History of the settlement of Upper Canada (Ontario,): with special reference to the Bay QuintéCanniff, William
History
History of the settlement of Upper Canada (Ontario,): with special reference to the Bay Quinté
Canniff, William
Ontario -- History; Quinte, Bay of (Ont.)
Mr. J. B. Ashley, a native of Marysburgh, to whom much valuable
information we possess is due, says: “My great grandfather, James
Gerollamy, was but seventeen years of age when he joined General
Clinton’s army in 1779, and remained in the service until the virtual
close of the war in 1782, when he came from New York to Quebec, and
thence to Bath, where he settled, on what was until lately known, as the
“Hichcock Farm.”” He afterwards removed to the fifth town, and settled
on lot No. 11, 1st concession, lake side. He received from government
certain farming implements, the same as before mentioned. A part of them
coming into the hands of my father, Augustus Ashley, of Marysburgh. The
hatchet, I have often used when a young lad in my childish employments.
It is now lost. The share and coulter belonging to the plough, remain
among a collection of old iron in my father’s woodshed until the present
day. James Gerollamy, married Ann Dulmage, the daughter of Thomas
Dulmage, who came with him to Canada and settled near him at Bath, in
the second town, and subsequently moved to lot No. “D,” at the head of
South Bay, in the township of Marysburgh, where he died. The graves of
himself and wife being still under a large maple tree, close to the site
of his house.
James Gerollamy, and his two sons, James and John, served through the
war of 1812, under General Provost, Brock and Drummond. The old man
holding the rank of Orderly, and his son James that of Lieutenant. The
latter received a grant of 1000 acres of land for services as a “spy,”
he was one of the number who planned the successful attempts upon
Oswego, Black Rock and Buffalo, and at the battle of Niagara, generally
known as “Lundy’s Lane.” He fought in the company or regiment known as
“Grenadiers,” which, in their manœuvering were compelled to run and
wallow over a field of corn with mud ankle deep.
The whole family were remarkable for large size, being over six feet in
height, of great strength, and healthy, with robust constitutions. The
old gentleman was acknowledged the surest marksman in this section of
the country, and his “fusil,” was his constant companion. He died about
ten years ago, aged about ninety-five years, being in full possession of
his faculties until the last. I can well remember seeing him sauntering
through the garden, bent with his weight of years, and leaning on his
staff.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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