Catharine Johanna Lambert (1806 - 1851)

Born 1806 in Messina, Kingdom of Sicily (Italy)

Wife of Martin Staley — married 12 Dec 1825 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Descendants

Died 2 Dec 1851 at about age 45 in Wolfe Island, Ontario, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: M. Scott Manning [send private message]

Biography

Catharine's father, John Lambrecht (aka Lambert), was born at Schweigen, Germany. Family lore says her parents eloped, so presumably her mother, Ursula Zacharias, was also born in Germany or perhaps Austria - see Ursula's biography.

During the Napoleonic Wars, John Lambrecht was a British sergeant with the De Watteville Regiment. His regiment arrived at Messina, Sicily early in 1806, which is precisely where Catharine was born later that year. John's family accompanied his regiment in its travels, so Ursula basically raised her children in the midst of a British Army camp.

Catharine was about seven when the De Watteville Regiment was sent to Canada during the War of 1812-14. Arriving at Kingston in June 1813, the regiment comprised 41 officers, 1414 men, 45 wives and 38 children.

Catharine married Martin Staley at Kingston's St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Dec 1825. At the time, Martin was a Wolfe Island farmer and Catharine too lived on the Island, likely with her older brother John.

During the 1820s and early 1830s they farmed on Wolfe Island and Simcoe Island. In the mid-1830s, Martin & Catharine were innkeepers in Kingston, then before 1845 they returned to a farming life at their Wolfe Island farm on Lot 23, Old Survey.

Family lore suggests they had sixteen children, but only fourteen are known. Presumably, the other two died very young. Coincidental with their family moves over the years, their children were born at Wolfe Island, Simcoe Island and Kingston between 1826 and 1850.

Catharine died during a childbirth gone wrong; she was 45. Years later, when her husband Martin died, Catharine's remains were reburied beside him in the Old Sacred Heart cemetery on Wolfe Island.

Brief bio by M. S. Manning, Catharine's 2G-grandson.

Sources

Numerous Sources:

• British military records of Regiment de Watteville;
• St. Mary's RC church records, Kingston, ON;
• 1851 Canada census;
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/146113213/catharine-johanna-staley
• Family lore, plus extensive family history research.