HALDIMAND COUNTY AND THE WAR OF 1812 June 1812 - Grand ...

HALDIMAND COUNTY AND THE WAR OF 1812
June 1812 - Grand River
Deputation of Iroquois from the U.S. meet in secret with Six Nations of the Grand to try to keep
them out of the war. John Norton is among those present.
June 1812-Canborough-
Canborough Haldimand Militia is formed with Benjamin Canby in Command. This company
joins forces with the 2 nd Lincoln Militia under the command of Captain Charles Askin,
Lieutenant Warner Nellis.
July 1812 - Grand River
Party of Six Nations warriors sent to guard mouth of the Grand from American attack.
August 1812 - Grand River
Joseph Willcocks, member of the Legislative Assembly whose riding includes part of
Haldimand, is sent to the Grand River by Isaac Brock to persuade Six Nations to support British-
Canadian cause.
August 1813 - Niagara
Haldimand MLA Joseph Willcocks offers his services to the enemy.
Fall 1813 - Walpole Township
American sympathizers invade the home of David Long, Lot 19, Concession 1, Walpole, and
insist that his wife Dorothy cook, keeping David, a member of the militia, under close guard all
the while.
November 1813 - Battle of Nanticoke
A group of vigilantes, comprised mostly of Norfolk Militia offers, surrounds a cabin owned by
John Dunham which American banditti use as headquarters
November 1813 - Battle of Nanticoke
Confrontation between Captain John Bostwick and American sympathizers in Dunham’s cabin.
Bostwick demanded they surrender, they dropped their weapons, then picked them up again
when Bostwick was not backed up, killing one of their own men in an attempt to shoot Bostwick.

November 1813 - Battle of Nanticoke
Shoot-out between American sympathizers and area men intent on removing them from the area.
November 1813 - Battle of Nanticoke
American sympathizers killed, capture, as a result of the skirmish
July 1814 - Burlington Heights
John Dunham, George Peacock and others captured at Battle of Nanticoke executed for high
treason.
July 5, 1813- Samuel Birdsall (of Canborough) Battle of Chippewa
In 1813 Samuel was at the Battle of Chippewa, as a volunteer. This was the only battle that he
witnessed. His diary talks of watching LT McDonald and his son fall, each within his reach,
with him between the two. He saw them both fall at the same instant but Samuel’s time had not
come and he retreated to army quarters unhurt.
December 1813 - Newark
Former Haldimand MLA Joseph Willcocks is an active participant in the burning of Newark.
(There are some images of the burning, but none that I’m aware of that focus on Willcocks’
role.)
Undated - Willoughby Township, Niagara Township (probably 1813)
18-year-old Sarah Miller, future resident of Haldimand County, defies Americans who demand
she surrender one of her hens so they can eat. They threaten to shoot her, but she only relents at
her mother’s insistence.
September 1814 - Fort Erie
Joseph Willcocks, former MLA for Haldimand, killed by British-Canadian forces.
October 1814 - Selkirk
In revenge for his testimony, which led to the conviction of their friends and relatives at the
Ancaster Assize, John Dixon, John Robinson and Henry Dockstader arrive at the home of
Captain William Francis, an elderly militia captain, about 10 at night. The housekeeper, Jane
Dennis, tries to put them off by directing them to another house on the property.

October 1814 - Selkirk
Captain William Francis shot in the head in his own bedroom by John Dixon or one of his
cronies..
October 1814 - Selkirk
While the Dennis family looks on, Dixon and cronies set fire to William Francis’s house, leaving
his body inside.
July 1815- Mary Dunmead (Selkirk)
During the War of 1812 Mary assisted the British on many occasions by providing provisions for the
troops. She met John Dunmead (who was in the British service carrying dispatches) whose wife she
would become after the war, when he was locked up as a prisoner of war in an old house on the Niagara
Frontier. She risked her life to free him. She had personal knowledge of General Brock and the battle on
Queesnton Heights. On July 14 th , 1815, the night of the Battle of Lundy’s Lane she secured his freedom.
STORIES:
Other themes, story of life during the time of the war, what was happening at home, while the militia
(men) were out fighting. Example Samuel Birdsall, in 1812 talks about the volunteer militia being called
to camp and spending the whole winter there, leaving his wife to get the harvest off and prepare for
winter
Haldimand Loyalist Families and their descendants that fought in the War of 1812 include Young, Weir,
Nelles, Bradt, Gifford, Denis, McDonnell, Huff,Lymburner, Burham, and Merritt just to name a few.