Cornelius Flumerfelt (1774 - 1861)

Born 7 Oct 1774 in Danville, Columbia, Province of Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 10 Feb 1861 at age 86 in Markham, York, Canada West

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Rev Cornelius Flumerfelt served in the 3rd Regiment of York Militia, Canada in the War of 1812
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Biography

Rev. Cornelius Flumerfelt was a Methodist who went to Canada with Clubine relatives.

During the War of 1812, Cornelius Flummerfelt served as a private and sergeant in the 3rd York Militia. In 1812, he served in Capt. Duncan Cameron’s 1st Flank Company. ^[1]

In August, 1812, he volunteered to accompany Gen. Brock to Fort Detroit. ^[2]

On Oct. 13, 1812, he was at the Battle of Queenston Heights.

From Nov. 12 to 17, 1813, he was employed repairing roads between the Town of York and the Township of Darlington under the command of Lieut. Col. Baldwin of the 1st Durham Militia. ^[3]

From July 16 to 24, 1814, he served in Capt. Duncan Cameron’s Co. ^[4]

From Sept. 25 to Oct. 7, 1814, he served at York. ^[5]

On Oct. 31, 1820, Cornelius received a militia land grant, as a resident of Pickering Twp. and a former private in Capt. Cameron’s Flank Co., of 100 acres on the west half of Lot 9, Con. 6, Brock Twp. ^[6]

In 1825 he became a "Saddlebag" traveling on horseback as a Minister.

On Oct. 26, 1825, Cornelius Flumerfelt, a yeoman of Scarborough Twp., made a land petition. He had resided in Upper Canada for 25 years, had a wife and 6 children. He was recommended for 200 acres. ^[7]

He was likely married on Apr 15, 1844 in York Co., Upper Canada.

He is buried in Markham, Ontario in the Reynolds burying ground, gravesite #44.

He is credited with writing the poem "The Bold Canadian."

The Bold Canadian - Rev. Cornelius Flumerfelt

Come all you brave Canadians

I'd have you lend an ear

Unto a simple ditty

That will your spirits cheer,

Concerning an engagement

We had at Sandwich town―

The courage of those Yankee boys

So bravely we pulled down.

Their purpose to invade us

Was to kill and to destroy

To distress our wives and children

And cause us much annoy.

Our countrymen were filled

With sorrow, grief and woe

To think that they would fall

By an unnatural foe.

At length our bold commander

Sir Isaac Brock by name

Took shipping at Niagara

And unto York he came.

He said: “My valiant heroes,

Will you go along with me

To fight those Yankee boys

In the west of Canady.”

“O yes,” we all replied,

“We'll go along with you

Our knapsacks on our back

And make no more ado.”

Our fire-locks then we shouldered

And straight we marched away

With firm determination

To shew them British play.

Yes our fire-locks we shouldered

Forward our course to steer

To meet and fight the invader

With neither dread nor fear.

At Sandwich we arrived

Each man with his supply

With bold determination

To conquer or to die.

Our general sent a flag

And thus to them did say:

“Surrender now your garrison

Or I'll fire on you this day.”

Our troops then marched over

Our artillery we did land

And marched straight upon their town

Like an undaunted band.

They refused to surrender

They chose to stand their ground

We opened then our guns

And gave them fire all around.

The Yankee boys began to fear

And their blood to run cold

To see us marching forward

So courageous and bold.

Their general sent a flag of truce

For quarter then they call:

“Hold your hand, brave British boys,

I fear you'll slay us all.”

“Our town is at your command

Our garrison likewise.”

They brought their arms and grounded them

Right down before our eyes.

And they were all made prisoners

On board of ship they went

And from the town of Sandwich

To Quebec they were sent.

We guarded them from Sandwich

Safe down unto Fort George

And them within the town of York

So safely we did lodge.

And we're arrived at home

Each man without a wound

And the fame of this great conquest

Will through the province sound.

Success unto the volunteers

Who thus their rights maintain

Lifewise their bold commander

Sir Isaac Brock by name.

And being all united

This is the song we'll sing

Success unto Great Britain

And may God Save the King.

Britannia By Matthew Wilkinson

Have you ever visited the little one-room schoolhouse on Hurontario Street or perhaps tapped maple syrup at the old Britannia Farm? Have you ever wondered about the lonely brick church and cemetery at the corner of Hurontario Street and Britannia Road? These scattered remnants are among the last reminders of the pioneer hamlet of Britannia, originally known as Gardner’s Clearing.

Our continuing effort to collect the stories of Mississauga’s “Lost Villages” brings us to the hamlet of Britannia and looks at some of the early pioneers who called this area home. The first settlers in this area began to arrive immediately following the “Second Purchase” (known as the Credit Treaty) of 1818. This treaty ceded most of the remaining land of the Native Mississaugas to the British Crown. In terms of modern geography, it opened up all lands north of Eglinton Avenue. The survey for these lands was completed in 1819 and 1820, under the direction and financial backing of Timothy Street (after whom Streetsville is named). The survey was conducted by Richard Bristol, who oversaw several survey teams. One of those teams was led by Thomas Grafton, who later settled nearby Britannia and helped to establish the crossroads community of Palestine. Centre Road, originally designated by Richard Bristol as “Street Road” but officially named “Hurontario Street”, was surveyed through Toronto Township in 1818.

Some of the earliest grants of land in the vicinity of what would become the village of Britannia were registered in 1821. Among the many pioneers who took up land around this time were the families of Samuel Armstrong, Joseph Gardner, William Oliver, Jacob Price, William Reeve, Alexander Thompson and Edward Wright. One of the earliest references to Britannia came in 1821 as the community was referred to as “Gardner’s Clearing”in reference to two Gardner family farms established near the crossroads. The first service was preached by Cornelius Flummerfelt in the spring of 1821. The burgeoning pioneer crossroads soon added, in addition to the first log church, a small log schoolhouse. This schoolhouse also served as a local meeting place.

By 1830, many more families had begun to settle around the crossroads of Centre Road and what would become known as Britannia Road, at one time referred to as the Elmbank Sideroad. It was in that year that Joseph Gardner donated the land for the establishment of a permanent Methodist church and graveyard. The first recorded burial took place in 1837, while the surviving brick church was built in 1843.

The community soon boasted a wagon shop, carpenter shop, a general store and a blacksmith shop. An early blacksmith was George Harris, while Thomas Sibbald was named as a carpenter and cabinet-maker. When the first post office opened in 1863, the community officially adopted the name “Britannia”, in honour of British imperial rule. The first postmaster was Joseph Muir, followed by Joseph Gardner, Arthur Greenius and W. Sawdon. The Britannia post office closed in 1915 when rural mail delivery began.

Among the early prominent settlers in the vicinity was Joseph Gardner. Joseph became a prosperous farmer who raised sheep, pigs, cows, horses, fowl and wheat. He also maintained a large McIntosh apple orchard. Joseph was a staunch Wesleyan Methodist and was instrumental in establishing the Britannia Methodist (now United) Church in 1843. He also served as a Justice of the Peace and his home became known as “Prospect House”. Many of the settlers in the Britannia area were Methodists and supporters of the reform movement in the 1830s. During the Rebellion of 1837, many Britannia families showed strong solidarity with William Lyon Mackenzie, and Robert Johnston was believed to have sheltered Mackenzie during his escape. Interestingly, it was the Britannia Militia, under Amos Wilcox, that was originally dispatched to try and retrieve Mackenzie from Navy Island. Amos’ 1850 home also survives today as the Scruffy’s Irish Pub (formerly the Barbizon Restaurant), at the corner of Eglinton Avenue and Hurontario Street.

A familiar sight is the one-room Britannia Schoolhouse on the west side of Hurontario Street, just north of Eglinton Avenue. The original log schoolhouse was replaced in 1852 by the surviving brick school. The school was built on land set aside by King William IV for the children of Peel County. The school closed in 1959, and after sitting derelict until 1982, it was restored by the Peel Board of Education and today is lovingly cared for by the “Friends of the Schoolhouse”. Also located on the farm property surrounding the school is a storey-and-a-half farmhouse, typical of the early Peel landscape, and original to the property. Beside it is a larger Georgian-style house, known as the Gardner-Dunton House, which is believed to have been built in 1840 and was relocated to the current property in 1989. The house originally stood at the Southwest corner of Britannia Road and Hurontario Street. These structures help to root our community memory to a not-so-distant agricultural and rural past.

These are but a few physical remnants of Britannia that survive amidst the modern suburbia and industry of Mississauga. More valuable still are the rich memories and stories of the community that survive, in no small thanks due to the efforts of Britannia residents Marjorie and Ben Madill. In an effort to stir a collective memory, we can look at the names from the historical maps that show Britannia to help stir a collective memory of this lost village; names like Carberry, Docherty, Dunton, Gardner, Johnston, Leary, Little, Lougheed, Madill, Might, Sibbald, Treanor, Waite and Wright, amongst many others.

A Brief History of Our Church

For several years Methodist families gathered for worship in their homes. Then in 1841, they had services in the old school house located on the site of the present United Church. An itinerant Methodist preacher made regular visits to help them organize. In 1853, the Weleyan Church in Stouffville had its actual beginning, calling its first resident pastor Rev. Cornelius Flummerfelt to preside at services in the school house. In later years, the school was purchased and used as the official church building. The school house continued service until 1872 when it was moved across the street (where it still stands at #17 and #19 Church Street) and a new brick building was erected. Twenty years later in 1892 the sanctuary that exists today was built. Music has always complemented our worship service with our pipe organ donated in 1933 by the Button family in memory of Major and Mrs. John R. Button and the cathedral chimes donated in 1950 by Mr. and Mrs. Mervin Watts in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. T. Boynton. Further renovations added a north wing in 1950 with the final addition of office space, meeting rooms, etc. completed in 1977.

Sources

1. ↑ Collections Canada, War of 1812: Upper Canada Returns, Nominal Rolls and Paylists, Microfilm t-10379, pages 100-104
2. ↑ The Cameron Rolls 1812, Ontario Historical Society, Vol. 1, 1899, pages 132-138, online at http://my.tbaytel.net/bmartin/militia.htm, accessed in 2012.
3. ↑ Collections Canada, War of 1812: Upper Canada Returns, Nominal Rolls and Paylists, Microfilm t-10384, pages 360-364
4. ↑ Collections Canada, War of 1812: Upper Canada Returns, Nominal Rolls and Paylists, Microfilm t-10384, pages 1183-1186
5. ↑ Collections Canada, War of 1812: Upper Canada Returns, Nominal Rolls and Paylists, Microfilm t-10384, pages 330-336
6. ↑ Ontario Archives, Militia Land Grants Register, Microfilm MS693, Reel 140, Volume 132, Grant #152
7. ↑ Collections Canada, Upper Canada Land Petitions (1763-1865), at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/microform-digitization/006003-110.02-e.php?&q2=29&interval=50&sk=0&&PHPSESSID=npfo6qij0n1rpue06msk2mqnj1, Microfilm c-1898, pages 76-77

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