Matthias Sanders (a.k.a. Saunders), born in Nov. 1773, reputedly of German ancestry,[1] was a shipbuilder. He married Elizabeth McLaney (abt.1780-1834) in New York City on July 6, 1797.[2] Matthias and Elizabeth came to York Township, Upper Canada, and lived on the Humber River, just west of the town of York (now Toronto), where Elizabeth's mother and stepfather also lived.[3] He is reported to have helped with supply stocks at the York docks during the Franco-American War of 1797.[4] They later moved to a cottage which they had built in Thornhill, Markham Township, on land granted to Elizabeth as the daughter of a UEL.[5] They had six children.
During the War of 1812, Matthias served in the 1st York Regiment, and was mortally injured during the Battle of York on April 27, 1813.[6] He made his will on May 14, 1813, leaving the Thornhill home and farm to his wife and, to his children, other properties including lots in York Township, "Guillamsborough East", King Township and Whitchurch Township.[7] Matthias died of his wounds on May 25, 1813. He is buried in Thornhill Cemetery.[4]
Featured German connections: Matthias is 20 degrees from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 17 degrees from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 27 degrees from Lucas Cranach, 21 degrees from Stefanie Graf, 24 degrees from Wilhelm Grimm, 24 degrees from Fanny Hensel, 25 degrees from Theodor Heuss, 12 degrees from Alexander Mack, 35 degrees from Carl Miele, 22 degrees from Nathan Rothschild, 25 degrees from Hermann Friedrich Albert von Ihering and 22 degrees from Ferdinand von Zeppelin on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
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Categories: 1st York Regiment, War of 1812 | Shipbuilders | Thornhill, Upper Canada | York, Upper Canada | Killed in Action, Canada, War of 1812 | Thornhill Cemetery, Thornhill, Ontario