Martin Halfpenny

1802 - 1879  (77 years)

• Name	Martin Halfpenny
  Born	1802	, Ireland   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Occupation	1851	Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	Farmer
  Residence	1851	Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	RC
  Residence	1861	McKillop Twp., Huron Co., Ontario, Canada
  Occupation	1871	McKillop Twp., Huron Co., Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	farmer
  Occupation	1879	Pontiac, Oakland, Michigan, United States   [2]
  	farmer
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-171804
  Died	17 Dec 1879	Pontiac, Oakland, Michigan, United States   [2]
  Person ID	I171804	Generations
  Last Modified	3 Mar 2025

  
  

  Family	Alice Ward,   b. 1810, , Ireland ,   d. Bef 1879  (Age < 68 years)
  Children	1. John Halfpenny,   b. 1836, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   2. Martin Halfpenny,   b. 1840, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   3. Mary Halfpenny,   b. 1843, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   4. Ann Halfpenny,   b. 1845, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   5. James Halfpenny,   b. 1850, Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Last Modified	4 Mar 2025
  Family ID	F168461	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  The present thriving village of Elmira, situated about in the centre of the township, had a late and small beginning. In 1844 it had only a log school and a few houses of the same construction. The first Catholic settlers appear to have come in about 1840 and located about two miles north of the village. Among them were John 'Brian, Martin Halfpenny, Joseph Ruth, Allan Butler, Mr. Compass, Joseph Schill, Ignatius Martin and some others, mostly Germans. It is likely that Father Wiriath officiated here. Joseph Ruth was married by Father Sanderl in Preston in 1814. Ignatius Martin drove with his oxen team to New Germany over very bad roads to get married by Father Baumgaertner on May 28, 1846. Before the erection of the church Mass was celebrated at Halfpenny's, Schill's and Ruth's once or twice a year. The Catholic Church in Waterloo County, Book I, by Rev. Theobald Spetz, C. R., D. D., 1916 _____________ An amusing incident is also related regarding one Martin Halfpenny. It was the custom in those days for the old settlers when they butchered to pay those who helped them in scraps of meat and other parts of the porker that were unsuitable for the pork barrel. It was on one of these occasions that Mr. Halfpenny started home with a load of pork fragments. He was just crossing Canagagigue Creek, the vicinity of which was then a dense cedar swamp. He suddenly experienced a chilly sensation creeping up his spinal column as the horrible fact was thrust upon him that he was in the midst of a pack of hungry wolves, that made the night hideous with their fierce howls. Halfpenny would drop a few pieces of meat and then hasten his steps, and the wolves stopping to devour it would give their intended victim a few yards the start. But it was only sufficient to whet their appetites for more meat, and they were soon again on the trail of the thoroughly frightened and rapidly retreating woodsman. He continued throwing out meat until his entire supply was exhausted and he was only fortunate to reach his home just in time to save his own carcase. Waterloo County Chronicle 27 Jan 1898, p. 1, 2, 3

  
  

• Sources

  [S141] Census - ON, Waterloo, Woolwich - 1851, Div. 4, Pg. 89. [S565] Vit - Michigan - Death Registration, Film: 2363667 Digital GS: 4207950 Image: 1048 Reference: p 288 rn 194. Name: Martin Halfpenny Death date: 17 Dec 1879 Death place: Pontiac, Oakland, Michigan Age at death: 76 years Estimated birth year: 1803 Birthplace: Ireland Marital status: Widowed Occupaion: Farmer [S919] Census - ON, Huron, McKillop - 1871, Div 1, pg 25.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 1802 - , Ireland Occupation - Farmer - 1851 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - RC - 1851 - Woolwich Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1861 - McKillop Twp., Huron Co., Ontario, Canada Occupation - farmer - 1871 - McKillop Twp., Huron Co., Ontario, Canada Occupation - farmer - 1879 - Pontiac, Oakland, Michigan, United States Died - 17 Dec 1879 - Pontiac, Oakland, Michigan, United States  = Link to Google Earth