Leeds & Grenville Families – Mark Chant & Louisa Pattemore

MARK CHANT (1835-1915) & LOUISA PATTEMORE (1844-1931)

My Great Grandparents Mark and Louisa (Pattemore) Chant were both born in Somerset, England and were living in Bastard Township, Leeds County, Canada West when the Canadian Confederation took place in 1867.

Mark Chant, son of George Chant and Ann Hallett (daughter of William Hallett and Jane Spore), was born on November 6, 1835 in West Chinnock. He had nine siblings – George, Ann, Levi, William, John, David, Isaiah, Jane Ann and Elizabeth.(1) Of these children, George, Ann, Jane Ann, and Elizabeth died young. Mark’s brother John and John’s wife emigrated to Australia.

Mark only attended school for seven days. At a very early age, he had to begin working to help his parents support the family. In later years, he told stories of being so hungry that he ate turnips from the fields where he was working. As well, he scooped out the inside of the turnip, milked a cow into it, and drank the milk.(2) The 1851 Census for West Chinnock shows Mark, age 15, working as a labourer.(3)

At the age of 19, he decided to come to Canada. According to what he told his sons George and John, he had five uncles in Canada and living in Bastard Township when he came. Each of the five uncles sent him five dollars for his passage with the exception of one.(4) As a result, Thomas Eyre who later was a neighbour of Mark, took the place of the uncle and sent him five dollars.

In May of 1855, he set sail on the ship ‘John’ which sank off Falmouth. Of the 256 passengers on board, 194 drowned. Mark clung to the rigging and survived until help arrived. He finally made it back to port in England and returned to his home in West Chinnock, Somerset.(5) Later that same year, he set sail for Canada again. He brought with him only what he could carry in his handkerchief. Although I have been unable to find the ship list for him, he told stories of landing in New York after a “perilous voyage.” From there he made his way to Kingston, Ontario. He told of walking a great distance. He also spoke of seeing a lady picking cherries. She told him to help himself. When she realized how hungry he was, she gave him a loaf of bread. Mark hired on to a boat to get to Kingston. He then proceeded to his destination, the farm of Elijah Bowser on Concession 8, Lot 17 Bastard Township, Leeds County near Delta, Ontario. (The present Wayne Woods’ farm)(6) When the 1861 Census was enumerated Mark was listed here with the family who were living in a two storey brick house.(7) The 1901 and 1911 Censuses also records the date of Mark’s arrival in Canada as 1855.

Mark worked on the Bowser farm for at least seven years. He earned $100.00 plus work clothes for one year; the next year, he earned $110.00. This continued for seven years. Mark had saved $500.00 by the time he was married to Louisa Pattemore on April 27, 1863.(8)

On December 2, 1862, Mark purchased his farm of 70 acres on Concession 5, Lot 12 Bastard Township from Jesse Delong.(9)

Louisa Pattemore, daughter of Thomas Pattemore and Ann Hallett (daughter of John Hallett and Elizabeth Haynes / Haines), was born February 23, 1844 in Merriott, Somerset, England. She was the second child of nine children. The siblings were Sarah Jane, John, Elizabeth, Mary Ann, George, Martha (died in infancy), Oliver, and Charles. Only Sarah Jane and Louisa were born in Merriott, Somerset. The other children were born in West Chinnock. The family had moved to West Chinnock where they lived with Ann Hallett Pattemore’s father, John Hallett, at Quarry Farm. Sarah Jane was the only one to stay in West Chinnock, Somerset as the others gradually crossed the Atlantic to Canada.(10)

When the 1851 Census was enumerated, Louisa was a visitor in the home of her Aunt Sarah (Hallett) and Uncle Thomas Hinam in the Parish of Stanton Drew, Somerset, England.(11)

This couple brought Louisa (age 13) and her brother John (age 10) to Canada in 1856. Before leaving West Chinnock, Somerset, Louisa visited the family of Mark Chant. Mark’s mother asked Louisa to look up Mark when she got to Canada, and to write telling her how Mark was as he was unable to read or write, not realizing the size of Canada. Louisa promised to find him and even said she would marry him. However the most important information of how Louisa Pattemore eventually located Mark Chant has not survived the passage of time.(12)

The first record that I have found of Louisa in Canada is in the 1861 Census. Louisa, age 17, was working for a widower Abraham Horton, Esq., a farmer who lived in Elizabethtown Township. Also living there was Abraham’s three year old child, Mary Elinor Horton. Louisa told her family about living near Tincap before her marriage.(13)

Recorded in the 1861 Census also living in Elizabethtown Township were Louisa’s Aunt and Uncle Sarah (Hallett) and Thomas Hinam, her brother John Pattemore, and Louisa’s Aunt and Uncle Elizabeth (Hallett) and John Chick. They were all living at Concession 3, part of lot 19 at this time in a one and one half storey frame house.(14)

Although the ship records have not been found, the Hinams with the two Pattemore children and the Chicks with their children came through the States to get to Canada. It is unknown if they came at the same time. However, John and Elizabeth’s first child John J. Chick was born in the United States in 1856. The 1861 Census shows the Chick family with five children born in England, one in the United States, and two in Upper Canada. The ones born in England were children of John Chick and his first wife Harriet Alford.

The 1901 and 1911 Census gives the date of Louisa’s arrival in Canada as 1856.

At the time of her marriage to Mark Chant on April 27, 1863, Louisa had made five quilts while working near Tincap.

On April 27, 1863, Mark Chant (age 26) and Louisa Pattemore (age 19) were married at Mallorytown. The marriage was performed by the Baptist Minister, Benjamin Freeman, in the presence of Thomas and Sarah Hinam. At the time of their marriage Mark’s residence was listed as Bastard and Louisa’s residence was listed as Elizabethtown.(15, 16)

There was already a log house on the farm on Concession 5, Lot 12 Bastard Township, when Mark and Louisa went there. The log house had one room divided into a bedroom and a kitchen. Visitors had to go up a ladder to sleep upstairs. These visitors often told of seeing stars and of a blanket of snow sifting through into the loft during the winter.(16)

Louisa told of often having to chase the cattle around the straw stack in the winter to keep the cattle from freezing as they liked to burrow into the stack. At this time, they only had a few cattle and Louisa did the milking so Mark could build fences and clear the land.(17)

As the land was cleared, Mark began planting crops of wheat, barley, oats, and corn. Hay was also very important. They also grew potatoes and relied on their apple trees.

They had a variety of livestock which included horses, milch cows, sheep, and swine. They also had a bee hive.

They had to be self-sufficient and got their meat from the sheep, cattle, and pigs they raised. They relied on the beehive for honey. Louisa churned butter for the family’s use. The wool of the sheep was used. Louisa also made cloth and flannel using her spinning wheel.

When the 1871 Census was enumerated, Mark was listed as the owner of 70 acres, with one dwelling house, two barns or stables, one carriage or sleigh, two wagons and sleds, one plough and cultivator, and one fanning mill.(18) He also had 14 cords of fire-wood.(19)

The 1871 Census shows that of the 70 acres which Mark owned 25 acres were improved and 10 acres were in pasture. The following would have been based on the year 1870. Schedule 4 of the census shows him having had 6 acres of spring wheat producing 30 bushels. Other crops were 10 bushels of Barley, 20 bushels of oats, 10 bushels of peas, and 40 bushels of corn. He had a half acre of potatoes which produced 20 bushels. They also had 3 bushels of other root vegetables only classified in the census as Mangel-Wurzel and other beets. He had 6 acres of hay. They also had 2 bushels of apples and 50 pounds of sugar.(20)

Schedule 5 of the 1871 Census shows the livestock and animal products. Mark had the following livestock: Horses over 3 years old – 2; colts or fillies – 1; Milch Cows – 5, Other Horned Cattle – 2; Sheep – 8; Swine – 2, and one hive of bees. The animal products were listed as follows. Sheep killed or sold for slaughter or exports – 2, Pigs killed or sold for slaughter or export – 4; Pounds of butter – 200; Pounds of honey – 100; Pounds of wool – 25; and Yards of homemade cloth and flannel – 10.(21)

Two villages were in the area when Mark and Louisa settled on their farm. Harlem which was first named Smith Mills and is situated on Cooligan Creek, had a Post Office established September 6, 1851.(22) It was then that the name was changed to Harlem. There were also mills including sawmill and grist mill, and at least two stores, blacksmith shop, tannery, cabinet shop.(23)

The other village was known as “The Centre” by the people of the area as it was near the middle of the township. A Post Office was established there on July 1, 1871. As a result, a new name was needed. The first postmaster was Samuel Chant and he suggested the name Chantry. There were several stores in the area. They were located in people’s homes. There were also a blacksmith shop, sawmill.(24)

Today these two villages would be consider hamlets and no longer have stores and other businesses that had flourished after the 1850’s.

The Harlem Methodist Church (United Church 1925) was built in 1872. Mark’s family attended there rather than travelled quite a distance to the Anglican Church at Newboyne.

No records survive to show what Mark and Louisa thought of Confederation or what changes if any it brought to their life. When they emigrated to Leeds County, they were in Canada West. With Confederation on July 1, 1867, they now were living in the province of Ontario. Over the years, the address of their farm has changed. It was Chantry when their children were born; Harlem when their grandchildren were born. In recent years it became R. R. 3, Portland and then R. R. 2, Portland. Now the Civic address is on Thousand Acre Road.

Mark and Louisa had five children. The first born was George (1875-1969), born on Mark’s fortieth birthday. The other children were Sarah Ann (1877-1948), Thomas John (1879-1898), John (1881-1962), and Bessie (1885-1960). They lost twins but there is no record of when they were born or if they survived birth at all.

The children of Mark and Louisa attended the one room school, Chantry Public School, which was closer than Harlem Public School. That stone school was built in 1853. Many of Mark and Louisa’s grandchildren and great grandchildren also attended school there.

It wasn’t until Mark and Louisa’s son John was a year old in 1882, that Mark built a frame house. At that time, the original log house stood where the kitchen of the house built in 1882 was located.

Mark and Louisa’s son John lived on the homestead and continued to farm there after his father’s death in 1915. Louisa lived with John Chant and his wife Susan Eva and family until her death in 1931. John and Susie’s son Arthur carried on the farming and expanded the operation. Two of Arthur’s sons carry on the tradition today with further expansion and have built homes on the farm close to the original home. Arthur’s widow still lives in the home which was built by Mark Chant. There has been extensive renovations over the years.

Mark ChantLouisa ChantChant Family

Footnotes

1. The names of the children of George Chant and Ann Hallett were based on information from The Somerset Records Office, Obridge Road, Taunton, Somerset on November 13, 1981, Baptism information from Rev. A. P. Nichols, (Minister for Middle and West Chinnock), The Rectory, Middle Chinnock, Crewkerne, Somerset on October 27, 1981 and January 1982, Census information, and Birth Certificates for the children born after 1837.
2. Information from the recollections of the late Marion Louisa (Chant) Kitson about information told to her by her grandmother Louisa (Pattemore) Chant and included in the book by Vera K. Kitson Mark Chant (1835-1915) and Louisa Pattemore (1844-1931) and Descendants dated June 1983.
3. 1851 Census for West Chinnock, Somerset, England, Microfilm #221086; Researched by Vera K. Kitson at the Family History Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, in the 1980’s.
4. Information from the recollections of the late Marion Louisa (Chant) Kitson about information told to her by her grandmother Louisa (Pattemore) Chant and included in the book by Vera K. Kitson Mark Chant (1835-1915) and Louisa Pattemore (1844-1931 and Descendants dated June 1983.
5. Information about the shipwreck told to Vera K. Kitson by her mother the late Marion Louisa (Chant) Kitson for Vera’s book Mark Chant (1835-1915) and Louisa Pattemore (1844-1931 and Descendants dated June 1983. Additional information about the ship ‘John’ was from websites by Mark Sandford about 2000. Those websites are no longer available but his information is on www.ancestry.ca . I sent Mr. Sandford the information for Mark Chant for the 1851 Census of West Chinnock as he was compiling information about the people on the Ship List.
6. Information from the recollections of the late Marion Louisa (Chant) Kitson about information told to her by her grandmother Louisa (Pattemore) Chant.
7. Public Archives of Canada, Microfilm 1861, Personal Census, Leeds County, Bastard Township, Page 56 (PAC Reel #C-1043) and Public Archives of Canada, Microfilm 1861 Agricultural Census, Leeds County, Bastard Tp., Bastard Township, Page 27 (PAC Reel C-1045) Census researched by Vera K. Kitson in the early 1980’s from microfilm at the Leeds and Grenville Genealogical Library for her book Mark Chant (1835-1915) and Louisa Pattemore (1844-1931 and Descendants dated June 1983.
8. Information from the recollections of the late Marion Louisa (Chant) Kitson about information told to her by her grandmother Louisa (Pattemore) Chant and included in the book by Vera K. Kitson Mark Chant (1835-1915) and Louisa Pattemore (1844-1931 and Descendants dated June 1983.
9. Memorial of Indenture of Bargain and Sale; AHH Memorial No. 616. Between Jefse (Old English spelling) Delong and Mark Chant. Po-729.30.31. Wednesday, January 1863, 12 o’clock-registered. Land registry Office, Brockville, Ont. Photocopy of the Deed obtained from the Brockville Registry Office in 1982.
10. The names of the children of Thomas Pattemore and Ann Hallett were based on information from The Somerset Records Office, Obridge Road, Taunton, Somerset on November 13, 1981, Baptism information from Rev. A. P. Nichols, (Minister for Middle and West Chinnock), The Rectory, Middle Chinnock, Crewkerne, Somerset on October 27, 1981, Census information and Birth Certificates for the children. The daughter Martha was never mentioned by any of the Pattemore descendants in Canada. Her burial information was sent by Rev. Nichols. Since then I have obtained both her Birth and Death Certificates.
11. Information from John Chant, Somerset, England. Census also from www.ancestry.ca.
12. Information from the recollections of the late Marion Louisa (Chant) Kitson about information told to her by her grandmother Louisa (Pattemore) Chant and included in the book by Vera K. Kitson Mark Chant (1835-1915) and Louisa Pattemore (1844-1931 and Descendants dated June 1983.
13.Public Archives of Canada, Microfilm 1861, Personal Census, Leeds County, Elizabethtown Township, Page 66. (Reel C-1044) Census researched by Vera K. Kitson in the early 1980’s from microfilm at the Leeds and Grenville Genealogical Library for her book Mark Chant (1835-1915) and Louisa Pattemore (1844-1931 and Descendants dated June 1983.
14. Ibid. Page 33
15. The Family Bible of Mark and Louisa (Pattemore) Chant.
16.Additional information researched from Microfilm Marriage Register 1858-1869 Volume 28, Page 75. Researched by Vera K. Kitson in the early 1980’s for her book Mark Chant (1835-1915) and Louisa Pattemore (1844-1931 and Descendants dated June 1983.
17. Information from the recollections of the late Marion Louisa (Chant) Kitson about information told to her by her grandmother Louisa (Pattemore) Chant and included in the book by Vera K. Kitson Mark Chant (1835-1915) and Louisa Pattemore (1844-1931 and Descendants dated June 1983.
18. Ibid.
19. Public Archives of Canada, Microfilm, 1871 Census, Return of Public Institutions, Real Estate, Vehicles, and Improvements (Schedule 3), District 67 South Leeds; Sub-District i-2 Bastard and Burgess Township, Ontario, Page 1, Number 16. (PAC Reel # C-10002) Researched November 1982 by Vera K. Kitson.
20. Public Archives of Canada, Microfilm, 1871 Census, Return of Products of the Forest (Schedule 7), District 67 South Leeds; Sub-District i-2 Bastard and Burgess Township, Ontario, Page 1, Number 15. (PAC Reel # C-10002) Researched November 1982 by Vera K. Kitson.
21. Public Archives of Canada, Microfilm, 1871 Census, Return of Cultivated Land, of Field Products, and of Plants and Fruits (Schedule 4), District 67 South Leeds; Sub-District i-2 Bastard and Burgess Township, Ontario, Page 1, Number 15. (PAC Reel # C-10002) Researched November 1982 by Vera K. Kitson.
22. Public Archives of Canada, Microfilm, 1871 Census, Return of Livestock, Animal products, Home-made Fabrics and Furs (Schedule 5), District 67 South Leeds; Sub-District i-2 Bastard and Burgess Township, Ontario, Page 1, Number 15. (PAC Reel # C-10002) Researched November 1982 by Vera K. Kitson.
23. Library and Archives Canada, http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca
24. My Own Four Walls Heritage Buildings in Bastard and South Burgess By Diane Haskins c1985
25. Ibid. p. 126
26. Ibid. p 154
27. Ibid. p. 127

Vera K. Kitson
Membership #309