Debbie, > Your information puts him going to Canada to > escape the War of 1812 and settling in Wilson, NY in 1815. No, I don't believe that's true--re his going to Canada to ESCAPE the War of 1812. I believe he went to Canada BEFORE the war started and then found that he would have to fight on the side of the British against the Americans and that's why he escaped being drafted into service by the British and fled to Wilson. > Nathan had served in the Revolutionary War for VT... would he really have > been drafted for the War of 1812 at his age? (this just goes to show how > many things there are to learn at once as we piece our ancestor's lives > together!) I don't know what British/Canadian laws were at the time but it's possible that every man under the age 50 or so had to at least be a member of the militia. When Nathan served in the Rev. War, he might have been as young as 16. The War lasted until 1783. If he had been 16 at the end of the war, he would have been born around 1767. In 1812 he would have been 45 years old. You mentioned that he and Amy started their family around 1797. So you see the pieces fit if you jiggle them a bit. You posed the question about his and his family's trek from Vermont [to Canada] to Niagara Co. First regarding his/their move to Canada. That was commonplace in those early years. Good cheap land was to be had in Canada and that's probably why they moved there. That doesn't mean they moved up into the far north; it could have been as close as Newark, Ontario (present day Niagara-on-the-Lake) right across the Niagara River from Youngstown. Newark is so close to Youngstown that many years ago in the winter when the lower Niagara River would jam up solid with ice, they could have actually walked across the river to the United States. Nathan could have first scouted out the area in Canada for the right piece of land and then went back to Vermont to pick up his family and brought them eventually here. > Lot 82 is just east of the village and on the 1860 map I > have it > shows C. Pratt on the Youngstown Rd. >> > > -->> What 1860 map do you have? It shows the names of residents / > landowners on it? Is it possible to purchase such a map somewhere? As you now know, that map IS available from the Niagara County Genealogical Society and it's a genealogist's dream! > -->> I knew about Lorenzo Pratt in the Civil War. However, in your reference: > it puts a relationship from Lorenzo to father Calvin and in turn to father > Nathan. This is great! Glad you appreciated the "casual" family relationship that was mentioned in the history book. > Also, the section about Calvin Pratt and Samantha Hawks. Here, you write of > her father Joseph Hawks. .. . . Your quote > gives me hope though, that the man existed.. was Samantha's father.. and > perhaps I can go to Sampubco or something and look for a probate record. He > must be in some record somewhere, yes? Another good clue and good luck! > You also listed Lorenzo Pratt's children. Since you say 2 of them are > "deceased" and the book was written in 1897, I can use that as a further > clue. Hey, you know a good clue when you see one! > What is the "Ontario Lodge" it says Lorenzo was a member of? Is this Odd > Fellows? Other family members in later generations belonged to IOOF. In the book it said that he was a member of Ontario Lodge No. 376, F. & A. M. That stands for Freemasonry of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons--meaning he was a member of the Masons. > -->> Yes, Asa died after his wife Lovina, so it would indeed have been left > to the children or other family to put a tombstone in place. Your reasoning > that this just didn't always happen makes sense. Rather makes me want to set > one in place there, you know? Yes, I know what you mean (sigh!) > Your message was a welcome present.. hopefully something of worth came along > for others here on the list? And thank you, Vee. Hope you have a wonderful > Easter sunday! And the very same wish for all of you! You're welcome and I'm up to my belly bean in jelly buttons! But hey what's this about your HOSMER family? Do you have any connection to our early families of Timothy or Prentice?? Do you?? I've got lotsa stuff on the families. vee