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Copelands of Chinguacousy Twp.

Copelands of Chinguacousy Twp.

Posted: 15 May 2012 9:05PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Copeland
I am looking for information on Robert Copeland (1793-1869) and Thomas Copeland (1748-1822) who were both buried in Dixon's Cemetery, Chinguacousy Twp. They both appeared to be living in Etobicoke in 1819. They were probably living closer to Hamilton during the War of 1812. Thomas was living in Toronto Twp. in 1808. They both served in the 2nd York Militia during the War of 1812 along with Jonathan Copeland. I have a number of records for these three men but no family history at this time. What was their relationship to each other?

Re: Copelands of Chinguacousy Twp.

Posted: 15 May 2012 9:31PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 16 May 2012 4:56PM GMT
Surnames: Copeland, Forster, Dowsell, Hartt, Foster, Anthony, Clark, Currie, McClure, Arnot
The school tentatively known as Bramwest #2 Junior has officially been named Copeland Public School. The school is located on Young Drive in Brampton.

Copeland Public School, located at 5 Young Drive in Brampton, is named after one of the pioneer families who lived in its vicinity. Robert Copeland was a native of Pennsylvania and received a Patent from The Crown in 1821 for part of the property where the school is located. According to records, he was a respected community leader with various responsibilities, including license inspector, fence viewer and a Justice of the Peace.

Robert Copeland
Spouse Name: Elizabeth Forster
Marriage Date: 7 Feb 1847
Marriage County or District: Home District
Wit: Thomas Copeland and Wm Dixon
Married in Toronto. No parents given.

John Copeland
Birth Place: Chinguacousy
Age: 26
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1853
Father Name: Robert Copeland
Mother Name: Elizabeth Foster
Spouse Name: Mary Dowsell
Spouse's Age: 20
Spouse Birth Place: Chinguacousy
Spouse Father Name: George Dowsell
Spouse Mother Name: Isabella Hartt
Marriage Date: 25 Dec 1879
Marriage County or District: Peel

Robert Copeland
Birth Place: Chinguacousy
Age: 30
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1862
Father Name: Robert Copeland
Mother Name: Elizabeth Foster
Spouse Name: Sarah Elizabeth Anthony
Spouse's Age: 24
Spouse Birth Place: Chinguacousy
Spouse Father Name: Hugh Anthony
Spouse Mother Name: Agnes Graham
Marriage Date: 3 Feb 1892
Marriage County or District: Peel

Jane Copeland
Birth Place: Chinguacousy
Age: 29
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1864
Father Name: Robert Copeland
Mother Name: Elizabeth Foster
Spouse Name: Hugh Herbert Clark
Spouse's Age: 30
Spouse Birth Place: Chinguacousy
Spouse Father Name: John Clark
Spouse Mother Name: Jane Currie
Marriage Date: 2 Feb 1893
Marriage County or District: Peel

Elizabeth Copeland
Birth Place: Chinguacousy
Age: 24
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1869
Father Name: Robert Copeland
Mother Name: Elizabeth Foster
Spouse Name: David Henry Mcclure
Spouse's Age: 25
Spouse Birth Place: Chinguacousy
Spouse Father Name: James Mcclure
Spouse Mother Name: Ester Arnot
Marriage Date: 20 Sep 1893
Marriage County or District: Peel


1861 census for Peel with Robert Copeland on it is only an agricultural one with no family information.

Re: Copelands of Chinguacousy Twp.

Posted: 26 Aug 2012 2:35AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 26 Aug 2012 6:12PM GMT
Surnames: Copeland, Wilkins
The Thomas Copeland who is buried in Dixon's Union Cemetery was born in 1820 and died on August 23, 1863, as stated on his gravestone. He was the son of Jonathan Copeland and Elizabeth Wilkins, who are buried in the Churchville Cemetery.
The Robert Copeland who is buried in Dixon's was born in 1826 and died in 1902. He was also the son of Jonathan and Elizabeth. He married Elizabeth Foster.
There are three Copelands - Thomas, Robert, as well as Jonathan- who may have been brothers but, to date, I have been unable to prove that relationship. They each applied for and received land grants in 1819. Thomas received his in Toronto township and the other two were in Peel.

Re: Copelands of Chinguacousy Twp.

Posted: 27 Aug 2012 2:04PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Copeland
Thank you for your reply. You can find the Copeland service records at http://www.ogs.on.ca/services/1812-militia.php where you will also find my email address. I now have a link to copies of the original documents.

Jonathon Document 196
Robert 113, 226, 249, 95, 196
Thomas 255

Robert volunteered for service in a flank company and was at the Battle of Queenston Heights. The next document had him in the hospital, suggesting that he may have been wounded or injured in the battle. All three men made land claims in 1819 stating that they had been in the province for 13 years. Thomas declared that he was a native of Pennsylvania. This suggests that all three may have arrived together from Pennsylvania and may have been related.

I am writing veteran biographies with Heritage Mississauga (Toronto Twp.) and other groups in the area. If you email me directly I will have your email address on file so that I can contact you if I learn more about these three men.

Fred Blair
Orillia, Ontario

Re: Copelands of Chinguacousy Twp.

Posted: 29 Aug 2012 12:16AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 29 Aug 2012 3:57PM GMT
Surnames: Copeland, Foster, Wilkins
The Robert Copeland whose family "satch42179" has posted cannot be the same Robert who received the Patent from the Crown in 1821. Robert, who married Elizabeth Foster, was born in 1826, so impossible. (Their gravestones are in the Dixon's Union Cemetery in Chinguacousy.) The Robert born in 1826 was the son of Jonathan Copeland who may very well be a brother of the Robert who received the Patent. (Jonathan and his wife, Elizabeth Wilkins, are buried in the Churchville Cemetery.)

Re: Copelands of Chinguacousy Twp.

Posted: 16 Oct 2012 10:47AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 16 Oct 2012 1:55PM GMT
Surnames: Copeland, Foster, Poole, Gray
Thomas and wife Ruth emigrated to Upper Canada with sons Robert & Jonathan and purchased land in 1808 from Philip Cody.
Copeland House today stands on this property at 1050 Burnhamthorpe Road East., a Mississauga Heritage property.
Robert Copeland born 1826 who married Elizabeth Foster was the son of Robert Copeland born 1793 and Elizabeth Gray. I have a picture of Robert and Elizabeth (Foster) Copeland standing with my gg grandparents, Thomas and Mary (Copeland) Poole (daughter of Robert born 1793)
Attachments:

Re: Copelands of Chinguacousy Twp.

Posted: 17 Oct 2012 5:14PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 18 Oct 2012 1:38PM GMT
Surnames: Foster
My husband's gg grandfather is Robert (b. 1826) who married Elizabeth Foster. I have no proof of the family past that and have seen in another place that the Robert who married Elizabeth Foster is the son of Jonathan. Would you be able to send me the references that you have? it would be much appreciated.
Also, who is who in the picture? Thanks.

Re: Copelands of Chinguacousy Twp.

Posted: 18 Oct 2012 11:18AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 18 Oct 2012 12:00PM GMT
Surnames: Copeland, Gray, Wilkins, Foster, Poole
Brothers Robert b 1793 and Jonathan both had sons named Robert. Jonathan's son Robert Wilkins Copeland was born 1816.
He is R. W. Copeland Chinguacousy farmer on census records.
Robert b 1826 married in the Home District (home of Robert sr - not Jonathan). On 1891 census Robert b 1826 states his mother was born in Canada. Elizabeth Gray was born in Canada whereas Elizabeth Wilkins was born in the US.
Picture is Mary Copeland, husband Thomas Poole, Mary's brother Robert Copeland, Robert's wife Elizabeth Foster.

Re: Copelands of Chinguacousy Twp.

Posted: 22 Apr 2013 3:40AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 22 Apr 2013 12:32PM GMT
Surnames: Wilkins, Conorton
Hi William I'm looking for my fathers uncle Frank Wilkins married to Elizabeth. Franks sister is my fathers mother, her name is Anne Eleanor [Wilkins] Conorton. husband John Loftus Thomas Conorton they lived in Toronto. wondering if any connection. thanks Joanne Conorton

Re: Copelands of Chinguacousy Twp.

Posted: 28 May 2013 7:24PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 29 May 2013 4:09AM GMT
Surnames: Copeland, Bigham, Poole, Brathwaite
Since posting on this forum in October 2012 as copelandkristi, I have done far more research in order to straighten out my misconceptions of the Copeland family in Chinguacousy. There appear to be two schools of thought out there as to the father of Robert Copeland (b. 1826). Because of a “family group” that I found on the LDS site, I was initially of the belief that Robert’s father was Jonathan and focused my research in that direction. After visiting the area again, going through the Perkins Bull Collection and the land records at the Peel Archives, as well as checking out microfilm from and at the Ontario Archives, I am now convinced that Robert Copeland b. 1793 is actually the father of Robert b. 1826.

This is confusing as both Robert (1793) and Jonathan had sons named Robert and each of their wills mention their son, Robert. Land records, however, show the connection of Robert Wilkins to Jonathan, and Robert (b. 1826) to Robert (b. 1793). And Thomas Copeland’s will of 1822 verifies that the two are brothers.

While the Copeland family owned a lot of land in Peel, the only land I saw that was given to either Robert or Jonathan for military service is the east ½ of Lot 24, 1ECS. Robert Copeland was granted this land for his military service. (I have seen the copy of the actual document that states this.) I wasn’t able to find the land records for this property between 1821 and 1860, but in 1863, the land changed hands from Thomas Copeland to William Robert Copeland. The instrument for change is listed as a will. In fact, the 1871 census of Chinguacousy even has Edward living with William Robert on that property.

Lot 5, 2WCS
1871- the will of Jonathan Copeland gives a section to his son, John;
1873- Robt. W.'s name is listed on the land record;
1892- Margaret J. Copeland (wife of R.W.’s son, Peleg) is listed on the record.


Lot 3, 3WCS
Tremaine’s map of Peel shows this to be Jonathan Copeland's land, which was then bequeathed to his son, George. Rob't W. Copeland is also listed on that land register for that property. Also, there is a Thomas mentioned in Jonathan's will. It can't be the Thomas who died in 1863, as some Copeland trees indicate, since Jonathan wrote his will in 1871.

Lot 8, 2NDS
Robert applied for this land in 1828. The petition is supported by Andrew Bigham (husband of Robert’s sister Mary?) and John Gray (relative of Elizabeth?). The land records for lot 8, 1NDS show that on Sept 12, 1864 Robert Jr. leased the north 1/2 of the property from Robert Copeland. Robert Wilkins did not have a son named Robert, so this is obviously the Robert b. 1826.
Robert's death in February 1865 meant the land changed hands as it was bequeathed to his son, Edward. Edward got lot 8, 1NDS, and the South part of lot 8 ,2NDS. Letters of patent indicate that 1793 Robert bought parts of this land in 1833 and 1836.

On another note, Robert gave his wife MARY the sum of $100 yearly as long as she would remain his widow. Mary was to be paid by the executors the sum of $50 on the first of April and the first of October each year. The 1861 census also listed Robert's wife as Mary; not sure when Elizabeth Gray died. Robert also gave money to his sons Robert and Jonathan, and to his daughters Mary Pool(e), Ruth Brathwaite, and Elizabeth (surname is illegible).
This will was signed on April 5, 1864, so it is understandable that he did not mention Thomas who had been living on Robert’s military land grant, but died prior to Robert’s death.

I’m really only looking for the facts. There is no family lore in my husband’s Copeland family, as all previous generations are deceased. I remember hearing they were Pennsylvania Dutch, and my husband remembers his dad taking him fishing up at Heart lake, right near all those Copeland farms.

I want to thank WilliamJames380 for pushing me in the right direction. I’m still trying to find the grave of Robert b. 1793. Have found all the other Roberts that are in my husband’s line. More information is always appreciated.
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