Thomas Alport (abt. 1808 - 1893)

Born about 1808 in Cape Town, Cape Province, South Africa

Husband of Delilah (Smith) Alport — married about 1831 in Ernestown, Lennox and Addington, Ontario, Canada [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 15 Dec 1893 at about age 85 in Portland, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Brian Edgerton [send private message]

Biography

Thomas was born about 1808. He passed away in 1893.

Sources

• The birthplace of Thomas Alport is recorded as "Africa" in a number of primary references and censa, "South Africa" in the death certificate of his son Henry Alport, and finally, "Cape town" in the death certificate of his son Darius Allport.

"Born 1808 at Cape of Good Hope - now 1859 in Upper Canada, 7 boys, 3 daughters", Ref: "The Allport Papers - Pedigrees, Genealogical Notes and Papers of Cannock, Co., Stafford, and Elsewhere", p. 110, compiled by the Rev. William Allport Leighton of Shrewsbury, with Additions by the Rev. William George Dimock Fletcher of Birmingham, Accession No. 474391, 1796-1930, Reference Library, Birmingham, England, [BGE, 02/03]

BIRTH: The birthplace of Thomas Alport is recorded as "Africa" in a number of primary references and censa, "South Africa" in the death certificate of his son Henry Alport, and finally, "Cape town" in the death certificate of his son Darius Allport. <<< [BGE, 01/03]

BIRTH: Capetown South Africa is what I have also, came from records held at Society of Gen in London. [Hellen Verrall, Wellington, New Zealand, 05/03]

The British variously occupied and ruled South Africa from 1806 to 1838. Previously, the British ruled the Cape from 1795 to 1803, first my military rule, then by a series of governors. In 1802 the British decided to hand over the Cape to the Batavian Republic, which ruled the area from 1803 to 1806 through its Asiatic council in the Netherlands. Subsequently, with the war with France, Britain reoccupied the Cape Colony, and on January 7 1806 a force of 6,700 troops under General Sir David Baird landed two miles north of Cape Town and marched on the port. After a quick victory over the Hottentot soldiers, the British assigned in March 1806 the Governor, J.W. Jannsens, and the garrison left for Holland and the British took over the Cape, again. As previously, there was trouble between the native tribes (Xhosa and burghers to the east across the Fish River, accepted as the frontier of the Colony) and the British settlers and European farmers in the Suurveld. Meanwhile the British Government invested a large sum of funds for a state-sponsored, large-scale emigration to the south-east coast of Africa. The emigration of several families along with a minister paid by the State was typical of this mass movement during this time.

The Rev. Henry Dugmore with William Shaw and others founded the Weslayan [Methodist] Church in the Eastern Province of the Cape, while a George Smith from Manchester, England led another party to the Cape. The value of skilled artisans for agriculture, carpentry and furniture making was paramount among the settlers. The Weslayans made a firm footing in Cape Town.

Relations between the settlers and the native tribes became more tenuous by 1834 with British peace treaties and the emancipation of slaves. Farmers were more frequently harrassed (and vice versa!) by the neighborin Xhosa tribes and bands of Hottentots. In 1834 thousands of Xhosa warriors devastated broad areas of the frontier. Shortly thereafter, many British settlers departed for new territories to the north and beyond, convinced that the British authorities would no longer protect them from the increasing Xhosa raids. Ref: "A Short History of South Africa", John Selby. See also "Narrative of a Residence in South Africa", by Thomas Pringle. [BGE, 12/02]

An 1867 Cape Town mercantile register notes a "P.J. Alport, merchant, Claremont" [BGE, 12/02]

BIOGRAPHY: from Glenn King, Ontario, 070903:

BIOGRAPHY: Did a little poking today. Not census yet. Found a reference to a Thomas Allpart who was a Private in the 1 st Regiment of Dundas County (Eastern Ontario). He was between 19 and 30 -- dated 29 December 1828. Source: Men of Upper Canada Militia (1828/9). Sound like your fellow?

BIOGRAPHY: Also found several marriages of children of Thomas and Delilah.

BIOGRAPHY: --------------------------------------- Glenn King Family History Research Kingston Ontario Canada

REFERENCE: "Men of Upper Canada- Militia Nominal Rolls 1828 - 1829", by: Bruce Elliot, Dan Walker and Fawne Stratford-Devai.

Beginning in 1793 the able-bodied male inhabitants of Upper Canada were required by law to enroll as militiamen. Late in 1828 the commanding officers of each regiment were ordered to submit a roll containing the names of the men in their units from 19 to 39. Despite certain exemptions the resulting returns constitute the closes thing to a province wide census that survives for a genealogically difficult period.

The list identify and locate some 27,000 male inhabitants of Upper Canada, including officers and some reservists aged 40 to 60. 356 pgs. /excellent alphabetical index/softcover.

356 pgs. /excellent alphabetical index/softcover..

NOTE to above military citation: The name, location and age of this Thomas Allpart fit nicely for Thomas Alport, who would have been 20/21 years of age. Furthermore, Thomas married about 1831, Delilah Smith of New York State which is contiguous to Dundas Co., Ontario. [BGE, 07/03]

Thomas Alport and his family are recorded in the 1851 Census of Portland & Hinchinbrooke Townships, Rebuilt & Indexed by Russ Waller, page 4, June 1988, 971.371 X2p, [BGE, 10/02]

[response to South Africa, January 2003]