The Wyatts of North Crosby, Ontario

by David A. Wyatt
Copyright ©1996-2022 David A. Wyatt
Email: dawwpg@shaw.ca

North Crosby Township 1891 (click here for 1891 map of eastern Ontario [634K]) I am researching the ancestry and descendants of William John Wyatt and his wives Jane Whitmarsh and Ann Taylor, who lived in North Crosby Township, Leeds County (later Leeds & Grenville County), Ontario, Canada, through the latter half of the 19th Century. Towns in the township include Newboro (occasionally “Newborough”), Bedford Mills, and Westport. North Crosby Township, South Crosby Township and Newboro were amalgamated to form the Township of Rideau Lakes January 1998.

A particularly difficult aspect of this research is the differing surnames applied to the family in 19th Century records. These include Wiat, Wiet, Wyat, Wyatt, Wyant, Wiant, Wiante, Wient, Wyante, Wiyente, Wygent, Weagent, Weagant, Wageant, Wegant, Wagant, and Weigand.

Obituray of William John Wyatt, [Kingston] Weekly British Whig, 07 February 1895
Obituary of William John Wyatt, The [Kingston] Weekly British Whig, 07 February 1895.
William John Wyatt Jane Whitmarsh
  • b. about 1824 Ontario
  • m. firstly 01 June 1845 North Crosby Township, to Jane Whitmarsh
  • m. secondly (after 1851/2 and before 1856), to Ann Taylor
  • d. January 28, 1895 North Crosby Twp, Leeds County, Ontario
  • buried: United Church Cemetery, Westport, Ontario
  • listed in the 1851/2 census , [age 27] 1861 census [age 36], 1871 census [age 47], 1881 census [age illegible], and 1891 census [age 70]
  • ethnicity “English” [1851/2 census], “Dutch” [1881 census], “German” [daughter in 1901 census], or “Scotch” [son in 1901 census]
  • birthplace of both parents: Ontario [1891 census]
  • b. about 1825 Canada
  • daughter of John Whitmarsh and Elizabeth Galloway
  • d. probably between 1852 and 1855
  • listed in the 1851/2 census [age 26]
Ann Taylor
  • b. about 1837 County Sligo, Ireland
  • daughter of Samuel Taylor and Mary Crawford.
  • immigrated from Ireland to Canada about one year old. [1901 census]
  • listed in the 1861 census [age 24], 1871 census [age illegible], 1881 census [age 44], 1891 census [age 55], and 1901 census [age 67]
  • 1871 census includes “Jane Taylor” [age 26], single, born in Sligo County, Ireland (sister) [1901 census (Jane Dier)]
  • birthplace of both parents: Ireland [1891 census]
  • Residence: Sifton Municipality (Oak Lake), Manitoba [1901 census]
  • d. 01 August 1905 at West Hall, Winchester RM, Manitoba
---
  • Residence: 50 acre farm at Concession 10, Lot 6 [1848 census], 100 acre farm at Concession 11, Lot 7 [1851/2 census], 50 acre farm at Concession 9, Lot 8 [1861 census], 48 acre farm at Concession 9, Lot 3 [or 2, hard to read] [1871 census], Concession 9, Lot 3, post office Westport [1884-85 Directory of Leeds County].
  • Family does not appear on the historical North Crosby Township map (c1861).
  • Religious affiliation: Wesleyan Methodist [1845 marriage], Household 1/6th Church of England and 5/6th “no creed or denomination” [1848 census], Episcopal Methodist [1851/2 census], Anglican (Church of England) [1861, 1871, and 1881 census]. In 1891 census William Sr., Ann, George, and Lilly are Anglican, William Jr. is Presbyterian, and James (and his wife Jessie) are Methodist. The 1895 registration of William's death records his religion as Presbyterian.

William Wyatt, Sr. and Ann Taylor raised a family of about eleven children.

Children of William Wyatt, Sr. and Jane Whitmarsh:

  1. Mary Elizabeth Wyatt (Eliza Wygent, Mary E. Wiante)
    • b. about 1846 Upper Canada [Ontario]
    • listed in the 1851/2 census as “Eliza” [age 6] and 1861 census as “May E.” [age 15], 1880 US census as “Mary E. Hartwick [age 33], 1848 census records two females age 5 or under (and four adults).
    • daughter of Jane Whitmarsh
    • m. 12 August 1867 to James Hartwick (recorded as James Hatch)
    • settled in Saginaw, Michigan, then Cass City, Michigan
    • d. 16 August 1916 Almer Twp., Tuscola, Michigan
    • Children:
      1. Benjamin Hartwick (b. about 1871 Canada or Michigan),
      2. Laura Hartwick (b. about 1874 Saginaw, Michigan; m. 1895 at Tuscola, Michigan, to Simeon W. Marsaw),
      3. Delbert Hartwick (b. about 1876 Saginaw, Michigan),
      4. Maud Hartwick (b. November 1879 Saginaw, Michigan; married [1]William Henry James, and [2]Samuel Coanes),
      5. Blanche Hartwick (b. about 1881 Cass City, Michigan; m. 1900 at Caro, Michigan, to Michael O'Connor), and
      6. Homer Hartwick (b. July 1885 Cass City, Michigan; m. 1907 at Gaylord, Michigan, to Grace Wilks).
  2. Sarah Demira Wyatt
    • b. about 1849 Upper Canada [Ontario]
    • listed in the 1851/2 census as “Demira” [age 3], 1861 census as Sarah Wyant with John and Racheal [sic] Whitmarsh, North Crosby [age 12], 1880 US census as Sarah D. Simmons [age 31] Detroit, Michigan,
    • daughter of Jane Whitmarsh
    • m. 01 March 1867 George Simmons, age 22, of South Crosby.
    • d. 05 January 1914 Detroit, Michigan
    • Approximately six children:
      1. Thomas G. Simmons (b. 17 March 1868 Ontario; d. 1931 Ohio)
      2. John L. "Jack" Simmons (b. 14 December 1871 Bedford Mills, Ont.; d. 30 January 1898)
      3. Edith Simmons (b. about 1874 Ontario; m. William Buffam),
      4. William James Simmons (b. about 1877 Ontario),
      5. Charles Simmons, and
      6. Albert Ezra Simmons (b. 1890 Detroit).
  3. Adaline Jane Wyant
    • b. about 1852 Ontario
    • listed in the 1871 census only [age 19], notably absent from the 1861 census
    • 1851/2 census lists an “Adalade” [age 1]
    • daughter of Jane Whitmarsh
    • m1. 18 May 1875 in Saginaw, Michigan to Albert Joseph Hasty (born 1848 Maine, d. 30 December 1883).
    • Approximately three children:
      1. Emery Wyatt Hasty (b. 28 November 1877 Watertown, Tuscola, Michigan)
      2. Alice V. Hasty (b. 06 December 1878 Watertown, Tuscola, Michigan, m. 1899 Ernest E. Kinney)
      3. Guy Elber Hasty (b. 16 January 1881 Watertwon, Tuscola, Michigan)
    • Adeline Wyatt m2. 22 August 1887 at Millington, Tuscola, Michigan to William H. Richardson
    • Approximately three children:
      1. Walter Richardson (b. July 1888 Michigan)
      2. Harry Richardson (b. August 1890 Michigan)
      3. George Richardson (b. July 1893 Michigan)
    • d. 08 April 1930 Highland Park, Wayne, Michigan
The 1848 census also reports one death in the household in the previous year.

Children of William Wyatt, Sr. and Ann Taylor:

  1. Clarinda Wyatt (Clairinda Wyant) (Clara Wyatt)
    • b. 1856 Upper Canada/Ontario
    • notably not baptized in 1868 when her three brothers (Alexander, George and James) were.
    • m. 1874, to James Moulton
    • d. 1946
    • buried United Church Cemetery, Westport, Ontario
    • listed in the 1861 census [age 4], 1871 census [age 14], 1881 census [age 24], 1901 census [age 46 and ethnicity “German”], 1911 census.
    • daughter of Ann Taylor
    • family of more than eight children
      1. William A. Moulton (b. 1876; d. 1925) 1911 census.
      2. Alexander Moulton (b. 1878; d. 1949)
      3. Edmond J. Moulton (b. 1885; d. 1968)
      4. Frederick Guy Moulton (b. 1888; d. 1977); 1906 census in West Hall, Manitoba
      5. Perl Moulton (b. 1890; d. 1958) m. 1908, to James Hounslow
      6. Harford Moulton (b. 1893; d. 1968) 1911 census
      7. Margret Moulton (b. 1894; d. 1947) m. 1914, to William Kirkpatrick
      8. Myrtle Moulton (b. 1902; d. 1991) m. 1923, to Merrill Vanderhoof
  2. Alexander R. Wyatt (Alexander Russell Wageant)
    • b. October 5, 1858 Upper Canada/Ontario
    • bapt. November 23, 1868 Newboro Anglican Parish
    • settled in Saginaw, Michigan, later Detroit, Michigan
    • m. about 1883 to Elizabeth Etta Wrightman (b. 1862 Canada or Michigan - d. 1930 Detroit)
    • d. 17 January 1942 Detroit, Michigan
    • burr. Saginaw, Michigan
    • listed in the 1861 census [age 2], 1871 census [age 12], 1880 US census [age 23]
    • Children:
      1. Frederick Nelson Wyatt
        • b. 1884 Saginaw, Michigan
        • m. 1907 at Saginaw to Alice Perry
        • d. 1958 Royal Oak, Michigan
        • Child: Dorothy Wyatt (m. to Jacob Earle Orcutt)
      2. Arthur Alexander Wyatt
        • b. 1890 Michigan
        • m[1]. 1907 at Saginaw to Cora Lyte
        • m[2]. 1921 at Detroit to Ada R. Odlum
        • d. 1957
      3. Carl J. Wyatt
        • b. 1895 Saginaw, Michigan
        • m[1]. 1917 at Detroit to Alta M. Cooper
        • m[2]. 1924 at Saginaw to Dorothy Prueter
        • d. 1959 Detroit, Michigan
  3. Eliza Jane Wyatt (Eliza Jane Wagant)
    • b. about 1860 Upper Canada/Ontario
    • listed in the 1861 census [age 1], 1871 census [age 11] and 1881 census [age 20]
    • notably not baptized in 1868 when her three brothers (Alexander, George and James) were.
    • Child:
      1. David McGee Weagent (David Wyatt) (David McKee Wyante)
        • b. 1879 North Crosby, Ontario; d. 1882 North Crosby Twp., Leeds Co., Ont.
        • listed in the 1881 census [age 1]
    • Eliza Jane m. 1882 Westport, Ontario, to William Dean Trask (b. between 1847 and 1855 in England, d. 1922 Newboro)
    • Residence 1891, 1901 Bastard & Burgess South Twps., Leeds County, Ontario [1891 census, 1901 census]
    • Eliza Jane d. 1930 Smiths Falls, Ontario
    • Children:
      1. Alice Jane Trask (b. 20 May 1885 Ontario) 1911 census [Elizabethtown].
      2. Hazel P. Trask (b. 30 Mar 1892 Ontario). Married 1912 at Kingston to William Wesley Dainard (b. 1889 Peterborough Co., Ont., d. 1954)
  4. George Wyatt (George Samuel Wageant)
    • b. December 15, 1865 [baptismal record] Ontario
    • b. December 18, 1866 Ontario [1901 census]
    • bapt. November 23, 1868 Newboro Anglican Parish
    • listed in the 1871 census [age 5], 1881 census [age 15], 1891 census [age 25], and 1901 census [age 34]
      There is a George Wyatt of appropriate age, religion, birth province, and ethnicity, still a bachelor at age 51, working as a grocer at Jasper National Park, Alberta, in 1916. [1916 Census Alberta Dist. 37, Subdist. 24, p. 4, line 17].
  5. James Robert “Jimmy” Wyatt (James Robert Wageant)
    • b. January 16, 1867, North Crosby, Ontario
    • bapt. November 23, 1868 Newboro Anglican Parish
    • m. March 25, 1891 Storrington, Frontenac County, Ontario, to Jessie Clark,
    • Residence: Sifton Municipality (Oak Lake), Manitoba [1901 census] and [1901 census]
    • settled in Saskatchewan
    • [PHOTO] (113K)
    • m. secondly about 1910 in Saskatchewan, to Kate Green (b. circa 1885 - d. 1914)
    • m. thirdly 1915 at Biggar, Saskatchewan, to Alice Maude Avis (widow of Walter John Scott) (b. 14 December 1869 London, England - d. 1941)
    • d. 10 May 1949 Saskatchewan
    • listed in the 1871 census [age 3], 1881 census [age 13], 1891 census [age 23], and 1906 census [age 39].
    • Six children by Jesse Clark:
      1. Adeline Mary Wyatt (b. 1892 Ontario - d. 1894?)
      2. Ross Robert Wyatt (b. 1895 Ontario - d. 1974)
      3. William Guy Wyatt (b. 1897 Ontario - d. 1942)
      4. Jessie Lillian Wyatt (b. 1899 Manitoba - d. 1963), m. 1915, to George MacKenzie, m. secondly, to William Olmstead
      5. Winnifred Wyatt (b. 1903 Manitoba - d. 1984), m. Harold Pooler
      6. James Bryce Wyatt (b. 1907 Saskatchewan - d. 1984)
    • Two children by Kate Green:
      1. Helen Gertrude Wyatt (adoptive name Helen Jean Scott) (b. 1912 Saskatchewan - d. 1979 Oshawa), m. firstly, Ernest Nelson Lyon, m. secondly, Noel Beardsley
      2. Ann Elizabeth Wyatt (b. 1913 Saskatchewan - d. 1991), m. 1931, to Frank Arthur Sapsford
  6. Lilly Wyatt (Isabella Wyatt) (Lily Isabel Wageant)
    • b. February 26, 1870 [baptismal record] Ontario
    • bapt. September 25, 1871 Newboro Anglican Parish
    • b. January 26 1872 Bedford Mills, North Crosby Twp [civil record late registration in early 20th Century]
    • m. 1894 Westport, Ontario, to widower John Roushorn (b. 1854 or 1861 Loughboro, d. 1929 Port Arthur (Thunder Bay))
    • d. 1934 Fort William (Thunder Bay), Ont.
    • listed in the 1871 census [age 1], 1881 census as “Isabella” [age 11], and 1891 census [age 21]. 1901 census resides in Fort William (Thunder Bay), Ontario, 1911 census Fort William (Thunder Bay), Ontario.
    • Child of Lilly Wyatt:
      1. Jennie Edna Wyatt
        • b. July 13, 1888 Ontario
        • bapt. July 25, 1889 Newboro Anglican Parish
        • listed in the 1891 census as “Jane” [age 3]
        • settled in Manitoba
        • m. 1907, to Thomas Walker Hathaway (eight children)
        • 1911 census
        • d. 1972 Souris, Manitoba
    • Children of Lilly and John Roushorn:
      1. Inez Mae Roushorn (b. 1896 Perth Road, Ontario, d. 1 May 1958 Ottawa), m. 1915 Charles Stewart Parnell “Patty” Whalen
      2. Ada Blanche Roushorn (b. Jan. 1899 Perth Road, Ontario, d. 5 Jun. 1960 Wyandotte, Michigan), m1. 1922 George Lewis Wannan, m2. Clifford Cushing
      3. Clara Belle Roushorn (b. Nov. 1899 Ontario, d. 22 Nov. 1988 Nanaimo), m1. Robert James Armstrong, m2. E. Bystrom
      4. Bessie Pearl Roushorn (b. 1903 Thunder Bay, Ontario). m1 1924 at Thunder Bay, William Horace Marchbank, m2. W. Saunders
      5. Howard Roushorn (b. 1906 Thunder Bay, d. 20 Jun. 1952 Godbout, Quebec), m. Cecelia Blanchard
      6. Hilda Beatrice Roushorn (b. 1908 Thunder Bay), m1. 18 May 1926 at Corner Brook, Matthew James Williams, m2. O. Persson
  7. William “Billy” Wyatt (William Isaac Weagent)
    • b. August 1872 Ontario
    • bapt. December 2, 1880 Newboro Anglican Parish
    • listed in the 1881 census [age 8], 1891 census [age 18], and 1901 census [age 27], 1906 census [age 34].
    • m. 1901 Oak Lake, Manitoba, to Bertha Ann “Bert” Crozier
    • d. 1969 Winnipeg, Manitoba
    • No children, but raised four nieces and one grand niece:
      1. Jennie Wyatt, daughter of Lilly Wyatt (married Thomas Walker Hathaway)
      2. Dora Alfreda Clark, daughter of Laura Wyatt (married Albert Richard Deeley)
      3. Grace Goram Clark, daughter of Laura Wyatt (married Clarence Lester Haworth)
      4. Arabella/Belle Clark, daughter of Laura Wyatt
      5. Dora Deeley, daughter of Dora Alfreda Clark, m. Arthur F. Moir (married Arthur F. “Art&drquo; Moir)
  8. Laura Augusta Weagent (Laura Augusta Wyatt)
    • b. August 22, 1874 [baptismal record] Ontario
    • b. September 22, 1874 North Crosby Twp. [civil record]
    • bapt. July 5, 1880 Newboro Anglican Parish
    • listed in the 1881 census as “Lorie” [age 6], 1891 census as “Lorrah”, 1901 census as “Lora” [age 26], 1906 census [age 31]
    • m. March 25, 1891 Storrington, Frontenac County, Ontario, to Robert Clark,
    • Laura and Robert both died at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, she in 1908 and he in 1909.
    • Residence: Lot 16, Concession 2, Storrington Twp, Frontenac County, Ontario (near town of Latimer) [1901 census]
    • Eight children:
      1. Ernest William Clark (b. 1892 - d. 1927)
      2. Annie Ethel Clark (b. 1895 - d. before 1901?)
      3. Jennie Clark (b. 1899 - d. before 1906?)
      4. Dora Alfreda Clark (b. 1900 - d. 1921), m. Albert Deeley
      5. Grace Goram Clark (b. 1902 - d. 1975), m. Clarence Haworth
      6. Arabella/Belle Clark (b. circa 1904 - d. 1983), m. George Tuff
      7. Jane Clark (b. circa March 1905 - d. before 1909?)
      8. Adaline May Clark (b. 1906 - d. 1936), m. Paul Chester Shea.
    • Belle, Grace and Dora raised by Billy & Bert Wyatt in Manitoba. Addie raised by George E. Clark in Saskatchewan. Ernie rasied by William Clark in Alberta.

William John Wyatt James Robert Wyatt, circa 1910
William John Wyatt (c1824 - 1895),
date unknown		 James Robert Wyatt (1867 - 1949),
circa 1910

“Wyatt” and “Weagent”

In general the name Wyatt (or Wyant or Wyante) appears in civil records of the time, including birth and death records, and census records, while Weagent (or Weagant or Wageant) appears in the church records of Newboro Anglican parish between 1868 and 1880. Newboro church records beginning in 1889 use the name Wyatt. In the civil registration of the 1891 same-day marriages of Laura Augusta Wyatt to Robert Clark and James Robert Wyatt to Jessie Clark the surname is Weagant. The denomination of this ceremony is “Messiah” which remains a mystery.

The explanation handed down for the use of “Wageant” or “Weagent” in some family records was that mother Ann Taylor had secondly married a man named Wageant shortly after James Robert was born (January 1867) who was step-father to the elder children. The records do show that Wyatt and Wyant (or variations thereof) are used throughout the researched period (1845-present). Variations of Wageant also appear as early as 1848 (Wigante). If Ann Taylor had two husbands, they would have to coincidentally both be born in Ontario about 1824, both named William, and both have been recorded with the surnames like Wyant, Wyatt or Weagant.

Review of the records of the Orange Lodge in Newboro from 1856 to 1900 show that William Wyatt (various spellings) was a continuous member from 1856 to his death in 1895.

Other Information

Upper Canada Rebellion, 1837-38

A “William Wyant [of] Newboro” is listed in the “Winter of 1890-91 Roll Call of Canada's Gallant Volunteers of 1837-38.” If William was born approximately 1824 he would have been thirteen or fourteen during the Upper Canada Rebellion.
Broughton, Dawn, “Canada's Gallant Volunteers of 1837-38: Roll Call, Winter of 1890-91,” Families, Volume 27, Number 1, February 1988, Ontario Genealogical Society, Toronto (pp. 26-41). The listing is a consolidation of lists of names “prepared through the patriotic efforts of George Merrill of Belleville. These were first published by the British Whig, Kingston, in 1891.”

The Family of Rev. John G. Weagant

Dundas County 1891 (click here for 1891 map of eastern Ontario [634K]) There is extensive historical record of the Weagant family of Dundas County, Ontario The Reverend John Günter Weagant (1763-1835) came to the Dundas Co. area from Pennsylvania about 1808 at the request of local Lutherans. In 1811 he was ordained an Anglican priest. His family was composed of at least seven sons and three daughters. His surname is sometimes spelled Wigant or Weant in some of the earliest records.

One son, John Weagant, with his wife Christy McKindie/McKenzie lived for many years (1829 or before to 1851 or later) in Bathurst Township (Lanark County), only a dozen or so miles from Bedford Mills. John and Christy's son William H. Weagant was born about 1837 and died in 1863 at Chicamauga in the U.S. Civil War, after the family had emigrated to Minnesota.

Although the “Weagant” name is quite unusual I have uncovered no other evidence of a relationship between Reverend Weagant's family and the Weagent/Wyatt family of North Crosby.

Three better references for the Reverend's family are:
  • “Lutheran Church Record 1793-1832,” Papers and Records, Volume 6, Ontario Historical Society, pp. 136-143.
  • “A Petition from the Elders and Deacons of the German Protestant Church at Ernestown,” The Simcoe Papers, Volume 5, Ontario Historical Society, pp. 249-250.
  • “Minnie Weagant Bible Records,” Families, Volume 20, Number 3 (1981), Ontario Genealogical Society, pp. 164-170.

Elizabeth Knapp, U.E., Mrs. Eliphalet Wyatt

In 1806 Elizabeth Knapp, U.E., of Augusta Township, Leeds County, wife of Eliphalet Wyatt, applied for a grant of land as a daughter of a United Empire Loyalist. She was awarded Lot 27 of Concession 3 in North Crosby Township. According to land titles records she died intestate (without a will) in 1848 and the land passed to her heir and only son, Ezra Wyatt. There is little evidence that this Wyatt family ever lived in North Crosby Township and no link between them and the above family has been identified.

The 1901, 1906 and 1911 census links are to automatedgenealogy.com.

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This page last modified: Saturday, 03-Sep-2022 13:16:56 CDT