John Belcher (1776 - abt. 1834)

Born 1776 in Zorro, Oxford, Ontario

Descendants

Died about 1834 at about age 58 in Ontario, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Joachim Hawn [send private message]

Biography

JOHN BELCHER

DIXIE: ORCHARDS to INDUSTRY---Kathleen A. Hicks

Page 32

Part [14]—The BELCHERS

JOHN and ANN BELCHER came from Zorra, County of Oxford, Brock District, in 1807 to the area that would be named Dixie

ANN GREEN BELCHER had received a grant in 1807 of 200 acres (81 ha), Lot 7, Con.1, NDS.

She was the daughter of Loyalist JOHN GREEN of Flamboro West, New Jersey, who was related to Reverend ANSON GREEN (b.1801, d.1879), who as a circuit rider travelled the Lake Shore Road District. (NOTE of Clarification: Reverend Anson Green was not a blood relative to the Green Family, in fact, he married ELIZABETH HOPKINS who was the daughter of CALEB HOPKINS and HANNAH GREEN....Hannah being the daughter of aforementioned John Green and Mary Davis....)

JOHN BELCHER, was the eldest son of JOHN BELCHER, who owned property in Zorra, Lot 10, Con.13.

He also had a brother BEN, who lived locally and had married: SOPHIA MATTICE of York Township.

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Page 482

II-2200 ANDREW COOK Jr .

"At Toronto, Ontario in 1835, ANDREW Jr. married PHEBE BELCHER, born in Canada in 1811, a daughter of J. BELCHER, born in New Jersey, U.S., and ANNA GREEN, born in Canada.

From the Publication Series—Dixie: Orchards to Industry by: Kathleen A. Hicks

3 II Dixie: Orchards to Industry is published by The Friends of the Mississauga Library System: 301 Burnhamthorpe Road West, Mississauga, Ontario L5B 3Y3 Canada Copyright 2006 Mississauga Library System All rights reserved.

ISBN Written by Kathleen A. Hicks Edited by Michael Nix Graphic layout by Joe and Joyce Melito Cover design by Stephen Wahl Front cover photos - The Region of Peel Archives Back cover photo by Stephen Wahl No part of this publication may be produced in any form without the written permission of the Mississauga Library System.

Brief passages may be quoted for books, newspaper or magazine articles, crediting the author and title. For photographs contact the source.

Extreme care has been taken where the copyright of pictures is concerned and if any errors have occurred, the author extends her utmost apology. Care has also been taken with research material. If anyone encounters any discrepancy with the facts contained herein, please send your written information to the author in care of the Mississauga Library System. Dixie: Orchards to Industry

DIXIE: ORCHARDS to INDUSTRY---Kathleen A. Hicks

Page 32

Part [14]—The BELCHERS

_____________________________

JOHN and ANN BELCHER came from Zorra, County of Oxford, Brock District, in 1807 to the area that would be named Dixie

ANN GREEN BELCHER had received a grant in 1807 of 200 acres (81 ha), Lot 7, Con.1, NDS.

She was the daughter of Loyalist JOHN GREEN of Flamboro West, New Jersey, who was related to Reverend ANSON GREEN (b.1801, d.1879), who as a circuit rider traveled the Lake Shore Road District.

JOHN BELCHER, was the eldest son of JOHN BELCHER Sr., who owned property in Zorra, Lot 10, Con.13.

He also had a brother BEN, who lived locally and had married SOPHIA MATTICE of York Township.

JOHN BELCHER was a blacksmith and no doubt Toronto Township’s first.

Once they were comfortably settled in their 19 by 23 foot (5.7 m x 6.9 m) cabin, JOHN opened his blacksmith shop in a shed he had built and began pursuing his craft with the local pioneers, who were also busy clearing their land and completing their settlement duties that had been laid out by the British government. His duties were done by January 12, 1808, and the property was registered on November 14, 1808.

In March, 1809, John was involved in the discussion of establishing a church along with John Silverthorn, Philip Cody, Lot 10, Con.1, SDS, John and Allen Robinet, Lot 12, Con.1, NDS, Abraham Cook, Lots 1 and 2, Con.1, NDS, William Barber, Abraham Markle, Lot 6, Con.1, NDS, Absalom Willcox, Lot 3, Con.1, NDS, and Daniel Harris, Lot 15, Con.1, SDS.

Then the construction of it, which began in 1810. John's business was brisk as the farmers took advantage of his trade. They took their horses to be shod and tools to be sharpened or repaired. One of John's customers on August 2, 1811, was Joseph Silverthorn. Joseph kept a ledger on his business transactions and his first business involvement with John reads:

Indetted to Belcher for sharpping harry teeth (harrow for plowing ground) - 1 shilling (approximately 13, with York currency being 12-1/2 to a shilling). September 27th shows, indetted to Belcher for shuing hos - 2s (25 ), for sharpping plow irons - 2s, for shuing hos - 14s ($1.75).

The account skips forward to January 8, 1812, when John purchased straw from Joseph for 3 shillings (37 ) and Joseph had a mare shoed and had some gears repaired for a total of 6s (75 ). In March, Joseph made a pair of leather slippers for John, and April through to August, mended butes (boots)- 3s, 6d (42, with 18 pence [d] to a shilling), shuing a hos, 2s, firing plow irons - 3s, 6d, sharping plow irons and pint o shears - 2s, 6d (29 ). The account is open until January, 1813, when a barrel of wheat went to the mill for the Belchers at a cost of 9 shillings ($1.13) and John received a bushel of oats for 4s (50 ). On March 25th, three bushels of petators (potatoes) went to John for 16s ($2).

The account continues in a similar manner. In those early days, before money was plentiful, there was a lot of bartering done. On many occasions, the Belchers would receive wheat, barley or potatoes in trade for services rendered.

John served in the 2nd Regiment of York as a private during the War of 1812.

He was discharged on March 24, 1815.

John gave evidence in a case before the Home District Court of General Quarter Sessions in 1838. He was sworn in for Grand Jury duty on January 9, 1845, for the Queen vs John Evans and other larceny cases. He was a constable for the Township during 1849 and 1850.

John operated his blacksmith shop on Lot 7 until May 3, 1843, when he purchased a quarter-acre (0.1 ha) of Lot 16, Con.1, NDS, facing Hurontario Street, just north of the Cooksville four corners, for 20 ($50) from grantee Samuel Ogden. The Belchers sold Lot 7 to Francis Logan on April 26, 1848. In 1852, his shop would be responsible for A Blacksmith Shop (Region of Peel Archives) the Cooksville fire.

On Saturday, May 26, 1852, at 2 p.m., a fire started in John s blacksmith shop and spread throughout the village. People hurried to the center of the village to give aid, but to no avail. John s blacksmith shop was completely destroyed along with 34 other structures. It must have been a devastating experience for him and his family. Following this tragic happening, the Belchers left the area. When William Perkins Bull was doing research for his books on Peel County in the 1930s, there were no Belchers in Toronto Township.

_________

From:

Index and Some Transcripts for the

Land Book Register of Grants to Militia Veterans of the War of 1812

Ontario Archives Microfilm 693, Reel 140, Volume 132

Originally Transcribed December 11, 2013

Published January 27, 2017

Copyright 2017 by Fred Blair

124...John Belcher, a blacksmith of Toronto Twp. and a private in the Incorporated Militia, received 100 acres of the west half of Lot 10, Con. 13, Zorra Twp. on May 25, 1820.

________________________________

Research on John Belcher and

his wife, Ann Green

Ancestry.com member

Hawn/McCartney family tree

beg. 2014.

(1) http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=vikingtree&id=I6161

Media: BookTitle: The Loyalists in Ontario: The Sons and Daughters of the American Loyalists of Upper Canada - Author: William D. Reid - Publication: Lambertville, New Jersey - Hunterdon House, 1973 - Page: p 133

Text: GREEN, John of Flamborough West, married Mary.

Children:

Ann* married John Belcher of Grantham. O.C. 11 July 1806.

Daniel of Flamborough West. O.C. 15 Nov 1808

Susannah she married John Main of Flamborough West. O.C. 6 April 1811

Hannah bapt. 2 Feb 1793 she married Caleb Hopkins of Nelson. O. C. 2 March 1816.

John Simcoe of Flamborough West. OC 7 Aug 1822, he married Susannah Ryckman.

**Sarah, she married. William Markle Jr. of Flamborough West. O.C. 28 Oct 1835.

***Nancy, bapt. 2 Feb 1793

***William of Flamborough West. O.C. 1 March 1832.

John -2nd: research

Posted on May 7, 2023

by JoachimHawn

John Belcher - Ontario, Canada, NJ., USA, Jem or James Belcher, Bristol, UK

Posted by: Robert Belcher (ID *****7098)

Date: September 10, 2002 at 21:31:43

http://genforum.genealogy.com/belcher/messages/2454.html

Hello, I am researching John Belcher--Born in New York or New Jersy about 1778 give or take 5 years. Moved to Marysburg Prince Edward County in 1799 were he settled with wife: Ann Green D/O John Green of New Jersey, son of Samual Green deputy surveyor of West Jersey.

He was descended from (According to My G,,Grandfather Col.A.E.Belcher) Jem or James Belcher--The Bare Knuckel Boxing Champion of England. Born in Bristol Died in London 1798-1811 buried St. Anns parish, Soho--died July 30th.

He had a brother Tom also a boxer. No other information trying to asertain the English connection.

John also apparently had a sister who married a Mr Pierce of New York City or may be spelled Pearce. They had a son who traveled to the California gold fields by ship were he met one Alexander Belcher a son of John according to a letter from Alexander.

John's mother was also reported to have been killed by Indians in another letter.

Any information would be most appreciated

Sincerely, Robert Digby Belcher

COOKSVILLE HISTORY - Mentions 1852 Great Fire

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooksville,_Ontario>

Cooksville was an important stagecoach stop along the Dundas highway, which was carved out of the wilderness after a survey by Asa Danforth in 1798.

Jacob Cook, for whom the area is believed to be named, bought 100 acres (0.40 km2) at Dundas Street and Hurontario Street for $30 in 1819.

The entrepreneur won the contract to deliver the mail from York to Niagara, operated several stagecoach lines, was the local magistrate and built the Cooksville House, the first licensed tavern in the area at the northwest corner of Dundas and Hurontario streets in 1829.

Cooksville grew in size and influence until the Great Fire of 1852 razed much of it. Cooksville is a neighbourhood in the city of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It is located at the intersection of Dundas Street and Hurontario Street.

NOTE The aforementioned Great Fire of 1852, was said to have started in the Blacksmith shop, of John Belcher.

RECORD ABSTRACT

From Minnesota Deaths and Burials

Death Place: Town Of Belgrade, Nicollet Co., Minnesota

Name:...Phebe Krock (Cook)

Gender:.....................Female

Death Date:......21 Jun 1892

Age:....................................81

Birth Date:....................1811

Birthplace:.........New Jersey

Occupation:.......Housewife

Race:...........................White

Marital Status:.......Married

Father's Name:....J. Belcher

Father's Birthplace:.New Jersey

Mother's Name:.....Anna Green

Mother's Birthplace:.....Canada

Sources

• "Minnesota Deaths and Burials, 1835-1990," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FDC4-XX4 : 10 February 2018), J. Belcher for Phebe Krok, 21 Jun 1892; citing Town Of Belgrade, Nicollet Co., Minnesota, reference p 91 #37; FHL microfilm 1,319,416.
• "Minnesota, County Deaths, 1850-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPHR-HKWX : 1 February 2019), J Belcher for Phebe Cook, Nicollet, Minnesota, United States; citing Death, various county courthouses, Minnesota.
• "England, Staffordshire, Church Records, 1538-1944", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL3K-TF92 : 16 March 2018), John Belcher, 1776.