Re: Alexander DANCEY, around 1900?
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In reply to:
Re: Alexander DANCEY, around 1900?
Marg Hunter 11/12/99
Hi Marg.
Sorry it took so long to reply, I was looking for some information in a old booklet my Mother had given me, here is some of that information and it definitly is the same Dancy's.The Dancys came to Canada in 1851 from Northern Ireland, There was Mrs. Dancy and four sons: William, Newberry, Aleck and James who was the youngest at age 20.Mathew the eldest son had come to Canada in 1848.Mrs. Dancy's husband had been a linen-maker and horse trader in Ireland. He made a good living at it.Mr. Dancy would make linen of various sorts and would sell it throughout the countryside of Ireland.Money was scarce in those days and in order to sell his linen he would take "trade" usually for horses which were worth from $5 to $20 apiece.When he died about 1847 he left the family around $4000, which was a lot of money in the 1840's.After he died Mrs. Dancy's thoughts turned to Canada.It was decided that Mathew the oldest would make the trip to Canada and search for land.Mathew landed in Bytown in 1848 and made his way to Gloucester to what was known as Piperville, near Carlsbad Springs.He acquired 200 acres of bushland near the Russell Road.In 1851 Mrs. Dancy and her four other sons set sail for Canada.This is when trouble began.The ship, with a lot of emigrants on board, got into a fog off the coast of Newfoundland and ran upon a rock.To save the lives of the passengers the captain ordered everything unnecessary thrown overboard.Over went trunks and personal effects. In the Dancy trunks went almost $4,000 in gold and all their wearing apparel.No lives were lost and the ship clung to the rock for six weeks before the passengers were rescued by a passing ship. When the family reached Bytown, Mathew met them.They were penniless but so was Mathew as he had spent everything he had acquiring the land and supplies.They settled on the farm, but the small clearing couldn't support them all, so some of the boys left the area to find work.Newberry went to California.He died there in the 1860's.James and Aleck went to work and live in Nepean Township.William and Mathew stayed on the farm.James worked ten years for Thomas Graham, at Grahams Bay on Rideau River as a farm hand.He then returned to the farm on Russell Road after his Mother died and left him a share in the farm and also land, that Newberry had given her before he died, in California.He married and had nine children.All of his children settled in Western Canada except William who first bought a farm in Osgoode Township at Manotick Station (Lot 2, Conc.2) from Robert Barnes on the 23 April 1896 and then selling it to Michael Nolan on the 27 December 1904.He also bought 62 Acres in Gloucester Township at Manotick Station from Charles Johnston on January 4, 1901 (Lot 30 Gore 2 and 3 Glouc.) where he lived the rest of his life. John Robert Johnston, from Carleton Place, married Jane Campbell from Johnston's Corners, December 31, 1861.They bought a 60 acre farm at Manotick Station (Lot 30, Gore 2 and 3, Gloucester).Mr. Johnston worked for the CPR, which ran through his farm.They had 2 boys and 6 girls.One of the boys, Charlie, went to Potsdam in the U.S.A. and settled there.The other, Joseph, went to British Columbia after returning from the Boer War.He again went to war in 1914, and after, settled in B.C.Five of the girls married men from the surrounding districts and moved away.The sixth girl,Margaret, married William Dancy from Ramsayville, Ontario, March 15, 1898. They bought the farm when Mr. Johnston died in 1900.Jane Johnston died August 8, 1919 and was buried at Johnston's Corners Cemetery with her husband.Mr. and Mrs. Dancy had two girls: Della, born 1901, and Eva (which was my Grandmother) born 1906.Della married William A. Alexander from Ramsayville and Eva married Ernest Todd, who lived in Nepean.Mr. Dancy sold apples, from the orchards planted by his father-in-law, Mr. Johnston, on the Byward Market, along with any other produce the farm produced.When the Prince of Wales came to visit Canada, they stopped his special train at Manotick Station.He took a walk along the Town Line, now called County Road 8.It was in August and the Duchess apples were at their best. When he saw them, he came into the Orchard to look at them.Eva gave him a basket of the apples and he gave her a box of chocolates.We had a long walk to Johnston's Corners school ( 2 3/4 miles).In Winter the roads were never ploughed and we missed a lot of days.Our neighbour, Mr. William Tomkins, used to drive us all in a big red box-sleigh when he could.At this time, Mr. Thomas Johnston was the Station Agent at Manotick Station and his wife, Hannah, kept the Post Office.The CPR passenger train from Ottawa came every night with passengers and mail and we enjoyed going to see the train come by and get the paper and mail. Margaret and William Dancy are buried at Hawthorne Cemetery near Ramsayville, Ontario.The farm at Manotick Station was sold and now there are only a few old apple trees and some lilacs left.
Marg, I know this is a long story, but I thought you might enjoy reading it, you might even know some of these people I mentioned, part of the above story was written by my Grandmothers sister, Della. I would love a copy of the article you mentioned and look forward to hearing from you, take care, talk to you soon.Gloria.
Here is my e-mail [email protected]
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Re: Alexander DANCEY, around 1900?
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Re: Alexander DANCEY, around 1900?
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