James (Snadon) Snowdon Sr. (1791 - 1870)

Born 26 Jan 1791 in Kennet, Clackmannanshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Janet (Comrie) Snadon — married 22 Oct 1813 in Crieff, Perthshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Husband of Jane (Wellsteed) Snowdon — married 12 Jun 1833 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Descendants

Died 5 Jul 1870 at age 79 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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Biography

James Snadon was born in 1791 in Kennet and baptized in Alloa at the Associate (Burgher) Synod. From 1733-1929 the Presbyterian church was split among secession churches.

From about 1808 to 1819, James was Superintendent of Lord Kennet's coal mines in Kennet. Robert Bruce was born in 1795, became Lord Kennet in 1808 when his father Alexander died, served in Parliament from 1820 to 1824, was twice married, and died in 1864.

In 1813, James married Janet Comrie in Lochlan House near Crieff, Perthshire. She was the daughter of William Comrie and Margrat McCrostie. She died in 1816 a few months after giving birth to their second child.

In 1819, James 28 and his brother William 18 immigrated to Canada and settled in Montreal. They anglicized the spelling of their name to Snowdon. In 1820, their mother Janet Sharp Snadon brought their siblings and his son Joseph 4 to Montreal.

In 1820, the Snowdon brothers (Joseph, James, John, and William) joined with many others to submit a Land Grant application. It was considered by Council in October 1820 and a warrant issued in January 1821. They were offered land in Hereford township in Eastern Townships, near the US border. It isn't clear what happened with this land.

In November 1824, James purchased 60 acres in Côte St. Luc, Montreal for 11,000 livres (equivalent to £458) from Pierre Jéróme Hurtebrie and his wife Michel Anchange Bonthellier. He had the land cleared and a McIntosh apple orchard planted.

From 1824 to 1837, the family lived on a farm at Petite Brulée in the Deux Montagnes district just north of Montreal between St. Eustache and La Chute. James and William also ran a general store. In 1828, Jane Wellsteed moved into the area to live with her brother John. In 1833, James married Jane Wellsteed. They had four children.

In December 1837, James 46, his brother William 36, and his son Joseph 21 joined the Queen's Light Dragoons, a company of the Montreal Militia. The Dragoons were under the command of John Shay and Thos. Walter Jones. They were fighting against the French Canadian-led rebellion at St. Jerome, located very close to their farm at Petite Brulée. One of the major battles of this Rebellion was fought in St. Eustache, the nearest town to Petite Brulée. The family fled to Montreal during the rebellion leaving china and silver buried in the cellar. The china was supposedly damaged by the rebels. A damaged tea pot is still in the family today.

From 1837 to 1870, they lived on a farm on the street that became Snowdon Avenue in Montreal. This was originally part of the Cote St. Luc parish and is the same land he purchased in 1824. In 1842, his son Joseph died from unknown causes and left behind two unmarried daughters. The next year, James wrote his will and specifically mentioned Joseph's two unmarried daughters.

In 1850, James purchased 60 acres from neighbor James Hutchison. In 1864, he and his wife Jane had their photos taken at Notman Studios.

In 1866, Jane passed away and she left £166 in her 1865 will to their unmarried daughter Jane. In 1866, his sister-in-law Mary (Lloyd) Snowdon passed away and left him a bequest of funds in her 1865 will. It was at this time that James divided up his land (160 acres) among his three remaining sons and arrange for the future wellbeing of his fatherless, unmarried granddaughters and his daughter Jane.

James passed away in 1870. Jane and James are buried in Mount Royal Cemetery.

St Gabriel's Presbyterian Church Marriage records

J. Snowdon; J. Welsteed; Marriage

James Snowdon of the parish of St Eustache farmer & Jane Wellsteed of the same parish spinster both of the age of Majority, were formed in marriage by license in Montreal on the twelfth day of June one thousand eight hundred and thirty three by W Snow Minst [signed] James Snowdon; Jane Wellsteed; Hoyes Lloyd; ?? Snowdon; John Lloyd

Headstone in Mount Royal Cemetery [in all capitals]

Sacred

to the memory of

James Snowdon Sr

Born in Kennet, Clackmannan

Scotland

26 January 1791

Died at Cote St. Luke

5 July 1870

Also of his beloved wife

Jane Wellsteed

Born in Stafford, Dorsetshire

England

August 1st 1804

Died at Cote St. Luke

January 1st 1865

Snowdon Family History, by Linda Snowdon Pascoe, privately distributed, September 1952 [Pascoe was James Snowdon's granddaughter]

MR. JAMES SNOWDON of Clackmannanshire, Scotland was Superintendent of Lord Elgin's coal mines in Scotland. He came to Montreal, Canada in 1819. Bought property in 1824 consisting of the following boundaries: Decarie Boulevard West to and including Girouard Avenue; from Cote St. Luc Road North to CPR tracks. They bought or rented a farm at Petite Brulée (near Freniére). He joined the British troops to help quell the French Rebellion in 1837 at St. Jerome. China brought from England by Miss Wellsteed (Mrs. James Snowdon, Sr.) was buried in earthen cellar to protect from rebels. Later rescued but every piece was damaged by rebels. (China now in possession of Mrs. Lilly, William Comrie Snowdon's daughter). After the rebellion, Mr. Snowdon and family came to live in farmhouse on property cited above, now in Montreal.

When Lord Elgin became Governor General of Canada (1847-54) and resided at Monklands (now Villa Maria Convent), James Snowdon Sr. resumed friendly relations with Lord Elgin. (Lord Elgin's eldest son was born here in 1849 and he used to revisit his birthplace during his lifetime). Lord Elgin had to flee back to England after signing "The Rebels' Losses Bill" (which would reimburse the rebels) and the Parliament Buildings in Montreal were burned by English Canadians who objected to the said bill. James Snowdon Sr. was entrusted with the shipping of the gold plate etc. from the Governor's Residence to England. He drove it to Lachine Wharf to evade suspicion of its contents and it was taken on board there for England.

In 1860 when King Edward VII, then Prince of Wales, visited Montreal and opened Victoria Bridge, William Comrie Snowdon and his brother James Snowdon Jr. were mounted escorts (their own horses) for His Royal Highness.

Property bought in 1824 was in the Snowdon family for 96 years. Last of it was sold in 1920. Mr. Archibald Grant Snowdon (son of James Jr.) owned what is now Dalfen's store on Queen Mary Road and sold it to Mr. Dalfen in spring of 1945.

William Snowdon, brother of James Jr., had a farm and store at Petite Brulée. He married Miss Lloyd.

An interview with with Grace Snowdon Lilly, published in The Watchman (Montreal), August 8, 1980 [Lilly was James Snowdon's granddaughter]

Excerpts about Snowdon family history

Grace Lilly tells of her grandparents’ experiences during the uprisings of 1837.

"Conditions were very bad - grandfather could see trouble was coming. It was a doctor who led the rebellion. He could see the misery of the people. At any rate, they put up a good fight! Grandfather and his oldest son went to Ville Marie to summon the soldiers. Grandmother hid all her china and silver under the cellar, and took her two youngest sons to Montreal. It was December 7, and the boys were four and two years old - it was little Comrie's second birthday. On the way they passed two men in a wagon. One of them tossed a hot coal toward them - whether it was intentional, or whether he just meant to toss it in a snow bank, we don't know. (The hot coals were carried to light their pipes). The coal struck Comrie, and he got a bad burn on his neck. (When he died at a ripe old age, he still had the scar on his neck). That night, grandmother had another son, James born to her.

"When they returned, they found their home had been looted, and all grandmother's fine china was broken. Obviously the looters were looking for money, because nothing was taken - not a single piece of the silverware was missing.

"Following the uprisings, Lord Elgin was sent to Canada as governor. Grandfather supplied the governor's residence with vegetables, so he was well up on events which followed. Then Lord Durham was sent out from England to make his famous report, but when Lord Elgin came out of Government House to read the report, he was pelted with eggs. A second attempt was met with a barrage of sticks and stones. Lord Elgin had to be taken back inside the house by a side door which opened onto a lane which later became Guy Street".

1851 Canadian Census in Montreal City:

• Jam. Snoden 56 Farmer born Scotland
• Mrs. Snoden 50 born Scotland
• John 17 born Laborer born Canada East
• James 15 born Canada East
• Robert 13 born Canada East
• Eliza 11 born Canada East
• servant Robert Sheridan 25 born Ireland
• servant Sam. O'Connor 21 born Ireland
• servant Catherine Omera 22 born Ireland

1861 Canadian Census in Montreal City:

• James Snowdon 70 Farmer born Scotland
• Mrs. Snowdon 56 born England
• John 24 born Canada East
• WC 22 born Canada East
• James 19 born Canada East
• Jane 18 born Canada East

Sources

• 1791 Clackmannanshire Parish baptismal records [1]
• 1813 Clackmannanshire Parish marriage records for James Snadon and Janet Comrie [2]
• 1825 Canada Census [3] [4]
• 1833 St Gabriel's Presbyterian Church Marriage record for James Snowdon and Jane Wellsteed
• 1839 Correspondence from James Snowdon to Canadian Government with claims relating to the Lower Canada Rebellion losses
• 1851 Canada Census [5]
• 1861 Canada Census [6]
• Findagrave.com [7]
• Snowdon Family History, by Linda Snowdon Pascoe, privately distributed, September 1952
• An interview with with Grace Snowdon Lilly, published in The Watchman (Montreal), August 8, 1980
• FamilySearch profile for James Snadon [8]

Genetic Genealogy

• All relationships between Marjorie Mikasen and Joseph Sharp and Magdalane Smith are confirmed by two different matches. One is a [23andme.com] match between Marjorie Mikasen and J.K., predicted third to fourth cousins. The common ancestors are Mikasen’s 5X great grandparents, and J.K.’s 2X great grandparents. The shared autosomal DNA is 43 cM or 0.58% shared over 3 segments. The other is an [Ancestry.com] match with T.G., predicted third to fourth cousin. Sharp and Smith are 3X great grandparents to T.G. The shared autosomal DNA is 20 cM shared over 2 segments.