Jacob Countryman (1833 - 1899)

Born 15 Dec 1833 in Johnstown, Edwardsburgh, Grenville, Upper Canada

Ancestors

Husband of Eliza Jane (Wells) Countryman — married 1852 in Rockport, Ontario

Descendants

Died 22 Jul 1899 at age 65 in Oswegatchie, St. Lawrence, New York, United States

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Biography

Notes

The Jacob Countryman Family (281 descendants)

Jacob Countryman, my great-great-grandfather, named for his paternal grandfather, was the second eldest son of William Countryman (1809-1889) and Barbara Reid Countryman (1815-1884) of Johnstown, Ontario. He was born on the Countryman farm at Johnstown, Ontario on 15 Dec. 1833. Since primogeniture was the custom in distributing land in most families, it was clear early on that Jacob had to seek his fortune on the St. Lawrence River. He was a sailor, taking advantage of employment opportunities on the steamboats that travelled between Kingston and Montreal. In 1852, he married Eliza Jane Wells, of Wellesley Island in the St. Lawrence, the daughter of Henry T. and Nancy Patterson Wells. The Wells family was well established in the area around Gananoque, Ontario.; Wellesley Island was named for them.

It is not clear how Jacob Countryman and Eliza Jane Wells became acquainted. One possibility is through the James Patterson family of Prescott, who were Methodists and were married into the Reid family. They began their married life in Rockport, Ontario, on a farm rented from Eliza Jane's brother, Amaziah Wells. On this farm at Rockport the first four of their twelve children were born: Lois Countryman (7 Dec. 1853-10 Dec. 1933) m. William Alexander Russell. Ruth Countryman (1 Apr. 1855-19 Aug. 1929) m. 1st ? Donnely, 2nd James Hughes. Hannah Countryman (10 Sept. 1857-22 Dec. 1938) m. Luther Bloodough. William H. Countryman (1 Feb. 1859-Jun. 1838) m. Clementine McCartha. By 1860, they were back in Johnstown, Ontario, living next door to William and Barney Countryman. They could not have been very prosperous. Jacob Countryman is listed in the 1861 Census for Edwardsburgh Township in Upper Canada as a "laborer." They lived in a frame house on 1/4 acre of land, owned one cow and one pig as well as personal property valued at only $25. They listed their religion as Wesleyan Methodist. Here their next eight children were born: Nancy Ann Countryman (18 Sept. 1861-13 Dec. 1933) m. James King. Laura Countryman (4 Jun. 1863-19?) m. James Galligan. George H. Countryman (18 Oct. 1865- ) m. Elizabeth Edwards. Mary Jane Countryman (18 Jul. 1868-25 DEC. 1947) m. Herbert Gilson Brown. Richard H. Countryman (12 Aug. 1869-17 Jan. 1932) m. Hélène Sullivan. Barbara Ellen Countryman (10 Dec. 1871-10 Oct. 1956) m. George Rabetoy. Bertha Mary Countryman (15 Jul. 1874-15 Jul. 1874). Cassie Mary Countryman (4 May 1875-6 Jun. 1922) m. Fred Hutchinson In 1870, Lois Countryman found employment as a domestic with the James Glynn family on a farm on Black Lake in Morristown, NY, not far from where her Uncle William Wells and his family lived in Morristown Village. Nearby the Glynns was the Henry Russell family; in 1873, Lois Countryman married William Alexander Russell in Morristown. Her sister Hannah found employment, too, in Morristown as a domestic. In 1881, she married Luther Bloodough, a local farmer. By 1880, it seemed as though the Wells family connections were more useful in finding employment for the children of this poor family. In late 1880, Jacob and Eliza Jane Countryman moved their family from Johnstown, Ontario. to Black Lake in the town of Oswegatchie, where they rented a farm adjacent to the farm of Charles King. For the next nineteen years the Jacob Countryman family lived in the U.S. It is not clear whether leaving Canada had anything to do with an estrangement from his father William Countryman. Jacob and Eliza Jane Countryman's children settled both in Canada and the U.S. Nancy Ann Countryman married James King in Prescott, Ontario, and lived in Prescott, raising a large family. My cousin Francis Countryman remembers going to visit aunt Nan in the early 1930's with his father, my great-uncle Edgar. Mary Jane Countryman married a Prescott photographer, Herbert Wilson Brown, and moved to Toronto, Ontario. Jacob Countryman died on 22 July 1899 at five minutes after midnight of a heart attack. He was 66. He was buried in the Pine Hill [Eel Weir] Cemetery on the Oswegatchie River. Unable to run the farm alone, Eliza Jane Countryman moved to a rented home in Morristown Village on Morris St., near her brother William Wells. With her lived her son George, a housepainter, her daughter Barbara Rabetoy, a dressmaker, and son-in-law George Rabetoy, a day laborer, and granddaughter, Mary Rabetoy, born in June, 1891, who was then nine years old. By 1910, she was living in Ogdensburg, NY at 201 Main St., with her daughter Barbara Rabetoy, where she would spend the rest of her life. To support themselves, they rented rooms to laborers, railroad workers and occasional tourists. For her 92nd birthday, the above photo was taken and an article in the 14 April 1928 edition of the Ogdensburg Journal chronicled her hopes to reach the age of 100 as she was congratulated by four generations of descendants. The article noted: Mrs. Countryman retains all her faculties. She was fond of reading, but relinquished it about a year ago because of a slight failing of her sight. She has some slight trouble hearing. Otherwise, she is apparently rugged and members of her family are hopeful she will live beyond the century mark. She is an engaging conversationalist and much interested in current topics. She can recall events that transpired when she was ten years old. Eliza Jane Countryman lived four years longer. She contracted bronchitis in late February, 1932 and grew weaker. She died at home at 7:30 P.M. on 24 March 1932, survived by nine of her twelve children, 31 grandchildren, (my grandmother among them), 62 great-grandchildren (my mother among them) and four great-great-grandchildren. ~Paul Russell^[1]

Sources

Profile created by Michael Harris through the import of M. F. Harris Family Tree_2013-09-09.ged on Oct 28, 2013.

1. ↑ Book: Jacob Countryman, United Empire Loyalist; Ancestors and Descendants in Canada and the United States page 60-61

Jacob Countryman United Empire Loyalist Ancestors and Descendants in Canada and the United States, page 24-27.

Jacob Countryman United Empire Loyalist

Census Records

1851 Census, Edwardsburgh, Grenville, Canada West

• Countryman, William, farmer, born Upper Canada, 37
• Countryman, Barbara, born United States, 38, his wife
• Countryman, Barny, born UC (Upper Canada), 21
• Countryman, Jacob, 18
• Countryman, William, 15
• Countryman, Hanah, 13
• Countryman, John, 11
• Countryman, Elizabeth, 11
• Countryman, Joseph, 9
• Countryman, James, 7
• Countryman, George, 3
• Countryman, Samuel, 2