John Call

Born [date unknown] in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States [uncertain]

Died about 1852 in Oro, Simcoe, Canada West

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John Call is a part of US Black heritage.

John Call served in the War of 1812
Service started:
Unit(s): 3rd Regiment of York Militia, Canada
Service ended:

John Call served in the War of 1812
Service started:
Unit(s): Coloured Corps, Canada
Service ended:

Biography

He was the brother of Richard and Stephen Call/Caul/Kaul.

During the War of 1812 all three brothers volunteered to serve in Captain Duncan Cameron's Flank of the 3rd York Militia mustered from the Town of York and the surrounding townships. The militia flank companies were created in June, 1812 and disbanded early in 1813. ^[1]

In 1812, he served in Captain Stephen Heward’s 2nd Flank Company. He had been discharged with an infirmity. ^[2]

In 1812, Capt. Cameron recorded him as a “black” man. ^[3]

In October, 1813, John was transferred to the Coloured Corps on the Niagara Frontier. Only a few rolls from this corps have survived the last 200 years. We cannot ascertain how extensive his service was or at which battles he served.

From Apr. 25 to July 24, 1813, he served as a private in the Coloured Corps. ^[4]

On July 27, 1819, John Call, a “man of colour” and labourer of Vaughan Twp., made a land petition. He was born in Middlesex, New Jersey, had resided in Upper Canada for about 9 years, and had a wife and one child. He had served as a private in the Coloured Corps during the late war. ^[5]

By 1820, John had settled at York when he received his location ticket for Oro Twp. He received a patent to the land in 1831. ^[6]

He was recorded in an 1820 Return for Corps for the last quarter of 1812 as a resident of York. ^[7]

On Nov. 11, 1831, John Call, of Middlesex Co. and a former private in the Coloured Corps, received 100 acres on 21 Wilberforce St. in Oro Twp. on November 11, 1831. ^[8]

About 1852, he died in Oro Twp. ^[9]

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.fortyork.ca/images/newsletters/fife-and-drum-2012/fife-and-drum-sept-2012.pdf
2. ↑ Collections Canada, War of 1812: Upper Canada Returns, Nominal Rolls and Paylists, Microfilm t-10379, pages 100-104
3. ↑ Ontario History, Vol. 1, 1899, The Ontario Historical Society, 1899, https://ontariohistoricalsociety.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Ontario-History-1899-v1.pdf, page 132-139, The Cameron Rolls, 1812, accessed Mar. 22, 2020
4. ↑ Collections Canada in RG8 Volume 688e on Microfilm C-3232, pages 742-746, http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/microform-digitization/006003-110.02-e.php?&q2=25&interval=50&sk=201&&&&&PHPSESSID=rgi7t06a60or2jdheocn6v65f4
5. ↑ 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-1723, pages 50-51
6. ↑ Gary E. French, Men of Colour, Kaste Books, Stroud, Ontario, 1978, page 74
7. ↑ Collections Canada War of 1812: Upper Canada Returns, Nominal Rolls and Paylists on microfilm t-10385, pages 885-890, online at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/microform-digitization/006003-110.02-e.php?&q2=35&interval=50&sk=0&&PHPSESSID=2t328r0gnqi1qn8dnptsgdcfp1
8. ↑ Ontario Archives, Militia Land Grants Register, Microfilm MS693, Reel 140, Volume 132, Grant #3113
9. ↑ Gary E. French, Men of Colour, Kaste Books, Stroud, Ontario, 1978, page 74

• The War of 1812 Militia Rolls and Payrolls can be accessed online here