James Melvin Willard

Other Events:

• Name: Melvin Willard
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-62022P
• Residence: 1891, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist
• Occupation: 1901, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Finisher
• Occupation: 1911, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Teamster
• Residence: 1911, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist

James — Agnes May Arntfield. Agnes (daughter of Henry S. Arntfield and Keziah Crisp) was born 6 Sep 1878, Hespeler (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 3 Dec 1950; was buried , Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-414711
• Residence: 1874, Beverly Twp., Wentworth Co., Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1896, Loudonville, Ashland, Ohio, United States

Jesse married Mary Ann Booty 17 Sep 1874, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Mary (daughter of James Booty and Louisa Leatherdale) was born 4 Mar 1854, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 1 Sep 1944, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried 2 Sep 1944, Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Mary Ann Willard
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-116365P
• Residence: 1861, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Church of England
• Residence: 1871, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Church of England
• Residence: 1874, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1891, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist
• Residence: 1911, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Baptist

Other Events:

• Interesting: story, religion, pioneer, story
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-62020

Notes:

Died,/ Suddenly, in the Township of Beverly,/ on Monday evening, at 7 o'clock,/ James Willard,/Aged 67 Years, 4 Months and 24 Days./ Funeral,/ On Wednesday afternoon, at 2 o'clock, from/ his late residence, near Sheffield,/ to Sheffield Burying Ground./ Friends and acquaintances are respectfully/ invited to attend./ Beverly, July 8th, 1884


Funeral Card of James Willard

____________________________


GEORGE WILLARD, GIVES A HISTORY OF UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH AT SHEFFIELD AND OF BEVERLY TP.

Church Founded Over 100 Years Ago - His Father Gave Land on Which Pleasant Grove School Stands-Recalls Names of Many of Pioneers of District-Has Lived in Galt 40 Years.

The following letter has been received from George Willard, Oak Street:

Editor:

I would like to say a little about the United Brethren Church, of Sheffield, and some of the early settlers. The Rev. John A. Cornell was founder of the United Brethren church over one hundred years ago, about the time my parents came to this country. They took up land and settled two miles south of Sheffield known as the Willard settlement or Pleasant Grove.

My father gave the land for the school which is Pleasant Grove School. That was about a century ago. There are none of the first or second generation living and very few of the third. I left Beverly over 40 years ago and came to Galt and have resided here since. There are six generations of the Willards of which Edward Willard, son of A.E. Willard, is the fifth generation. There are just three of the Willards left on the old homestead, Samuel and his two sisters..

Received $1 Month

Just to give you an idea of the wages of those days, I was caretaker of the school when a boy. Wm. Cornell, also a minister, son of the late Rev. John A. Cornell and father of the late John A. Cornell, of Branchton, was trustee. I opened the school, lit fires, swept, dusted, carried water and locked up for the sum of $1. per month, good money in those days. I just thought of Wm Grills' letter in The Reporter of how cheap things were year ago. I have taken three dozen eggs to the store for a quarter, three pounds of butter for a quarter, but never remember chickens at five cents apiece.

What Pioneers Did

My father was the late James Willard. I often regret I had not taken more notice of what he told me of the early days and hardships they had to endure. Settling in a wilderness, they had to cut down the best of beech and maple and log it up and burn it to get a place to sew seed. I heard him say he teamed from Kitchener, then Berlin to Hamilton 85 years ago, down the Stone road, which is the Hamilton highway of today. He hauled sugar, flour, salt, beer, whiskey, the said whiskey being 24 cents a gallon. It has advanced in prince since then.
The first doctor I can remember was the late Dr. Lundy. I cannot remember the late Rev. John A. Cornell, but I mention a few of the United Brethren Ministers of my time: Reverands Bowman, Cornell, Ploman, Downey, Crowder, Clark, Bacus, Wait and Carstead.

Some of Old Settlers

Some of the old settlers whom I can remember were Willards, Cornells, Sagers, Humphreys, Flemings, Lawrasons, Heaths, Normans, Stutermans, Weavers, Cooleys, Mains, Rickers, Bond, Grummett, Smith, Keachies, Malcolms, Hoods, Bennets, McClures, McDonalds, Kellys, Moors, Clellands, Lambs, Grants, Lees, Sipes, Cosemoors, VanEverys, Moffats, McWhinneys, Hammonds, Wells, Babcocks, Greens, Tansleys, Hendersons, Clinks, Halls, Dales, Henrys, Morgans, Youngs, and Chambers.

The Church Case

Those were all in a radius of four miles and the large majority were the founder of the United Brethren Church of Sheffield. Why would the Methodists and a few of the Presbyterians do such a mean thing as to want the United Brethren church, when they had a good one of their own, and they go to law about it and win. I was surprised when I heard the decision of the judge. He could not have had the case made plain or he would not have favored the Union.

I cannot help but feel bad as it was the church I was brought up to and have never shifted. I took a trip through the States last fall and when in Cleveland, Ohio, I met a great grandson of the late Rev. John A. Connell of that city, and in my conversation with the minister, I partly arranged with him to come over this coming summer and preach a sermon in his great grandfather's church that was and should be yet.
So if he should come we will find a place for him if it should be on the street. This young minister is either a second or third cousin of George Henry, of Sheffield. The village of Sheffield in those days was a smart little place. It had two stores, two churches, a cheese factory, harness shop, shoe shop, blacksmith shop, wagon shop, and hotel. Today it has only one store.


There are lots who will read this, and who know what I say is right and are more capable than I am of giving a history of Beverly. I would mention Joseph Stauffer as one who could give a good history of Beverley, especially Sheffield as it was the place of his boyhood. Thanking you for this space in your paper. Other papers copy.

G.W. Willard,
88 Oak Street.


The Galt Evening Reporter, Galt, On, Saturday April 21, 1928

James — Eleanor Cornell. Eleanor was born CALC 10 Apr 1830, Lambeth, Middlesex Co., Ontario; died 10 Aug 1896, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Sheffield Cemetery, Sheffield, Beverly Twp., Wentworth Co., Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Interesting: story
• Name: Eleanor Willard
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-66707

Notes:

Death of Mrs. Jas. Willard

After a lingering illness of over a year, the death took place at 9.30 o'clock Monday evening, at the residence of her son-in-law, Mr. Jos. T. Donaldson, Chapman street, of Eleanor Cornell, widow of the late Jas. Willard, in the 67th year of her age. Deceased had been suffering from dropsy of the heart for over a year and during the past two months, she has beer altogether confined to bed, and during that time reference has frequently been made in these columns of the serious nature of her illness. The disease was of such a kind that she was liable to pass away at any moment, or linger for months. Her son, who came from Ohio to see her, considered she had so greatly improved, that he returned to his home. During her last illness she was tenderly cared for by her daughters, but they could not stay the disease, with which the mother was afflicted. Mrs. Willard, who was a daughter of the late, Jesse Cornell, was born at Lambeth, Middlesex County, Ont. and while visiting a sister in Beverly Township, she met her late husband, James Willard, to whom she was married about 43 years ago. The couple resided on the farm on the 6th Concession of Beverly, now owned and occupied by W. Sweet, until the death of the husband and father, which occurred 12 years ago. After his death the widow and an unmarried daughter, now Mrs. Donaldson, removed to Galt, where she resided until her death, at first with her son George, and latterly with Mrs. Donaldson. Deceased was a most estimable woman, generous to a fault, a faithful wife, kind and loving mother and a firm friend. She was a consistent Christian, a member of the United Brethren church from early childhood. Since taking up her residence in Galt, she attended the Methodist church. Four of a family, two sons and two daughters, survive her. The sons are Jesse H. of Loudonville, Ohio and George W. of Galt; the daughters are; Mrs. Geo. Ricker of Brantford and Mrs. J. T. Donaldson of Galt. Mrs. P. H. Green of Sheffield, is a step-daughter. The funeral took place at two o'clock on Wednesday, to Sheffield cemetery, the pall-bearers being Messrs; Brewin Cornell Jeremiah Cornell, Hayward Cornell, Aaron Main, David Main and Wilber Sweet, all of Beverly.

The Weekly Reformer 13 Aug 1896 pg 1

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-62038
• Immigration: 1850, , Ontario, Canada
• Residence: 1852, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist
• Occupation: 1861, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laborer
• Residence: 1861, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Church of England
• Residence: 1864, Shade St., Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Occupation: 1871, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Brewer
• Residence: 1871, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Church of England
• Occupation: 1881, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Laborer
• Occupation: 1891, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Quarryman
• Residence: 1891, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Anglican
• Retired: 1901, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

James was supposedly born in Halstead, Essex, England.

James — Louisa Leatherdale. Louisa (daughter of James Leatherdale) was born 23 Oct 1828, Chappel, , Essex, England; was christened 2 Nov 1828, Chappel, , Essex, England; died 11 Feb 1907, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Louisa Booty
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-62039
• Immigration: 1850
• Residence: 1861, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Church of England
• Residence: 1871, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Church of England
• Residence: 1891, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Anglican

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-136920

William — Charlotte Longhurst. Charlotte was born Abt 1790; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Charlotte Willard
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-136921

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-35046
• Residence: 1871, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; C. Presbyterian

Notes:

1871 - James Leatherdale in same household as James Leatherdale.

________________

In Galt, on Monday, the 12th inst., James Leatherdale, aged 92 years, 11 months and 17 days.

Galt Reporter Jul 16 1875 pg 3