Ebenezer Haley (abt. 1759 - 1847)

Born about 1759 in Brimfield, Hampden, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 10 Mar 1847 at about age 88 in Springford, Norwich, Oxford, Upper Canada

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Biography

Ebenezer Haley was born circa 1759 the son of Ebenezer Haley and Grace Bullen, who were among the first settlers of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia^[1]

In August, 1795, he married Sarah Landers, daughter of Sealed Landers and Mary Pitman, who were also early settlers of Yarmouth^[1], and their children included;

1. Samuel, born June 10, 1797^{[1] [2]}, who married Christina Howe in Ontario^[3]
2. Sealed, born November 20, 1798^[1], who married Mariah Mansfield^[4]
3. Mary, born December 27, 1800^[1], who married Samuel Brown^[5]
4. Lavinia, born May 16, 1803^[1], who may have married Clarke Gardner
5. Ebenezer, born August 12, 1805^[1], who married Rachel Ostrander
6. John, born October 29, 1807^[1], who may have married Amy Otis.
7. William, born 1812 in Upper Canada, who married Elizabeth Smith (See FindAGrave)

This family moved to Brantford, in Upper Canada^[1]

Biography (Version 2)

Ebenezer (Squire) Healy (1759- 1847)

Ebenezer (Squire) Healy was born in July, 1759 in Brimfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts to parents Ebenezer and Grace (Bullen) Healy. He was their fifth child. Squire had four half siblings whose mother was Hannah Fuller and nine full siblings. He was just three years old when his parents made the decision to move from Brimfield, Massachusetts to Chebogue Point, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia during the migration of “New England Planters/ Colonists”. The British government was anxious to have Protestant British settlers move onto former Acadian farmland in Nova Scotia after the Acadians were expelled in 1755. ^[6] The Healey's moved in 1762 ^[7]to an area known as Shurtliff's Point which later became the townsite of Chebogue, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. His father, Ebenezer died, lost at sea in 1777 when Squire was 18 years old. His mother died in Chebogue in 1790, when Squire was 31.

On August 1, 1795, Squire Healy (36) married Sarah Landers (19). Sarah's family were also New England Planters. Although there was a 17 year age difference, it is likely that Squire wanted a large family and a young wife was the way to accomplish it. Together they had ten children: Samuel James (1797- 1857), Sealed/ Selah Landers (1798- 1872), Mary (1800- 1900), Mary Polly (1800- 1872) TWINS??, Lavinia (1803- 1903), Ebenezer (1805- 1885), John (1807- 1881), Benjamin (1808- 1891), William (1812- 1887), Charlotte (1820- 1892). It is likely that the first eight were born in Chebogue while the two youngest were born in Springford, Oxford, Ontario.

A family story indicates that Sarah was reluctant to move to Upper Canada. She was afraid the Indians would be hostile and would endanger the lives of her family. One night Sarah had a dream the family was living in a shack in the woods. Within the dream she pictured herself being alone with the children and several Indian braves came to her house. In her dream the braves played with the children and when they were ready to go to sleep they took their blankets, laid down on the floor and went to sleep. She experienced no harm from them. Sarah saw it as a sign that life would be safe in Upper Canada and she agreed to go. ^[8]

In 1811, Ebenezer (52), Sarah (35) and their children ranging in age from 14 down to age 3, made the long journey from Chebogue, Nova Scotia to Springford, Oxford, Upper Canada. ^[9] “ The Canadian County Atlas Digital project shows Ebenezer (Squire) as being a retired farmer who settled in Oxford County in 1811 in Norwich South Township near Springford. The atlas date was 1876. The property was found on the north-west corner in the centre of Springford. ^[10]

Soon after the Healeys were settled in their new home, the war of 1812-1814 broke out.

Sometime after settling in Springford it is believed that Squire and one of his brothers got into some sort of feud and Ebenezer (Squire) changed the spelling of his name to HALEY.

Sometime between 1807 and 1811, Squire had a clock made by Riley Whiting in Wincester, Connecticut and had it shipped to Chebogue. It was transported with the family when they moved to Ontario over 200 years ago. Another family researcher indicated that the clock is found in the home of a Squire Healy descendant today.

The clock was described as an impressive structure standing an even seven feet high. It was described as structurally not beautiful but just like one of the family. It is unique in that it has wooden cogs, a tell-tale sign that it was made in Connecticut, not in England.

In 1811, the rugged “New England Planter” and his family and his clock landed at Port Burwell and carrying the clock on his back, Squire Healy led his family to their new home near what is known today as the village of Springford. The clock with the wooden works was changed. When carried into Oxford County wilderness, it was minus its case, presumably left behind in Chebogue due to its weight. For years it hung on a wall until Squire himself built its present case. There followed a century of service as the stoic old clock tick-tocked its way through generation after generation of Haleys. It outlived three houses on the old Haley Homestead and when descendant Marvin Haley moved into the village of Springford he took it with him. One day about 25 years ago the timepiece stopped. Several jewelers looked at it but the verdict was unanimous … the clock was just worn out. The clock went back to the Haley home. It had a place of honour in the living room. Although it had outlived its usefulness, the Haleys couldn't part with it. Then tragedy struck. The Haleys awoke late one night to find the rear of the house was in flames. Their first thought was to save the clock. Together they carried it to safety. The house was burned to the ground along with most of their possessions, but the grandfather clock was intact.

Two years after the fire, the Haleys were gradually recovering from their loss in the fire. Their only timepiece was a pocket watch. One day Mr. Haley was away with the watch and Mrs. Haley wound the old clock just for curiosity. The ancient wooden cogs began rotating, the pendulum swinging and the measured tick-tock of the grandfather's clock filled the room. “I can't describe my feelings when the old clock started up again” said Mrs. Haley. “It was just like the voice of an old friend. It just started when we needed it most.” The clock is today located in a descendant's house located on the original homestead property of Squire Haley (perhaps the grandson of Martin Haley).

Squire was described in one reference as being a staunch, Christian man. He helped in the building of the Baptist Church in Springford. There is apparently a window there that has his name on it. He and his wife Sarah were two of the eighteen charter members of that church. There is a story that indicates that Squire once sold a two year old heifer to get money to buy a bible.

Ebenezer Squire Haley passed away March 10, 1847, seven years after his wife Sarah. They had been married 45 years. Both are buried in the Springford Cemetery. ^{[11] [12]}

Ebenezer left a will. It indicated after his death, his funeral charges and debts were to be paid. He bequeathed his farm to his youngest son William (William would have been 35 at the time of his father's death). The will continued that within two years, William was to pay each of his siblings the sum of six pounds five shillings of lawful money in equal annual instalments. The children mentioned were: Samuel, Selah (Sealed), Ebenezer, John, Benjamin, Mary, Lavinia and Harriet. (The research done by another family member mentions a Polly Charlotte but not a Harriet. Unsure of what the correct information is.) (Five of the siblings passed away before William's death in 1887, but for some this would have been a forty year commitment to paying the annual amount as mentioned in his father's will).

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8} Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Genealogies : Transcribed from the Yarmouth Herald, by George S. Brown; prepared for publication by Martha & William Reamy, assisted by John McDonald Hilton ... et al.; published in Baltimore : Genealogical Pub. Co., c1993. ISBN: 0806313722; see page 85 for William Haskell Sr and Jr, page 262 for Sealed Landers, and page 133 for Ebenezer and Sarah
2. ↑ "Canada Census, 1851," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWT6-5NN : 3 August 2016), Samuel Haley, Norwich, Oxford County, Canada West (Ontario), Canada; citing p. 190, line 1; Library and Archives Canada film number C_11745, Public Archives, Ontario.
3. ↑ "Ontario Deaths, 1869-1937 and Overseas Deaths, 1939-1947," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JXFQ-5D9 : 27 April 2019), Samuel Healy in entry for Abigail Mathews, 05 Aug 1912; citing Enniskillen, Lambton, Ontario, yr 1912 certificate # 36931, Registrar General. Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,854,929.
4. ↑ "Ontario, County Marriage Registers, 1858-1869," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2CB-QDWV : 16 March 2018), Sealed Haley in entry for Thomas Haley and Anna Jane Webster, 16 Apr 1863; citing Oxford, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,030,062.
5. ↑ "Ontario, County Marriage Registers, 1858-1869," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2YM-WBN3 : 17 March 2018), Mary Healy in entry for James Fredck Brown and Magdalina Arn, 29 Apr 1862; citing Norfolk, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,030,061.
6. ↑ https://pier21.ca/research/immigration-history/journey-of-new-england-planters-to-nova-scotia
7. ↑ https://www.ancestry.ca/discoveryui-content/view/2655420:7486?tid=90994723&pid=232319117462&queryId=5970734044169419e7ef9f14c9b57190&_phsrc=DRI3020&_phstart=successSource
8. ↑ "Fear of Indians In Norwich Overcome By Pioneer's Dream" (unknown publication. Article found in the Gilbert Binder researched by Irene (Gilbert) Strachan
9. ↑ https://www.ancestry.ca/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/90994723/person/232316441017/media/5c396aa0-2587-402a-a0ae-ea3df1a38d0d?_phsrc=DRI3032&usePUBJs=true&galleryindex=3&albums=pg&showGalleryAlbums=true&tab=0&pid=232316441017&sort=-created
10. ↑ https://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/showrecord.php?PersonID=117733
11. ↑ https://www.ancestry.ca/discoveryui-content/view/1346167:7920?ssrc=pt&tid=90994723&pid=232316441017
12. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157754094/ebenezer-healy?_gl=1*2eljmm*_gcl_au*NDYwMzc0ODA2LjE2ODgyMzk4NjE.*_ga*MjA1NTY2Mzg2Mi4xNjg4MjM5ODYy*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*ZjU5NTg0YWItYzE1ZS00NzNmLTg5MjMtNzE5NGQ4NTE2MTM3LjMwLjEuMTY4OTg5NzA3NS4yOS4wLjA.

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157754094/ebenezer-haley
• WikiTree profile Haley-629 created through the import of Overstreet Family GEDCOM.ged on Aug 13, 2011 by Alanover X. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Alanover and others.
• Source: S19 Abbreviation: The Yarmouth Herald, Yarmouth Genealogies, No. 26. Title: The Yarmouth Herald, Yarmouth Genealogies, No. 26. Yarmouth, Nova Scotia July 27, 1897 Vol LXIV, No. 51. Subsequent Source Citation Format: The Yarmouth Herald, Yarmouth Genealogies, No. 26. BIBL The Yarmouth Herald, Yarmouth Genealogies, No. 26. Yarmouth, Nova Scotia July 27, 1897 Vol LXIV, No. 51. . TMPLT TID 0 FIELD Name: Footnote VALUE The Yarmouth Herald, Yarmouth Genealogies, No. 26. Yarmouth, Nova Scotia July 27, 1897 Vol LXIV, No. 51. FIELD Name: ShortFootnote VALUE The Yarmouth Herald, Yarmouth Genealogies, No. 26. FIELD Name: Bibliography VALUE The Yarmouth Herald, Yarmouth Genealogies, No. 26. Yarmouth, Nova Scotia July 27, 1897 Vol LXIV, No. 51. . TMPLT FIELD Name: Page
• Source: S20 Abbreviation: Healey Ancestry Title: Patricia Healey , Healey Ancestry Ancestry World Tree Subsequent Source Citation Format: Patricia Healey , Healey Ancestry BIBL Patricia Healey . Healey Ancestry. Ancestry World Tree. TMPLT TID 0 FIELD Name: Footnote VALUE Patricia Healey , Healey Ancestry Ancestry World Tree FIELD Name: ShortFootnote VALUE Patricia Healey , Healey Ancestry FIELD Name: Bibliography VALUE Patricia Healey. Healey Ancestry. Ancestry World Tree. TMPLT FIELD Name: Page
• Source: S26 Abbreviation: International Genealogical Index Title: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, International Genealogical Index Subsequent Source Citation Format: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, International Genealogical Index BIBL The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. International Genealogical Index. TMPLT TID 0 FIELD Name: Footnote VALUE The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, International Genealogical Index FIELD Name: ShortFootnote VALUE The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, International Genealogical Index FIELD Name: Bibliography VALUE The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. International Genealogical Index.