Leah (Stoner) Morningstar (1794 - 1857)

Born 26 Aug 1794 in Humberstone Township, Upper Canada

Ancestors

Wife of Benjamin Morningstar — married 1817 in Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 17 Sep 1857 at age 63 in Humberstone Township, Canada West

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Biography

"ABRAHAM MORNINGSTAR was born in Humberstone, in the year 1821. His father, Benjamin Morningstar, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1789, and his mother (whose maiden name was Leah Stoner) was a daughter of Christian Stoner, one of the earliest settlers of Humbertone. Our subject's grandfather and great-grandfather were born in Bavaria, and emigrated, the latter dying on the passage out. His grandfather was but nine years of age when he landed in Pennsylvania, where, in after years, he farmed and conducted a factory for fulling cloth, until the outbreak of the American revolution, when, being a Loyalist, he sank the heavy machinery of his factory in the river to hide it from the rebels, and came to Canada, settling near Black Creek. At the close of the war he returned to his native land with a horse and cart to bring the machinery to this country, where he contemplated starting a factory. On the return trip the horse gave out with its heavy load (the plate used for pressing cloth weighing about half a ton) and Mr. Morningstar traded the horse for a yoke of oxen and proceeded on his journey. He had not got more than halfway home, however, when his funds gave out and he was sorely puzzled as to how the expenses for the balance of the trip were to be met. Meeting a friendly Quaker he related the circumstances to him. The Quaker heard his story, and saying "Thee looks like an honest man," gave him the required amount, for which he took no note in writing of any kind. The Quaker stated that he would be in Canada the next spring and that the money could then be returned to him. Mr. Morningstar arrived safely at home after an absence of nineteen weeks. The Quaker was paid his money when he called at the appointed time. The woolen mill, which was started with the machinery brought from Pennsylvania, continued to exist as the property of the Morningstar family for about fifty years. Benjamin, our subject's father was born in 1789, and consequently was about three years of age when the family came to Canada in 1792. In 1814 they removed from Black Creek to the farm in Humberstone where Abraham Morningstar was born. He has, until recent years, followed the business of farming in Humberstone. He was married in 1844, to Mary Sherk who was born in 1826 ; she is a daughter of Jacob Sherk. They have had a family of ten of whom seven are living. Caroline is the wife of E. B. Near, jeweller. Stonebridge ; Catharine married Philip Zavitz of Bertie ; Wilson is the proprietor of the flouring and shoddy mills at DeCew's Falls; Clayton is in business at Weston, Ontario ; Cyrenus farms in Humberstone ; Almira and Wallace are unmarried and living at home. Our subject now resides in the village of Stonebridge, where he is enjoying a well-earned rest from the active duties of life."^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ The history of the county of Welland, Ontario, its past and present [microform] [1]

See also:

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/116433239/leah-morningstar: accessed 30 August 2023), memorial page for Leah Stoner Morningstar (26 Aug 1794–17 Sep 1857), Find A Grave: Memorial #116433239, citing Overholt Cemetery, Port Colborne, Niagara Regional Municipality, Ontario, Canada; Maintained by Art Currie (contributor 47822357).