William Armstrong (abt. 1780 - 1867)

Born about 1780 in Monaghan, Ireland [uncertain]

Husband of Mary (Codd) Armstrong — married 8 Sep 1836 in Fort Chambly, Lower Canada

Descendants

Died 16 May 1867 at about age 87 in Southwest River, Rouville, Quebec, Canada East

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Stephen Bailey [send private message]

Birth Date: May 1779 - May 1780: This is infered from the passing date, May 18, 1867, age 87.

Place of Birth: From his 1867 funeral records: Monaghan County, Ulster, Ireland, son of James Armstrong of Monaghan. Baptism records of son Christopher state he was a shoemaker living in Montreal in 1818.

Early Family History My mother's family history stories suggest that our branch of the Armstrong clan was originally from South West Scotland. During the early 1700's, as the story goes, our relatives had a dispute with local authorities about land and the herding of sheep. They "elected" to move to Ireland. This history agrees with a google search of the British Government's Protestant farm population policy called the "Irish Plantations" of Ulster during the 1600s and 1700s. My mothers best recollection of her father's stories is that William came to Canada in 1813 but she does not know how or why.

1792 - 1813 (Age 12 - 33) The how and the why may be the War of 1812. It is puzzling why William took so long to marry and then move to Canada with a wife and 2 kids at the invitation of a British General. He then lived just 10 miles from that General and just 17 miles from two major British forts at St John, now St Jean and Chambly, QC. Many Irish Catholics went overseas to serve French and Spanish armies in "Irish Brigades". The British Army recruited Protestant Irish soldiers during this time. They also recruited kids as young as 12 (William 1792). There was the British - Napoleonic War from 1792 thru 1815 and the Irish Revolt in 1798. A seasoned soldier for the Canadian Militia and a farmer to clear and till the land would be an ideal candidate for settlement in Lower Canada. It is also known that it was common to reward military service with land grants rather than pay.

1816 (Age 36) The marriage to Jane is documented in a family bible at Monaghan Ireland. It is believed that Jane was from Rockcorry in southern Monagan County and that her family name is Wilson. The date is unclear and her middle name may be Codd or Todd. Of interest, according to the 1831 Census William's next door neighbour at South West River is a Philip Codd who has 9 family members.

1817 (Age 37) Margaret Armstrong is born. This birth year is taken from her July 25, 1895 (age 78) burial records at St James Church, Waterloo, QC.

Oct 1818 (Age 38) James Christopher is born. This birth date is taken from his June 2, 1905 (age 86 years, 8 months) burial records at St James Church, Waterloo, QC.

William Armstrong is said to have sailed for Canada around 1819.

Of interest to those searching public records, a google history of Canadian politics in the early 1800s shows that the British "Province of Quebec" was established in 1761 and then divided into Upper and Lower Canada in 1795 following the Revolutionary War in the USA. This division reflected the large immigration of English settlers into Upper Canada around the Great Lakes. Lower Canada was on either side of the St Lawrence River, downstream from Upper Canada and primarily populated by French settlers. Lower Canada used the French Seignior system of land holding. Land ownership was based on surveys that formed long strips at 90 degrees to rivers. This ensured all farms had access to water.

The Eastern Townships of Lower Canada had land boundaries based on the English system of townships. Six Townships, each of eqaul size, were surveyed to English standards. Contrary to the French surveys, property boundaries ran East West according to Latitude and Longitude. They paralleled the USA border not rivers. The predominantly English Townships were divided into a grid of rectangular Ranges. Each Range was then divided into a grid of rectangular 200 acre lots. This English system of property division was familiar to, and encouraged the settlement of, United Empire Loyalists (UEL) and British immigrants.

In 1883, a Royal Commision into Quebec Land Grants from 1795 to 1880 details who received these grants. Each grant was in multiples of 200 acres based on military or political rank and participation in colonial defence. Six families of Armstrongs', including a one William Armstrong, acquired nearly 3000 acres near the mouth of the Yamaska River in 1806. It is unknown if our William is related to these Armstrong's as his South West River grant cannot be found in the Royal Commission's Report to the Quebec Legislature. This is probably because his property is within the large land holdings of British General Sir John Johnson, former Baronet of New York.

In 1794, Sir John acquired the "Fife and Seigniory of Monnoir" in Lower Canada and other holding is Upper Canada. "Monnoir" included what are now the four Municipalities of Marieville, St Gregoire, St Brigide d'Iberville and Ste Angele de Monnoir. He sold Monnoir in 1826 shortly before his death and the Seigneurial system of land holding was discontinued in 1855.

Johnson's heritage and politics is of interest to the story of William Armstrong. Johnson was the son of a British Baronet but was born in the Province of New York around 1741. He was General of a Loyalist NY Regiment. In the early years of the American Revolution he was captured by the Continental Army but escaped and moved to Montreal, QC in 1775. He was active in colonial politics and advocated for the restoration and strengthening of the five forts on the Richelieu River along with increased settlement of the area. He lobbied for Protestant settlerss loyal to Britain. As an extension of the Hudson Valley, the Richelieu River was the main invasion route for the US Armies in the war of 1812. More importantly for the Armstrong story, the sparsely settled lands to the east of the Yamaska River also formed the British Colonial border with the new US State of Vermont.

Johnson's lands were nearly lost to him during the war of 1812. After the war he feared that the Fenians, American Irish Catholics, would be successful in their lobby of Congress for a new war with Canada. He was also concerned about the Quebecois Catholic patriots and the possibility they may form a religious alliance with the American Fenians. To counter this threat he invited settlement of his Monnoir lands by English, Scottish, Irish and American settlers that were sworn United Empire Loyalists (UEL). He lobbied the Legislature to populate the English Eastern Townships. Although he died in 1830, his fears were later realized in the French Patriotic Revolt of 1837 thru 1838 and the Fenian Raids of 1860 thru 1863. The Fenian Raids coincided with the old country Irish Catholic bid for separation from Britain and establishment of the sovereign state of Ireland.

1819 (Age 39) According to family history, William & Jane Armstrong, with daughter Margaret and son James Christopher took up Sir John Johnson's settlement offer sometime around 1818. It is not known how or exactly when they arrived at the main port of entry, the Port of Quebec. Speculation has it that the family remained at Quebec City until the farm was ready and returned to civilization during the winter months. Saint Lawrence Shipping Ltd passenger lists show a William Armstrong travelling from Quebec City to Montreal on the New Swiftsure. He arrived at Montreal on Aug 16, 1819 with a W. Rutledge.

William selected land on Johnson's Monnoir Estate at Murray's Corner. At some point Sir John changed the hamlet's name to South West River (SWR). The new name better reflected its position to two other Yamaska main tributaries, Yamaska North and Yamaska South East. However, it incorrectly implied that there was ample water flow. It was really just a creek that swelled during spring run off and was only passable by canoe; but, the new name was a good marketing tool.

For those searching family records who wish to avoid confusion over the many location name changes, it should be noted that Lower and Upper Canada were rejoined in 1841 to form the Province of Canada following the French Patriot Revolt of 1837 - 1838. As the hamlet of SWR was within a Seignior, its English name was changed in 1846 to Ste. Brigide. Lower Canada was renamed Canada East and Upper Canada was called Canada West. The Seigniorie of Monnoir's name was also changed to the Seignior d'Iberville. Canada West became Ontario and Canada East became Quebec in 1867 during Confederation with the other British colonial Provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI. For those using Google Maps, the village was renamed Ste. Brigide d'Iberville in 1956.

In 1819, William would have found that the few buildings at South West River (SWR) were about 5 miles west of the Yamaska River. A survey map of the time (google it) shows the narrow farm borders all front on SWR and stretched back at 90 degrees to it. South West River, now called Riviere Sud-Ouest, is more of a creek than a river and flows north from the hamlet of Ste Brigide through the village of St Brigide d'Iberville to join the Yamaska River just south of Ste-Cesaire.

In 1820, a saw mill was built at the falls near the forks of the North East and South East Yamaska River. At the time there were only a few settlers at West Farnham, but this site would become the village of Farnham by 1840 and be incorporated as a town in 1879. A History of the Eastern Townships (1869, Matilda Day, ebook online) indicate that thick pine and maple forests were plentiful in the area and had to be cleared for farm land. There were few people around but there were many bears and wolves. Once cleared, the soil was rich and fertile.

In 1819, all travel was north and south. Although SWR was only 45 miles east of Montreal and 17 miles east of Fort St John (now St Jean) there were no East West roads. The trip from Montreal required taking a boat downstream (north) to the Port of Sorel at the mouth of the Richelieu River. Passengers would then go upstream (south) on the Richelieu or Yamaska Rivers using smaller vessels. The Richelieu River had 5 substantial forts to protect the colonists from Iroquois Indian raids originating from Lake Champlain. The Yamaska was unfortified but a new hamlet was established at St Cesaire in 1822. There were no passable east - west roads until the 1840s. From South West River, there was a very poor summer road running to Stanbridge, Bedford and St Armand (Philipsberg) to the south and Shefford to the north. It was passable when frozen in the winter.

1822 (Age 42) William John Armstrong is born Mar 17, 1822. Speculation is that Jane was at Quebec City with Margaret and Christopher for the winter of 1821 / 1822 to prepare for the birth and wait for the farm to be habitable. Jane Armstrong is on the Caledonia's ship passenger list of Aug 12, 1822 making the journey from Quebec to Monteal. Margaret, James and Robert Armstrong made the same journey three weeks later, Sept 1, 1822, on the Malsham.

'1824, Dec 25 (Age 44), Robert Armstrong is born.

1825 Census: (Age 45) Bedford County, Quebec Census has William Armstrong listed on page 793.

1827, Sept 9 (Age 47), Wilson Joseph Armstrong is born.

1829, June 1 (Age 49), Robert Armstrong is born.

1831(Age 51): Census District of Rouville, Sub District St Marie, South West River Page 1562: William is listed as a cobbler or a worker of leather. He has 8 direct members of the family, 4 are males of age 5 with one male listed as between 5 and 14. There is one female greater than 14, one married female between 30 and 60 and a male greater than 60. His immediate 5 neighbours are all listed as farmers: Samuel Ervene, Samuel Leslie, W. Pearson, Robert Hanna and Philip Codd. They are all listed as belonging to the Church of England.

Religion William Armstrong is listed as an Anglican (Church of England) in the 1931 Census. His other 5 English neighbours are also listed as Anglicans. The remaining residents are listed as Catholic and have French or Irish names. Our later Armstrongs’ were listed as Methodists. UEL Methodists from the USA had settled in the area around Dunham and Bedford from 1776 through 1800, during and after the Revolutionary War. After the War of 1812, links to the US were cut and the British Wesleyn Methodist Church set up a circuit based out of St Armand around 1822. A John Armstrong is listed as the local minister for the area. He is based out of St Armand but it is not known if William and John are related. The area was largely Methodist, Church of England and Congregationalist. Methodist census records for 1822 show a total congregation 0f 345 for all of the Eastern Townships.

The first Anglican Church in the Yamaska area was built in 1829 at Stanbridge. This is important because only the Church of England could perform legal Protestant marriages in Lower Canada until 1840. Colonial regulations required that all churches keep records of births and deaths. St Stephen's Anglican Church was built in 1820 to serve the garrison at Fort Chambly. Lack of roads prevented an Anglican circuit into South West River until the late 1830s. William's marriage and death records are kept at St Stephens although he is buried at St James Anglican in Farnham.

1832 (Age 52) Cholera: There is no record of Jane's and infant Ann Jane's death or burial but there was a Cholera outbreak that killed around 10,000 in Lower Canada from 1832 through 1835. Mass graves were common during this epidemic.

1836 - 38 (Age 56 - 58) William married Mary Dixon around 1836. Shortly after, George Henry (Mar 18, 1837) and Mary Ann (Oct 1, 1838) Armstrong were born.

1861 (Age 81) Census records show him residing with his youngest son George at the original family farm at Ste Brigide d'Iberville.

1867 (Age 87) At the time of his death William resided in the parish of St. Brigide-d'Iberville, Quebec. He died on the 18th of May 1867 and is most likely buried in the Farnham Anglican "Old Stone Church" cemetery. His death was witnessed by sons: George, James, William, W.J. and Thomas Armstrong. He was 87 years old at the time of his death. Source: St Stephen's Anglican Church, Chambly, QC