Michael Peter Empey^[1]

1806 - 1888  (82 years)

• Name	Michael Peter Empey
  Born	5 May 1806	Osnabruck, Stormont Co., Ontario   [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
  Gender	Male
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/106676626
  Interesting	business, story, politics, military
  Name	M. P. Empey
  Occupation	1851	Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Merchant
  Residence	1851	Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Church of England
  Occupation	1858	Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3, 7]
  	Postmaster
  Residence	1861	Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	Church of England
  Occupation	1864	Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  	Clerk of Division VI Court
  Occupation	1864	Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  	general dealer in dry goods, groceries
  Occupation	1864	Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  	Magistrate
  Occupation	1871	Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	C.D.C. & Postmaster
  Residence	1871	Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Presbyterian
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-292537
  Died	6 Dec 1888	Harriston, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada   [5, 6, 9]
  	Cause: premature decay
  Buried	Newmarket Cemetery, Newmarket, York Co. , Ontario, Canada   [6]
  Person ID	I292537	Generations
  Last Modified	3 Mar 2025

  
  

  Family	Maria Uretta Hewitt,   b. 1820, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1 Apr 1899, Bradford, West Gwillimbury Twp., Simcoe Co., Ontario  (Age 79 years)
  Children	1. Eleanor Elizabeth Empey,   b. 1841, Newmarket, York Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 27 Dec 1904, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 63 years)   2. Frances Mariah Empey,   b. 25 Aug 1845, Newmarket, York Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 14 Feb 1922, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 76 years)   3. Alice Josephine Empey,   b. 1847, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. 26 Mar 1871, Hawkesville, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 24 years)   4. Michael Pembroke Empey,   b. 1851, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 1908, Chilliwack, , British Columbia, Canada  (Age 57 years)   5. Emily Caroline Empey,   b. 22 Jun 1851, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 23 Jun 1909, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 58 years)   6. Pembrooke M. Empey,   b. 1853, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   7. Robert Arthur "Arthur" Empey,   b. 10 Mar 1854, Hawkesville, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Brooklyn, Cattaraugus, New York, United States   8. Alexander Boulton Empey,   b. 29 Mar 1856, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   9. Charles David Empey,   b. 16 Jun 1858, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   10. William Hewitt Empey,   b. 22 Oct 1859, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   11. Lillian Florence Empey,   b. Oct 1863, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 14 Jul 1938, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age ~ 74 years)
  Last Modified	4 Mar 2025
  Family ID	F34423	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Michael Peter Empey Lizard, V. (2016). Canadian Art | Winnipeg Art Gallery. Wag.ca. Retrieved 25 June 2016, from https://wag.ca/art/collections/canadian-art/display,historical/49744

  
  

• Notes

  The celebrity of the village seventy-five years ago was Michael Peter Empey, general merchant, postmaster, and general counsel or adviser for the village. This pioneer merchant was so successful in acquiring a competence, that he was able to employ a colored coachman, a governess for the daughters of the family, a nursemaid for the small children, housemaids, a gardener, as well as clerks for the store and assistants in the post office. Several sons had more than ordinary artistic ability, and their budding genius was evidence in the clever cartoons of the colored folks that lived in the country, which decorated the white walls of the old village hall, long since abandoned. Under the village hall, which was mounted on posts, the vagrant sheep found shelter from the warm sun, and after fifty years the odor of sheep's wool, is a reminder of the faraway days in Hawkesville. A grandson of Michael Peter Empey, Arthur Guy Empey, became noted for his thrilling war story, "Over The Top." Twenty-Second Annual Reports of the Waterloo Historical Society, Hawkesville, A Pioneer Village of Waterloo County, by Orpheus Moyer Schantz, Chicago ___________________________ Michael was a prisioner in the Home District Jail in 1837 & 1838 for his role in the 1837 Rebellion of Canada. "M. P. Empey, merchant. Dec. 22, 1873, Feb 17, 1838, pet. under 1 Vict. C. 10, discharged on his own recognizances." "The Life And Times Of Wm. Lyon Mackenzie". Google Books. N. p., 2016. Web. 25 June 2016. ________________________ Michael, P. Empty, Esq., of Newmarket. On the 13th July, 1846, Mr. Smith called in the early part of the evening, and stated to Witness that he thought there would be disturbances, in consequence of some intention to have a procession and celebration. Did not go to Mr. Cawthra, as he thought perhaps there might be nothing in it. Later in the evening there was a procession, which was was understood to be the Orange procession. Later still in the evening, saw another procession, which he supposed was in opposition. That was all Witness saw of the matters. The collision which was likely to take place was in the latter part of the evening. When Witness went to the Post Office, in the earlier part of the evening, he saw so many of the young men of the village standing about, whom he knew, that he did not apprehend any serious danger would arise, as he supposed they would conduct whatever demonstration they intended to make in such a way as that danger would not arise, unless sonic opposing force were used. (Signed,)M. P. EMPEY. Journals of the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada. (2016). Google Books. Retrieved 25 June 2016, from https://books.google.ca/books?id=nRc6AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA82&lpg=PA82&dq=1837+rebellion+of+canada+empey&source=bl&ots=LJTvzj-nLw&sig=z1PS1d2x1jn5DM-XcVYo3HWl9Ks&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiSyceO_8PNAhUj0oMKHSjeB6cQ6AEIPjAF#v=onepage&q=1837%20rebellion%20of%20canada%20empey&f=false

  
  

• Sources

  [S5] Vit - - ON, Waterloo - 1858-1869 Marriage Register. James Driffill b. Bradford res: Bradford Age: 23 born abt 1842 father: Thomas mother: Jane married Eleanor E. Empey Age:: 23 born abt 1842 b. Newmarket Spouse res: Hawkesville father: Michael Empey mother: Maria Empey married 21 Sep 1865 county: Waterloo [S269] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wellesley Twp. - 1871, p 36. [S855] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wellesley Twp. - 1861, Div. 13 Page 90. [S242] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wellesley Twp. - 1851, Div. 2 Page 6. [S713] Vit - ON - Death Registration, death certificate 18390 (1887), Michael Peter Empey. Michael Peter Empey, d. 6 Dec 1888 Harriston, Wellington, Ontario, aged 81 y 5m b. Osnaburck, Stormont, Occ. Agent, cause: premature decay [S3231] Find A Grave, Cemetery, N., America, N., Municipality, Y., & Cemetery, N. (1806). Michael Peter Empey (1806-1888) - Find A Grave.... Findagrave.com. Retrieved 7 August 2019, from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/106676626/michael-peter-empey. [S1802] Post Offices and Postmasters - Waterloo Region Entries. Empey, M.P. Date of appointment: 1858-05-01 Date of vacancy: 1872-11-04 Cause of vacany: Resignation Place: Hawkesville, Ontario [S330] Directory - ON, Waterloo - 1864 - County of Waterloo gazetteer and general business directory for 1864, pg 16. [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), 20 Dec 1888. December 6, 1888 M.P. Empey, formerly a resident of Hawkesville, died in Harriston at age of 81 years.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 5 May 1806 - Osnabruck, Stormont Co., Ontario Occupation - Merchant - 1851 - Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Church of England - 1851 - Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Postmaster - 1858 - Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Church of England - 1861 - Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Clerk of Division VI Court - 1864 - Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - general dealer in dry goods, groceries - 1864 - Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Magistrate - 1864 - Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - C.D.C. & Postmaster - 1871 - Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Presbyterian - 1871 - Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - Cause: premature decay - 6 Dec 1888 - Harriston, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada Buried - - Newmarket Cemetery, Newmarket, York Co. , Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth