Corporal Peter Wintermute

Military Service: Loyalist, American Revolution Between 1776 and 1783/Butler's Rangers

PETER WINTERMUTE served as British corporal in the Kings Army during the American Revolution, fighting on the opposite side from his grandfather and uncles who were loyal to the American Revolutionary cause. He and his father and brothers then migrated to Canada, where the family was given a land grant by the King for their loyalty to the crown. This is when this branch of the Windemoed / Wintermuth family changed its name to Wintemute. The following oral history is written by Nora Belle Berden Rawlinson (granddaughter of Mary Arabella Wintemute) prior to 1982: "Peter Wintermute, son of Philip Windemoed, settled at Black Rock, Fort Erie, Canada, in 1778. He married a Miss Sykes and they had 10 children - Jacob, who married Dorothy Young, Hannah, James, who married Catherine Young, William, who married Anna Groff, Peter, Sarah, Mary, Alexander, who married Sophia Metcalf, and John. One son has been omitted."

Peter Wintermute, son of Philip, the Emigrator, settled at a place known as Black Rock, on the Niagara river, Canada, about three miles below Fort Erie, in 1778, at the time of the migration of the family from Wyoming, Pa. Peter was married to a Miss Sykes, and this union was blessed by a family of seven sons and three daughters, whose names and order of birth were as follows, viz: Jacob, Hannah, James, William Peter, Philip, Sarah, Mary, Alexander and John. Peter was a corporal in the British service, as also his brothers, Abraham and John. (from The Wintermute Family History, Author: J.P. Wintermute, The Camplin Press. Ohio. 1900.) Peter died December 1, 1838, at age 87 years, 4 months and 22 days. Peter was buried at McAffee Cemetery at Fort Erie. His tombstone is still in existence there.

His will contains the following: "Last Will and Testament of Peter Wintermute Senior of the township of Bertie in the County of Lincoln,in the Division of Niagara, and the province of Upper canada, I Peter Wintermute considering the uncertainty of this mortal life, and being of sound and memory blessed be the Almighty God for the same do make publish this my last will and testament, in manner and form following (that is to say) First: I give and bequeath to my eldest son, James lots number ten and eleven in the second concession from Lake Erie in Bertie aforesaid being two hundred acres more or less to him his heirs and assigns forever. Second: To my son Philip I give and bequeath the south half of lot number nine in the third concession of Bertie aforesaid being fifty acres more or less to him, his heirs and assigns forever, Third: To my nephew Peter Wintermute son, of my son James Wintermute, I give and bequeath the sum of two pounds Province currency which I devise to be paid to him imediately after my death, out of my goods and cattles by my executor. Fourth: To my son Alexander, I give and bequeath a piece of land known and described as follows, (viz) commencing at the distance of six chains and three links from lot number one in front of the first cross concession on the Niagra river it being part of the lot number two in the first cross concession, thru south thirty-five degrees west to allowance for a road in rear therein east to lands sold by me to William Powell, thence north eleven degrees east to within four chains six chain links and one sixth of a link of the ... northwesterly three chains sixteen links and one sixth of a link therein north , eleven degrees east to the place of that remains that I give to my son Alexander ten arces of land off of the lot number nine in the fourth concession of Bertie of aforesaid , off of the east end to him and his heirs and assigns forever, Fifth: To my son William I give and bequeath the piece of land off of lot number nine in the fourth concession of Bertie aforesaid, west of and adjoining Alexanders land, to him his heirs and assigns forever. Sixth: To my son John I give and bequeath the following described land (viz) commencing in front of the north west corner of lot number 1? thru or near the corner at the land belonging to Abraham Hershey thence southeasterly up to the river seven chains thence south thirty chains thence west seven chains to lot number four thence north to the place of begining, I also give to my son John ten acres of land off of lot number nine in the fourth concession of Bertie aforesaid, west of and adjoining William's land, to him his heirs and assigns forever. Seventh: I give and bequeath to my daughter Sarah wife of William Anthony ten acres of land off of lot number nine in the fourth concession of Bertie aforesaid, west of and adjoining Johns land, to her , her heirs and assigns forever. Eighth: I give and bequeath to my daughter Hannah, widow of James Edsall, ten acres of land off of lot number nine in the fourth concesion of Bertie , aforesaid, west of and adjoining Sarah's land, to her, her heirs and assigns forever, Ninth: To my daughter Mary single woman, I give and bequeath the folowing described land (viz) commencing at the distance of seven chains from the northwest corner of lot number three or from the land now given by me to John, Thence southeasterly up the river to the allowance for a road between lots number two and three, then commencing at the northwest corner of lot number two first cross concession, thence southeasterly up the ... seven chains, then south, thirty chains thence west sixchains to the allowance for a road between two and three then west to John's land then north to the place of begining ... to her ,her heirs and assigns forever, I also give to my daughter Mary the East half of lot number ten in the fourth (missing but belived to say "concession of Bertie , aforesaid") also the one half of my stock of Cattle ... to be sold three months after decease and the proceeds of the sale of my lands and stock Cattle ... after all my lawful debts are paid, to be equally divided between my sons William, John, and Alexander, And my Daughters Hannah, Mary, and Sarah, their heirs Executors or Admininstrators, The land and other property which I will, to be sold, to be sold by my executor, whom I do hereby Authorise to make or cause to be made in simple good and lawful Deed or Deeds, for such lands as by him sold and that my executor divide between my children after all my just Debtsare paid,The proceeds remaining of the sale of land cattle ... And I do hereby Constitute and appoint William Powell Esquire of the Township of Bertie, District and province aforesaid my sole executor of this my last Will and Testament : hereby revoking all former Wills by me made, In witness where of I have here unto set hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and Thirty Seven: Signed Sealed Published and declared by the above named Peter Wintermute to be his last Will and Testament, in the Presence of us who have here unto subscribed our names as witness, in the presence of the Testator and in the Presence of each other."