THIRD GENERATION

6. Irene Isabel Pierce was born on 3 Jul 1842 in Brompton, Quebec. She died on 9 May 1916 in Unity Sask. She was buried in Unity Sask.. Obit: Mrs Matthew Hamilton, formerly of Sherbrooke

In Unity, Saskatchewan, May 19, 1916, after an illness of only a few hours, Irene Isabel Pierce, wife of Matthew Hamilton, passed to rest. Daughter of the late Samuel Pierce and his wife Betsy Chase. She was born in Brompton Quebec July 3rd 1842. When a child her parents moved to Compton, Quebec where she grew to womanhood. She was twice married, first to Reuben Mayo of Compton, whose early death left a youthful widow with one child, Eva M. now the wife of Egbert Cairns of Bernardston Mass. On March 22 1869 she married Matthew Hamilton, who after 47 years, now morns the loss of a most devoted wife. Of this union seven children were born. Two daughters Rose and Bertha died at an early age. Mrs. George Greenlay of Vancouver BC, Mrs Frank Stanley of Portage La Prairie and three sons , Hugh E. Frank S. and Justin W all of Unity Saskatchewan, survive to cherish the memory of a mother whom they delighted to arise and called blessed.
For 15 years, her home was in East Clifton, Que. from there moving in 1882 to Johnville and living there until the removal of the family to Sherbrooke. After several years residence in this city and following the death of their youngest daughter, they decided to follow the children who had settled in the west. A new home was made in Sidney Manitoba and a few years later at Unity Saskatchewan.
Although frail in bodily strength, Mrs Hamilton always identified herself and worked for the best interests of the community. Her life marked by quiet, unobtrusive piety and faithfulness to duty.
Funeral Service Methodist Church Unity Sask May 21st.

This obituary came from a photocopy of a page of genealogy book on the Cairns and Waldron's prepared by Mildred Waldron and was given to me by Eunice Randall of Bernardston Mass.

She was married to Edward Reuben Mayo (son of Reuben Smith Mayo and Melinda Wells) on 5 Mar 1863 in Free Will Baptist Church, Barnstow. Irene Isabel Pierce and Edward Reuben Mayo had the following children:

+8 i. Eva Malinda Mayo.

She was married to Matthew Hamilton (son of James Hamilton and Mary Hammond) on 22 Mar 1869 in East Clifton Quebec. In addition to their marriage which I found in Archives of Ontario (Original book Record group 80-27-1 Vol 19 on microfilm MS 248 reel #3. Utah microfilm is GS 1030053
The book Marriages of Upper Canada/Canada West 1816 - 1853. by Don Walker and Robet W Calder), I found the following entries in the Census of 1842, 1851, 1861, 1881.

1842 National Archives of Canada in Ottawa. Census for County of Deux Montagne, Township of Gore of Wentworth page 1228 line 11 on Microfilm C728 and C729.

James Hamilton 7 people, 2 born in Ireland, 5 born in Canada resident for 18 years.
3 children under 5 years 1 female; 1 female over 5 years of age; two school age; religion Canadian Wesleyan Methodists; . 100 acres, 3 improved, squatter, log cabin of one story and contains 1 family.
produce 60 bushels of oats, 150 bushels of potatoes, 5 neat cattle, 1 horse, 8 sheep, 4 hogs, 10 yards of fulled cloth, 2 yards of flannel cloth, 7 pounds of wool.

1851 National Archives of Canada in Ottawa. Census for county of Deux Montagne, Township of Gore of Chatham page 12 on Microfilm C1145 - C1147.

name occupation birth religion age next birthday mar/sngle
James Hamilton farmer Ireland Wes Methodist 45 Aug 11 m
Mary " " 40 March 15 m
Eliza Canada " 18 Mar 17 s
John labourer " " 16 Feb 8 s
Mary J " " 14 Jan 12 s
Joseph " " 12 Jun 7 s school
William " " 10 May 7 s school
Matthew " " 8 Jan 7 s school
Margaret " " 6 Dec 18 s school
Sarah Ann " " 4 Jan 16 s
James " " 1 Dec 17 s

produce for farm Range 3 Lot 1 - 200 acres, 60 acres cultivated, 30 with crops, 30 in pasture, 140 wooded. 1 acre of wheat - 13 bushels, 1 acre of barley 7 bushels, 2 acres of potatoes 100 bushels, 20 tons of hay, 20 ponds of wool, 40 pounds of maple sugar, 18 yards of fulled cloth, 40 yards of flannel cloth, 9 milch cows, 5 Calves or heifers, 4 horses, 13 sheep, 5 pigs, 600 pounds of butter, 300 pounds of beef, and 700 pounds of pork.

remarks from the Census taker about the region - as to the nature of the soil it is generally good and well watered by living springs but the surface of the land for the most part is covered with rocks and boulders so as a plough can never be used to any extent which causes the Argentuil Agricultural Census to be so small.

1861, Census of the County of Argentuil, the township of Gore, District 1 page 12 on microfilm C 1261

name occupation birth religion age next birthday mar/sngle
James Hamilton farmer Ireland Wes Methodist 45 Aug 11 m
Mary " " 40 March 15 m
Mary J L. C. " 22 Jan 12 s
William labourer " " 18 May 7 s
Matthew " " 16 Jan 7 s
Margaret " " 14 Dec 18 s school
Sarah Ann " " 12 Jan 16 s school
James " " 11 dec 17 s school
Thomas " " 8 s school
Isabella " " 6 s school

1881, Census of County of Compton, township of Newport, village of Randboro
National Archives of Canada on microfilm C-13199, District 54, sub dist. U1 and U2

James Hamilton 73 farmer Ireland Wes. Methodist.
Mary 69

In these census reports we have found three children we did not known about before - William, Thomas and James Jr. In several of the obituaries there is mention that there were 13 children. We are able so far to identify 12. There is no mention of Thomas or James Jr 1 and 2 after the move to Compton County in 1865. The thirteenth child we have not been able to identify. We found a christening record at St. Andrew's in 1862 for a James Hamilton born to James and Mary of North Gore. We believe this to indicate that James Junior the first died between the census of 1861 and the birth of this child and so the child bears the name of the recently departed child. The mother was over 50 at the time of this birth and it would seem the child did not survive to make the trip to Compton in 1865.

Today the town of Lakefield located on the shores of Lake Dawson just off of highway 329 is the location of the administrative office of the township. Range three is located on the map we received of the township as running east to west parallel with the southern boundary of the township two miles north of the boundary. Lot is located on the extreme west boundary of the township in an area that is called Lake Grace. Lot 1 is a 1000 feet wide and a mile long running between what are known today as the Braemer Road to the south and the Shrewsbury Road to the North and west of the Gore Ouest Road. Today this is a summer cottage area with many homes located just north of the lake in a small sub division. The southwest corner of lot 1 is located at approximately 45, 46, 00 N and 74, 19, 00 W. The area is rolling hills and rock with lots of bush/trees. It would not be considered farm land today. It is very beautiful spot on the shores of Lac Grace. He certainly had a good water source and the lake had plenty of trout for the taking. There are many lakes in this region. There is another lake at the North end of the this lot 1 called Lac Sugarloaf.

In October 10, 2000 I visited the area and looked in the protestant cemetery at Mille Isles, on Highway 329 just south of the junction to Milles Isles Road on the West side and Hammond Road on the East side. This is just North of the road to Mille Isles called Mille Isles Ouest (west). The cemetery at the Anglican Church in Lakefield Quebec, and the cemetery on the Shrewsbury Road at the corner with the Gore Ouest Road.

I have not visited the cemetery at St Andrew's Church in Lachute located on the west bank of the river south of the highway 148, or the protestant cemetery of Lachute located on highway 158 to the east of the town.

Notes from Colin MacCallum; Descended from Mary Jane Hamilton and Joseph Parker said that the home John occupied on Parker Hill belonged to his Father James before he died and was know in the district when he was growing up as the Hamilton farm. John owned the farm and sold it to Archie Jones, Colin MacCallum's father Charles McCallum and his wife Lottie (Parker) purchased the property in 1919 and lost it through foreclosure in 1934. Matthew Hamilton was born on 17 Jan 1843 in Gore Township, District 17, Quebec. He died on 28 Apr 1932 in 401 4th Ave. Unity, Sask. He was buried in Unity Sask.. Matthew was born in Argenteuil County Quebec in Chatham. He grew up here and farmed until 1865 when he moved to East Clifton Quebec to farm. There he met and married his wife Irene. They lived here and in Johnville until about 1905. Matthew and Irene lost Thier youngest Daughter to pneumonia, complications after Scarlet Fever in 1902. Matthew left Quebec for Sidney Manitoba in 1905 and in 1911 he moved to Unity Saskatchewan where he settled near his sons Hugh, Francis and Justin and died here in 1935.
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[Brøderbund Family Archive #118, Ed. 1, Canadian Genealogy Index, 1600s - 1900s, Date of Import: May 1, 1999, Internal Ref. #1.118.1.35056.20]
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Individual: Hamilton, Matthew
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Event: Living
Year: 1871
Place: East Clifton
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Province of record source: Québec
County of record source: Compton
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Comments: Farmer.
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Source: Lovell's Province of Québec Directory for 1871.
Author: John Lovell
Publisher: John Lovell & Son
Publication place: Montréal
Publication year: 1871
Volume/Page(s): 979
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Please note: The province and county are associated with the location of the record source and in some cases may not be the same as the place where the event occurred.
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census of 1871 Compton County township of Clifton

Hamilton Matthew 27 Quebec Wes Meth Irish Farmer
Irena 27 English
Hattie 1 Irish
Mayo Eva 7 English

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The following bio on Matthew appears in the book "History of Compton County" by L.S.Channell in 1896 on page 95:
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Matthew Hamilton, farmer, a resident of Johnville, was born in Argentuil county, Que.,
April 28, 1843. he came to East Clifton in 1865. His Father, James Hamilton is still living in Randboro, Que. Our subject was married at Compton, March 22, 1869 to Irene I. Pierce, Widow of E. R. Mayo, by whom she had one daughter, Eva M., born February 1, 1864, married Egbert E Cairns, residence, Massachusetts, two children. Mr. Hamilton has seven children: Hugh E., born October 20 1871; Frank S. J. born September 13, 1873; Justin W., born June 22, 1877; Hattie M., born February 14, 1870; Lelia R., born March 1, 1875; Effie M., born May 7, 1880; Bertha I., born August 18, 1888. Mr. Hamilton is trustee and steward of the Methodist church and superintendent of the Sabbath school. Irene Isabel Pierce and Matthew Hamilton had the following children:

+9 i. Harriet Marie Hamilton.
+10 ii. Hugh Edward Hamilton.
+11 iii. Francis S. J. Hamilton.
12 iv. Lelia Rose Hamilton was born on 1 Mar 1875 in East Clifton Quebec. She died on 10 Jan 1884 in Johnville Quebec. She was buried in Johnville, Quebec.
+13 v. Justin William Hamilton.
+14 vi. Effie M Hamilton.
15 vii. Bertha Isabel Hamilton was born on 18 Aug 1888 in East Clifton Quebec. She died on 29 Jan 1902 in Sherbrooke Quebec. She Death notice on 29 Jan 1902 in Sherbrooke Record died of pneumonia after scarlet fever. She was buried in Elmwood Cemetry in Sher. She was buried in Elmwood Cemetry Sherbrooke Quebec. Sherbrooke Record Newspaper on page 1 of Jan 29 1902 reports Bertha Isabel Hamilton daughter of Mr & Mrs M Hamilton died after a short illness of pneumonia following Scarlet Fever. In the paper for Jan 30 1902 it says the funeral was held by Rev P. L. Richardson of the Methodist Church and Rev. Mr. Walker of Birchton. She was buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Sherbrooke, In the paper for the Jan 31 1902 it says she was 14 years 5 months and 11 days old.

We have visited the grave October 10th 2000, entering the main gate of the cemetery turn right after the gate house and continue straight ahead. When the second road appears on your left stop and look behind the large headstone with the name Hodge on your right and you will find the stone there.