THE OLMSTEDS OF SOUTH HULL PART 1
Compiled by Keith W. MacLellan
Writing about the OLMSTED family, Amon
Gard in his book "Pioneers of the Upper Ottawa and the humors of the
Valley”, which was published about 1906 wrote "That a great family may
soon be so forgotten that its own members loose track of its several branches,
is illustrated in the OLMSTEDS".
Keith chose this quote for the cover page of
his history and it no doubt motivated him to write about this great family.
Except for copies of this history which were available at Keith's funeral, this
history is unpublished. This history is to long to duplicate in our newsletter,
however it may be possible to put it on the Olmste(a)d web page where it could
be viewed.
After service in WW II, Keith served in the
Canadian Diplomat service. His obituary tells of his many postings in that
regard as well as his other activities, interests as well as particulars on his
immediate family.
This article will summarize briefly what
Keith said about early Olmste(a)ds in Canada which will be followed by a
listing of his descendants of Richard Olmsted (1829‑1904) and his first
wife Sarah Alice Wright (1835‑1969), Keith’s grandparents. Keith
has a great deal of detail on the life and times of this later group whereas the
data simply indicate the relationships along with vital records type
information.
Keith has information on the families of
Gideon's other children, also information on the families of the other children
of Zenus, plus information on the OLMSTEADS of Renfrew County, Ross Twp.
which are also part of the Jabez group. This article will attempt to
concentrate on the direct OLMSTED line of Keith MacLELLAN.
Joe Barber
The forefather of the South Hull (Quebec) Olmsteds was Capt. Jabez OLMSTED's second child and oldest son Jeremiah.
Next comes Jabez (born 1735) who married Elizabeth ? in 1756. [Editor’s note; Jabez married Marrian Husse.]
Next in line is Gideon (born 1768 (West Stockbridge), 14 May, 1837 (Hull, PQ) who in Feb 1780 married Ester Andrews (1771 ‑ 27 Jan 1840 Hull, PQ). Gideon and Esther's children were:
Sarah (Sally) 1789‑1871 md.1 Philemon Wright Jr. md.2 Nicholas Sparks
Zenus 1791‑ ? md. Lovina Allen
Gideon Jr. 1793‑1869 md. Ann Tabor
Abram A. 1796‑ 1890 md. Ann Foster
Jabez 1799‑1864 md. Hilda Cross
Daniel 1801‑ ?
Nancy Annie 1804‑1837 md. James F. Taylor
David 1805‑1877 md. Elizabeth Saunders
Henry 18081873 md. Charlotte Wright
Solomon 1808‑1814
Ester 1810‑1849 md. George Holstead
Hiram 1813‑ ?
Records show that Gideon and his immediate family were living in Hebron Twp., Washington County, NY, at the time they originally petitioned for land in Canada in 1792. At that time Jabez, Jabez Jr., Job, Jeremiah Jr., Gideon and Zenus OLMSTED were among 100 Americans who requested a grant of a 10 mile square tract or "twp." of land on the western shore of Lake Memphamagog, PQ (called Lower Canada at that time). This was never granted and about 1795 Gideon and other members of the OLMSTED family settled instead near Burritt's Rapids, ON (called Upper Canada at that time). Anson Gard, in his history, says that Gideon was accompanied by his brothers, Richard and Jabus and his sister Elizabeth Bullis, each with their families when he settled near Burritt's Rapids.
The first OLMSTED to settle on the Rideau River was Israel OLMSTED. Israel was assigned lot 24 on Broken Front B, Watford Twp. (some 170 acres) by the Land Board for the counties of Leeds and Grenville on May 14,1793. Israel may have been a brother of Gideon or he may have influenced Gideon to settle in the same general area.
At some point Gideon established a farm at Hull, PQ. On 4 Feb 1802 "Philemon Wright and Associates" petitioned the government for the establishment of the Township of Hull. Gideon Umsted was 23rd on a "list of persons who have actually settled and done labour in the Twp. of Hull”, The petitioners were successful and the Township of Hull came into being on 3 Jan 1806. Gideon was involved in several land transactions in the Hull area and it appears he ended up with 300 acres fronting on the Aylmer road, plus other properties. After Gideon's death in 1837, the properties were divided among his 10 living children. As was the custom of the day, Gideon set aside one acre of his land for a cemetery and although it was privately owned it was available to the public. This cemetery is called Bellevue today and it is the resting place of Gideon, Esther and many other Olmste(a)ds and their kin.
Around 1816, after Gideon had moved to Hull and prospered, he purchased a dam, grist and saw mill at Irish Creek (now Jasper) where Irish creek flows into the Rideau. The dam was located where a short bridge now crosses the Rideau in the centre of Jasper, ON. The purpose of this purchase seems to have been to establish two of his sons, Jabez and Henry, in business. These mills operated until 1829 when they were flooded out by the opening of the Rideau canal. A claim was registered against the Crown and it was not settled until some three years after Gideon's death. After the flooding of the dam and mills, Henry moved to Bristol Twp. in Pontiac County, PQ.
Zenus, second child and eldest son of Gideon and Esther is the next ancestor in the pedigree line of Keith MacLELLAN. While Zenus inherited part of Gideon's Aylmer Road farm and other properties he apparently was not a good manager. Keith refers to him as a drunkard, a description which has been noted in other places as well. Zenus OLMSTED and Lovina Allen had the following children:
Emily 1821‑1841
Ester Mahalah 1923‑1911 md. Edward Tabor
Harriet 1824‑ ? md.1 James Conroy md.2 Pasachette Sheldon
Lavina 1826‑1881 md. David Thomas Hughes
Sarah 1827‑ ? md. Joseph Wyman
Richard 1829‑1904 md.1 Sarah Wright md.2 Jessie McRae
Maria 1831‑1909 md.1 Charles W. Thomas md.2 Peter Hamilton
Wyman 1833‑1894
md. Almira Holstead
Richard OLMSTED is the next ancestor in the pedigree line of Keith MACLELLAN. This family line with source and reference notes is as follows:
Richard’s descendants were:
First Generation
[1] William OLMSTED, b. March 14, 1853, d. March 16, 1853 .(1)
[2] Harriet Louisa OLMSTED b. May 1, 1854, d. July 3, 1854.
[3] Richard Alexander OLMSTED b. June 25, 1855, d. Dec. 1, 1882, in Belleveu, m. Sept. 29, 1881, Mar garet Turnbull, b. 1858, d. May 3, 1918. (9)
[4] Sarah Alice OLMSTED, d. Apr. 5, 1857, d. Aug. 1856.[5] Edith Hullena OLMSTED, b. 1859, d. January 15, 1934, m. William H. Benedict, b. 1853, d. 1916.(6)(10)
Children:
[5-1] Chester Milton BENEDICT, b. 1887, d. 1961. (1)(12)
[5-2] Mabel BENEDICT. (12)
[5-3] Ivan Ezra BENEDICT, b. 1896, d. Nov. 13, 1969. (12)
[6] Howard Wright OLMSTED, b. Aug. 9, 1861, d. May 5, 1953, m. 1887, Isabella (Belle) McRae, b. April 11, 1868, d. May 1, 1962. (9)
Children:
[6-1] Joan Alice OLMSTED. (15)
[6-2] Edith Isabella OLMSTED.
[6-3] Sarah Catherine OLMSTED (6), b. Sept. 21, 1901, m. Sept. 9, 1961, Charles Percy Tilley, b. Oct. 28, 1883.
[6-4] Duncan Alexander OLMSTED. (2)
[6-5] Jean Georgian Lillian OLMSTED. (6)
[6-6] Howard Rae OLMSTED. (15)
[7] Charles Albert OLMSTED, b. March 9, 1865, d. Sept. 29, 1943, m. Oct. 1, 1889, Agnes Alexander Buchanan, b. June, 1866, d. Dec. 29, 1956, dau of James and Betsy (Paterson) Buchanan.
Children:
[7-1] Richard Allen OLMSTED.
[7-2] Howard Russell OLMSTED. (3) (14A)
[7-3] William Buchanan OLMSTED.
[7-4] Sarah Alice OLMSTED, b.1902, d. Apr. 26, 1925.
[7-5] Eric Hamilton OLMSTED. (14)
[7-6] Janet Patterson OLMSTED.
[8] Annie May OLMSTED, b. 1871, m. Sept. 16, 1892, John Robert Armstrong, b.1869. (9)
Second
Generation
[5-2] Mabel BENEDICT, b. 1890, d. April 1, 1661, m. 1925, John Alfred Pink, b. Apr. 2, 1871, d. June 5, 1945.
Children:
[5-2-1] Nessa R. PINK, m. Stuart Cousins.
[6-1] Joan Alice Olmsted, b. Apr. 23, 1898, d. Apr. 24. 1999, m. Oct. 29, 1919, Chester Russell Pink, b. July 26, 1895, d. Mar. 12, 1974. (15)
Children:
[6-1-1] Barbara E. PINK, b. 1920, m. 1943, Russell Mills Hunter.
[6-1-2] Douglas Robert PINK.
[6-1-3] Marion Elizabeth PINK.
[6-1-4] Gwendolyn Joan PINK.
[6-1-5] Claire Alexa PINK.
[6-1-6] Harold Alan PINK, b. 1936, m. Audrey Scarfe.
[6-1-7] Graeme Howard PINK.
[6-2] Edith Isabella OLMSTED, b. Dec. 31, 1899, d. 2001, m. William David MacLennan, b. Feb. 2, 1899, d. Feb. 16, 1962.
Children:
[6-2-1] Keith William Howard MacLEN NAN.
[6-2-2] Donald MacLENNAN.
[6-2-3] Isobel Ann MacLENNAN.
[6-4] Duncan Alexander OLMSTED, b. Dec. 20, 1903, d. Dec. 31, 1987, m. Sept. 20, 1930, Lela Annie McDowell, b. Apr. 10, 1905, dau of Austin McDowel.(2)
Children:
[6-4-1] Elizabeth OLMSTED.
[6-4-2] Gail OLMSTED.
[6-4-3]
Janice Isobel OLMSTED. (6)
[6-4-4]
Judy OLMSTED, b. 1944, m. Rob Speaue
[6-5] Jean Georgian Lillian OLMSTED, b. Apr. 30, 1907, died before Dec. 1987, m. June 20, 1936, Raymond Schnarr, b. May 23, 1903.(6)
Children:
[6-5-1] James SCHNARR.
[6-5-2] Joanne SCHNARR, b. 1942, m. Rich Field.
[6-5-3] Richard SCHNARR, b. 1941.
[6-6] Howard Rae OLMSTED, b. 1911, d. May 22, 1999, m. Sept. 26, 1942, Jean Fuller, b. May 27, 1914.(15)
Children:
[6-6-1] Richard Howard OLMSTED. (6) (7)
[6-6-2] Ross Gorgon OLMSTED.
[6-6-3] Stephen Alex OLMSTED.
[7-1] Richard Allen OLMSTED Q. C., b. Oct.. 26, 1890, d. May 28, 1965, m. Fern West Kellam, b. July 22, 1892, Dec. 6, 1983.
Children:
[7-1-1] Dixie Kellam OLMSTED.
[7-2] Howard Russell OLMSTED, b. Sept 10, 1894, d. Sep. 12, 1975, m. Aug. 9, 1918, Claire E. Robinson, b. 1897, d. 1965. (3) (14A)
Children:
[7-2-1] Kathryn M. OLMSTED.(13)
[7-2-2] Barbara Ann OLMSTED (13), b. Feb. 13, 1929, m. Herbert Thomas.
[7-2-3] Charles Robinson OLMSTED (F/L), b. Sept, 5, 1919, d. May 1, 1944, m. Elizabeth Garrett.
[7-3] William Buchanan OLMSTED, b. July 7, 1900, d. Jan. 16, 1973, m. Violet M. McElroy.
Children:
[7-3-1] William Donald OLMSTED.
[7-5] Eric Hamilton OLMSTED, b. Feb. 28, 1898, d. Sept. 13, 1967, m. Sept. 29, 1928, Muriel Leslie.
Children:
[7-5-1] Leslie OLMSTED, m. J. L. VanStraubenzee.
[7-5-2] Sheila OLMSTED, m. Ken Waldon.
[7-5-3] Wendy OLMSTED, m. Brian Owen.
[7-6] Janet Patterson OLMSTED, b. 1892, d. 1976, m. 1917, Donald R. Johnson, b. 1890, d. Mar. 15, 1935.
Children:
[7-6-1] Marion JOHNSON, m. John H. Hood.
[7-6-2] Frederick Olmsted JOHNSON, m. C Bickett.
To be continued in
the next issue.