmere down to Lawrence. Will Knowles was a blacksmith, and built a blacksmith's shop on the site now occupied by the church. He is reported to have made the nails used in the first frame barn in Scarborough. Mr. Knowles died in 1825, and his wife in 1842. The property went to the oldest son,--Richard, who divided it equally among his brothers. The Knowles built the second stone house in Scarborough in 1831-32. It was located just west of the church, across from the big barn (still standing). It burned in 1906 and was replaced by the present brick house. Daniel Knowles eventually bought out his brothers and built the first store in the area. It was on the same property as the smithy. Daniel was a commissioner for the building of Kingston Road. Along with William Helliwell and Will Hetherington he formed the Wharf Company at Port Union and was a councillor of the Township in 1861. He died in office. His brother [""NEPHEW""] Richard pursued a career in politics and was Councillor for our area from 1881 to 1887, and Deputy Reeve from 1888 to 1890. He was also Chairman of the committee for School District #11, that gathered historical data for David Boyle's History of [TWSP OF] Scarborough. William [""WILFRED H""] Knowles, a direct descendant of the first William Knowles who arrived in 1803, was the fourth owner of the little store in Highland Creek at Kingston Road and Morrish. He bought the store from James Duncan (date unknown) and later sold to W. D. Morrish in 1915. The second William [""WILFRED H""] Knowles was public spirited, just like his antecedents. He was a trustee of Highland Creek School, Scarborough Collegiate and a director of the Scarborough Telephone Company in the late '30's. William [Wilfred] Knowles and his wife Margaret'were pillars of the Highland Creek community. Their retirement years were spent in the comfortable brick house beside Lomas' Hardware. William [ ""WILFRED H""] and Margaret Knowles on their wedding day. The Knowles General Store in Highland Creek at Old Kingston and Morrish Roads. 45" "I. Beginning Knowles Family History William and Mary Knowles 1. Elizabeth Knowles b Thurs. Feb. 27, 1786 _ m. George Post d. 2 Sarah Knowles b. Friday Feb. 15, 1788 _ m. David Burke d. 3. Richard Knowles b Wed. Feb. 20, 1790 _ m. Mary Stevens, Elmira N.Y. d. 4 Ann Knowles b Mon. June 24, 1792 _ unmarried d. Aug 15, 1861 5 William Knowles b Tues. Feb. 10 1795 _ m. Olive Cobb Davis d. 6 John Knowles b Tues. Aug. 8, 1798 _ m. Fanny - ? John d. Apr. 18, 1870 age 71 7 Daniel Knowles b Sun. oct. 13, 1799 _unmarried d. June 12, 1861 Age 67 8 Abrahma Knowles b Sat. Mar. 19, 1803 _ Nancy Barclay [Indicating the content to the left of the underscores: ""This part copied from the Old Knowles Bible""] [Indicating the content to the right: ""This data has been filled in from the letters sent to my mother.""] This much is written in English on a blank page near the middle of the old German Bible I have. The Bible was given to Abraham's 6th child, Jennie (or Jane (Trout)) who was my grandmother. She in turn gave it to my mother Jennie Trout Steindorf because she had studied German at School. As the eldest daughter, and also named Jennie, I , Jennie Steindorf Renner, am the present proud possessor. I suppose it will go on to my eldest daughter, Ruth Percy who has a family of four children. The bible's cover seems to be stiff board covered with dark cowhide. It is nearly as thick as it is wide. A pair of iron hasps are connected to the bottom cover with a leather hinge and a hook on the other end fastens into iron slots imbedded in the front cover. The top and bottom covers measure 4 ½ x 7 ½"" and it is 3 1/2 "" thick, well worn leather being stretched across the back over four ""ribs"" of linen threads. The edges of the pages are quite brown and pages themselves have a brownish tinge. The Bible is printed in High German with the title page between the New Testament and the Apocrypha and is dated 1751. After the New Testament is a section of songs - a Psalter I guess is dated 1746. Both those title pages bear the name Martin Luther and the printer's name Johann H. P. Schramm, and because of that, the American Bible Society was able to identify it to my mother, as the first edition of the Bible printed on American soil for white people. The very first Bibles printed in America were for the Indians in Massachusetts, and this German Bible (probably printed in Germantown, Pa.) antedated the first English Bible printed in America. It is illustrated with numerous plates of steel engravings, and the two first sheets form a lovely hard illuminated frontispiece, in which the colours have kept pretty well. The design across the top shows birds and flowers and pomegranate seeds (fertility), then a Bible quotation - in German of course - then also in Germanic lettering the name Maria Knols followed by a small m., which I am guessing means married. And it is not hard to imagine it was a wedding gift. Now the mystery is — were they both German, or was he (William) English and married a German girl in perhaps Pennsylvania or one of the Eastern States, and did they become one of the United States Loyalists who fled to Canada at the time of the American Revolution? Where was this family family and this Bible until some of them appears in Crown Grant records 1827-1837 at Pickering, Ontario?" "The present Centennial Church sits on the Kingston Road at the intersection of 401 Highway on land donated by an early descendant of William Knowles. [Handwritten: ""(Daniel)""] The handsome stone house that Richard Knowles [Handwritten: ""Daniel?""] built in 1832. The house was destroyed by fire in the early part of the 1900's. Richard Knowles Rather good-looking, eh! The store at Highland Creek where Will Knowles and his wife Margaret served the community for several years. They are standing on the verandah and the delivery boy is all ready to take off with the day's orders." "Abraham Knowles 1803-1878 Nancy (Barclay) Knowles 1812-1896 Trout Family left to right rear - Nellie Amelia (m. Davis) ""Jennie"" Jane Mabel (m. Steindorf) Lucretia Garfield (m. Norgaard) front - Walter Charles William H. TROUT (father) Jane Barclay Knowles TROUT (mother) George H. 47" "Sons of Abraham and Nancy Knowles William (father of Jessie Gates) Henry (youngest of the family) Emma daughter of George & Agnes Knowles Jennie Trout Steindorf 1945 at the Knowles farm 48" "KNOWLES Petitions 1. of 2 MICROFILM C.2124 reference R.G.1 L.3 Vol.282 Canadian Land Petitions ""K"" bundle Leases 1799-1835 #8 Wm. Knowles Scarborough 1801 #24 Wm. Knowles Scarborough 1810 #8 - (cover) William Knowles to take a lease in Scarborough Rec'd 16 March 1801 and filed Received for the Crown August 21 1801 D. V. Smith Secy ""_______ and approved"" (2 initials) TO His, Excellency Peter Hunter, Esquire Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Upper Canada _____ in Council The petition of William Knowles now of Grimsby Humbly Sheweth That your petitioner has a wife and seven children and has purchased Lot number four in the first Concession fo Scarborough, and is about to remove thither with his family — That the Lot No.5 adjoining thereto being in reserve, your Petitioner is desirous to obtain a lease of it — therefore humbly prayeth Your Excellency would be pleased to grant to him a lease of the said reserve on such terms as His Majesty shall be pleased to direct — and as in duty bound your Petitioner shall ever pray. York (signed) William Knowles 16th March 1801 28th July 1803 Petitioner declined taking lease of the lot prayed for — see within Sir — Having removed from No.4 in the Concession of Scarborough, I beg leave to inform you that I shall give up all thought of leasing the reserve lot No.5 1 Concession petioned (sic) for by me. I am, Sir, Yr Humb Servt Scarborough William Knowles July 20th 1803 Cover - Wm. Knowles Rec'd 15/Aug/1803 to John Small, Esq. York [Handwritten: ""1 copy to Jenny 26/Sept/78""]" "KNOWLES Petitions 2. of 2 MICROFILM C.2124 (continued) # 24 To His Excellency Francis Gore, Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Upper Canada ....... in Council The petition of William Knowles of the Township of Scarborough, yeoman, hymbly sheweth. That your petitioner is desirous of obtaining a lease of the reserve Lot No.3 in the second concession of the said Township of Scarborough, and begs leave to offer William Cornell of the same place, yeoman, as a surety to be joined in a Bond with your petitioner for the regular payments of the rent — Your petitioner therefore humbly prays that Your Excellency would be pleased to grant him a lease of the aforesaid reserve lot on such conditions as Your Excellency shall deem meet. And your petitioner shall ever pray York 11th July 1810 (signed) William KNowles I certify that William Knowles has taken and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance as required by law, before me, this twenty-sixth day of February in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and one. Robt Nelles J.P. I do hereby certify that I know Mr. William Knowles these seven years back, since which I have never heard or known the smallest thing to the disadvantage of Him or family, but on the contrary many particulars to his advantage. I think him a sober and good inhabitant. Given under my hand this 11th December 1810 Robt Baldwin Cover - Petition of Wm KNowles for the lease of Lot No. 3 2nd Con. Scarborough Received 12th July 1810 from himself TO the Act. Surv. Gen. Be pleased to report upon this Petition. J. Smale Lot No.3 in the 2nd Concession of Scarborough is reserved for the Crown — Timber maple & beech. ... J. Ridout ....20 July 1819 Actg. Surveyor Gen. Lieut. Governor's Office York 1st August 1810 Returned to the Executive Council by Order of the Lieutenant Governor In the absence of the Secretary Wm. Stanton C.C. in the Lt. Gov. office Rec'd in Council 11th December 1810 The Petitioner recommended for a lease of the Lot prayed for. The rent to commence from the next quarter day after this date. Approved Thos. Scott Chairman Warrant No. 867 sent to the AGO 14th December 1810" "NEW ADVERTISEMENTS To the Afflicted. THE CELEBRATED GERMAN OIL! FOR THE CURE OF Cuts, Bruises and all kinds of Flesh Wounds incident to the Human System. In Bottles at 25 to 50cts Each, According to size. This oil will cure all frost wounds, and is an infalliable remedy for the relief of HORSES & CATTLE SUFFERING FROM PAIN, AND THE HEALING OF ALL WOUNDS Inflicted on animals. It has been used successfully for the past Seven Years, and has never been known to fail. Made and sold by A. KNOWLES, Pickering, C. W. Whitby, Jan. 24, 1860. 2-1y"