John David Haviland, Sr.

Haviland, John(1751-1839) lived near New York City during colonial times. He served as a Captain of a company in Delancey’s Brigade during American Revolution. Following the war, he settled at Sydney Township, Hastings County, Upper Canada then returned to New York. In 1803, he took up residence in Townsend Township. Includes five generations of descendants. Source: http://sites.google.com/site/longpointsettlers/settlers-h

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In the Oblong Records of Friends, under date of 17 of 3 mo., 1774, one John Haviland is disowned for marrying out of meeting. The Birdsalls were members as a family, but when James m. Hannah Akin he was disowned, as she was not a Friend, consequently their children were not members. The following is quoted from the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record: "Fishkill, N. Y., Feb. 16, 1779. "A few days ago I gave permission to Richard Willis, a refugee, to possess a house and two acres of land near the Mills, which Mr. Ward has in possession. The house and land was the property of John Haviland, now with the enemy, which can be proved. Isaac Haviland, the father of John has warned Mr. Willis out, and in case of refusal, tells him he will apply to Mr. Benson--beg you will tell Mr. Benson that Willis has been in possession near two years, and that the soil was the property of Beverly Robinson. "With esteem, I am, sir, "Your Humble Servant, "THEODORUS VAN WYCK. "To Henry Livingston, Jr., Esq., Commissioner of Sequestration for County of Dutchess, N. Y." His estate was confiscated, 1781. Source: http://trees.ancestry.ca/tree/12215732/story/5eeb7f0b-95fc-482e-9cd...

Progenitor of most of the Canadian Havilands. Canadian Haviland Family Genealogy by F. Eleanor Chapin begins with this John Haviland.

John Haviland made trips to Canada and resided in Towners, NY. He had served in the British Army. He was disowned by the Society of Friends for marrying out of meeting. (The Birdsalls were members as a family, but when James Birdsall married Hannah Akin he was disowned, as she was not a Friend. As a consequence, their children were not members.)

From the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record: "To Henry Livingston, Jr., Esq., Commissioner of Sequestration for County of Dutchess, N.Y. Fishkill, N.Y., Feb. 16, 1779. A few days ago I gave permission to Richard Willis, a refugee, to possess a house and two acres of land near the Mills, which Mr. Ward has in possession. The house and land was the property of John Haviland, now with the enemy, which can be proved. Isaac Haviland, the father of John, has warned Mr. Willis out, and in case of refusal, tells him he will apply to Mr. Benson - beg you will tell Mr. Benson that Willis has been in possession near two years, and that the soil was the property of Beverly Robinson. With esteem, I am, sir, Your Humble Servant, Theodorus Van Wyck." His estate was confiscated, 1781. (Per Josephine Frost)

Source: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~haviland/Haviland...

Loyalist John Haviland's Land Claims As A Captain In 1787, when John and Sarah Haviland first came to (soon-to-be) Upper Canada, they established their claim as Loyalists to 400 acres of Crown land in Sidney Township, Hastings County. The Loyalist Agent in Lachine, Stephen DeLancey, supported the claim: The bearer here of Mr. John Haviland is a man who served during the late rebellion in Col. James DeLancey's Core of Loyal Refugees at New York. He is a loyal Subject and is recommended to the Honourable John Collins for such proportion of land as he shall judge him entitled to on seeing his Credentials. He has a wife & four children. Subsequently, the amount of Crown land that Loyalists could claim increased substantially. The entitlement was scaled to the former military rank of the Loyalist claimant. In 1791, however, the Havilands returned to the United States for six years. When John and his growing family returned to Northumberland County in Upper Canada in 1797, he had acquired some funds because he bought 200 acres from John Stratten for $95. Then he petitioned for (more) Crown Land. In his supporting deposition of 1798, he affirms that he only went back to the States to try to salvage some money from the property that had been confiscated there in 1781. It is recorded that he had owned a house and two acres of land near the Mills in Dutchess County, N.Y. The Administrator of Upper Canada, Peter Russell, was not sympathetic to Loyalists, and he promptly rejected John Haviland's petition. A few years elapsed in Northumberland, and then, in 1803, the Havilands bought 600 acres of good land in Townsend Township, Norfolk County, from the Fairchilds, another Loyalist family located there. Here the Havilands settled, prospered and multiplied. In 1808, John re-applied for the Crown Land to which a Loyalist Captain was now entitled, i.e. 3,000 acres (less the 400 acres he had originally received in Sidney). But this time around he skilfully mobilized influential support from leading citizens in Norfolk County and elsewhere. They attested that he had been a Loyalist Captain during the Revolution, The Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada by this time was Francis Gore, who was sympathetic to John's claim, and Executive Council approved his petition early in 1809. John requested that his 2,600 acres of Crown Land be located in the south west of Elgin County, but land there was subject to settlement duties and to Colonel Thomas Talbot. The land John received was about 100 miles away, to the northeast, and to the west, of his home farm, and he never resided on it. Later, he gave some of it to his children, and sold some more. When each of his children reached the age of 21 (or the daughters married), they were entitled to 200 acres of Crown land, which they received. In the final analysis, John Haviland and his family did quite well from their land grants, purchases and sales. But that was not unusual for those times in Upper Canada.

Source: http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Loyalist+portraits.-a030275644

Several years before the war of the Revolution, an Englishman named John Haviland emigrated from England to the province of Kew York, and settled in a little valley near the beautiful Hudson, between Manhattan Island and Albany. This little valley has ever since been known as " Haviland's Hollow." John Haviland had three sons, one of whom settled in the city of New York, the second remained in Haviland's Hollow, and the third, John, came to Canada.

In 1803 John Haviland came to Long Point with his family, consisting of three sons — John, Benjamin and Daniel ; and five daughters — Elizabeth, Mary, Eaner, Fanny and Loamy. He purchased six hundred acres of land in Townsend, comprising Lots 11 and 12 in the 1st concession, and Lot 12 in the 2nd concession. On these lots his sons settled, and the homes they made are classed among the best in Norfolk to-day.

Mr. Haviland served in the war of 1812, and was wounded at the battle of Lundy's Lane.

It is said that John Haviland came to the settlement with a considerable sum of money. When the Wentworth court- house was built in Hamilton, he loaned the county $16,000 ; and when he died he left $12,000 buried in the ground. He stated the amount of this buried sum in his will, and also gave instructions as to how and where to find it. The place of burial had been located and recorded, no doubt, by a professional surveyor, as the executors were unable to find it with- out the aid of one. Thomas Walsh was employed for this purpose, and it is quite probable the notes that guided him in his work were his own. Two certain trees were designated as starting points and from these two straight lines were run in- clining toward each other, the point of convergence being the point sought for.

Source: http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/e-a-egbert-americus-owen/pion...

During the war of the Revolution, John Haviland, of New York State, was a captain in the company commanded by Colonel James Delaney.

At the close ci the war, he joined the party which Mr. Orass was preparing to conduct to Upper Canada. They left New York in five small vessels, and sailed around the coast, arriving at Sorel, in Quebec, in October, 1788. There they built themselves shanties, and wintered. In May, 1784, they re-embarked in their boats and reached Cataraqui, Kingston, in July. Captain Haviland settled in Adolphustown. There he remained till 1803, when he removed to the Long Point Settlement, erecting his log cabin on lot 12 of the 1st concession of Townsend

Captain Haviland received a large grant of land from the Crown, as is proved by the following Order-in-Coundl, under date of 27th January, 1809:

"John Haviland, of Townsend, Norfolk County, Londcm District, gentleman, formerly a captain in Delaney's Regiment, 2,600 acres, to make up 3,000 acres, as captain, in King and Gwillimbury." This was in the northern part of York County, but Mr. Haviland preferred to live on the 600 acres in Townsend, where he had established his home

There are also the following grants registered :

" Benjamin, son of John Haviland, yeoman, 200 acres in Townsend, 20th March, 1815.

" John, son of John Haviland, yeoman, 200 acres in Townsend, 20th March, 1815.

'* Esther, wife of John Haviland, jun., and daughter of Peter Fairchild, 200 acres, 20th March, 1815.

" Sarah, spinster, daughter of John Haviland, 200 acres in Townsend^ 7th August, 1816 ; also lot 19, 5th concession, Zorra, 8th May, 1821.

" Fanny, daughter of John Haviland, 200 acres in Townsend, Siik October, 1833."

Captain Haviland enlisted for the war of 1812, and was slightly wounded in the Battle of Lundy*s Lane.

Source: http://www.archive.org/stream/ontariohistoryv00socigoog/ontariohist...

John Haviland made trips to Canada and resided in Towners, NY. He had served in the British Army. He was disowned by the Society of Friends for marrying out of meeting. (The Birdsalls were members as a family, but when James Birdsall married Hannah Akin he was disowned, as she was not a Friend. As a consequence, their children were not members.)

From the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record: "To Henry Livingston, Jr., Esq., Commissioner of Sequestration for County of Dutchess, N.Y. Fishkill, N.Y., Feb. 16, 1779. A few days ago I gave permission to Richard Willis, a refugee, to possess a house and two acres of land near the Mills, which Mr. Ward has in possession. The house and land was the property of John Haviland, now with the enemy, which can be proved. Isaac Haviland, the father of John, has warned Mr. Willis out, and in case of refusal, tells him he will apply to Mr. Benson - beg you will tell Mr. Benson that Willis has been in possession near two years, and that the soil was the property of Beverly Robinson. With esteem, I am, sir, Your Humble Servant, Theodorus Van Wyck." His estate was confiscated, 1781. (Per Josephine Frost)

Source: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~haviland/Haviland...

Loyalist John Haviland's Land Claims As A Captain In 1787, when John and Sarah Haviland first came to (soon-to-be) Upper Canada, they established their claim as Loyalists to 400 acres of Crown land in Sidney Township, Hastings County. The Loyalist Agent in Lachine, Stephen DeLancey, supported the claim: The bearer here of Mr. John Haviland is a man who served during the late rebellion in Col. James DeLancey's Core of Loyal Refugees at New York. He is a loyal Subject and is recommended to the Honourable John Collins for such proportion of land as he shall judge him entitled to on seeing his Credentials. He has a wife & four children. Subsequently, the amount of Crown land that Loyalists could claim increased substantially. The entitlement was scaled to the former military rank of the Loyalist claimant. In 1791, however, the Havilands returned to the United States for six years. When John and his growing family returned to Northumberland County in Upper Canada in 1797, he had acquired some funds because he bought 200 acres from John Stratten for $95. Then he petitioned for (more) Crown Land. In his supporting deposition of 1798, he affirms that he only went back to the States to try to salvage some money from the property that had been confiscated there in 1781. It is recorded that he had owned a house and two acres of land near the Mills in Dutchess County, N.Y. The Administrator of Upper Canada, Peter Russell, was not sympathetic to Loyalists, and he promptly rejected John Haviland's petition. A few years elapsed in Northumberland, and then, in 1803, the Havilands bought 600 acres of good land in Townsend Township, Norfolk County, from the Fairchilds, another Loyalist family located there. Here the Havilands settled, prospered and multiplied. In 1808, John re-applied for the Crown Land to which a Loyalist Captain was now entitled, i.e. 3,000 acres (less the 400 acres he had originally received in Sidney). But this time around he skilfully mobilized influential support from leading citizens in Norfolk County and elsewhere. They attested that he had been a Loyalist Captain during the Revolution, The Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada by this time was Francis Gore, who was sympathetic to John's claim, and Executive Council approved his petition early in 1809. John requested that his 2,600 acres of Crown Land be located in the south west of Elgin County, but land there was subject to settlement duties and to Colonel Thomas Talbot. The land John received was about 100 miles away, to the northeast, and to the west, of his home farm, and he never resided on it. Later, he gave some of it to his children, and sold some more. When each of his children reached the age of 21 (or the daughters married), they were entitled to 200 acres of Crown land, which they received. In the final analysis, John Haviland and his family did quite well from their land grants, purchases and sales. But that was not unusual for those times in Upper Canada.

Source: http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Loyalist+portraits.-a030275644

Several years before the war of the Revolution, an Englishman named John Haviland emigrated from England to the province of Kew York, and settled in a little valley near the beautiful Hudson, between Manhattan Island and Albany. This little valley has ever since been known as " Haviland's Hollow." John Haviland had three sons, one of whom settled in the city of New York, the second remained in Haviland's Hollow, and the third, John, came to Canada.

In 1803 John Haviland came to Long Point with his family, consisting of three sons — John, Benjamin and Daniel ; and five daughters — Elizabeth, Mary, Eaner, Fanny and Loamy. He purchased six hundred acres of land in Townsend, comprising Lots 11 and 12 in the 1st concession, and Lot 12 in the 2nd concession. On these lots his sons settled, and the homes they made are classed among the best in Norfolk to-day.

Mr. Haviland served in the war of 1812, and was wounded at the battle of Lundy's Lane.

It is said that John Haviland came to the settlement with a considerable sum of money. When the Wentworth court- house was built in Hamilton, he loaned the county $16,000 ; and when he died he left $12,000 buried in the ground. He stated the amount of this buried sum in his will, and also gave instructions as to how and where to find it. The place of burial had been located and recorded, no doubt, by a professional surveyor, as the executors were unable to find it with- out the aid of one. Thomas Walsh was employed for this purpose, and it is quite probable the notes that guided him in his work were his own. Two certain trees were designated as starting points and from these two straight lines were run in- clining toward each other, the point of convergence being the point sought for.

Source: http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/e-a-egbert-americus-owen/pion...

During the war of the Revolution, John Haviland, of New York State, was a captain in the company commanded by Colonel James Delaney.

At the close ci the war, he joined the party which Mr. Orass was preparing to conduct to Upper Canada. They left New York in five small vessels, and sailed around the coast, arriving at Sorel, in Quebec, in October, 1788. There they built themselves shanties, and wintered. In May, 1784, they re-embarked in their boats and reached Cataraqui, Kingston, in July. Captain Haviland settled in Adolphustown. There he remained till 1803, when he removed to the Long Point Settlement, erecting his log cabin on lot 12 of the 1st concession of Townsend

Captain Haviland received a large grant of land from the Crown, as is proved by the following Order-in-Coundl, under date of 27th January, 1809:

"John Haviland, of Townsend, Norfolk County, Londcm District, gentleman, formerly a captain in Delaney's Regiment, 2,600 acres, to make up 3,000 acres, as captain, in King and Gwillimbury." This was in the northern part of York County, but Mr. Haviland preferred to live on the 600 acres in Townsend, where he had established his home

There are also the following grants registered :

" Benjamin, son of John Haviland, yeoman, 200 acres in Townsend, 20th March, 1815.

" John, son of John Haviland, yeoman, 200 acres in Townsend, 20th March, 1815.

'* Esther, wife of John Haviland, jun., and daughter of Peter Fairchild, 200 acres, 20th March, 1815.

" Sarah, spinster, daughter of John Haviland, 200 acres in Townsend^ 7th August, 1816 ; also lot 19, 5th concession, Zorra, 8th May, 1821.

" Fanny, daughter of John Haviland, 200 acres in Townsend, Siik October, 1833."

Captain Haviland enlisted for the war of 1812, and was slightly wounded in the Battle of Lundy*s Lane.

Source: http://www.archive.org/stream/ontariohistoryv00socigoog/ontariohist...

Haviland clan marks its first 100 years

by Jackie Hayes, The Kitchener-Waterloo Record, 7/23/1996

Lots of families hold reunions, but I wonder if there are any like the Haviland clan, which, having been in Norfolk County for 11 generations, can boast of getting together annually for 100 years.

They celebrated their reunion last weekend at Mohawk Park in Brantford where they held their first picnic in 1896. The park is also marking its 100th anniversary this year.

Kay Riddolls, 82, of Paris, recalls going to these family gatherings when she was three, and she hasn't missed many since. This year, her sister and her husband from South Bend, Ind., and their daughter and her husband from Chicago joined her.

Kay's cousin, Helen Waind, 76, of Waterloo, also remembers attending the Haviland reunions with her parents when she was a little girl and sometimes being taken there by her grandfather when her father couldn't leave the farm during the busy summer season.

There was never a question of not attending the picnic, even as a teenager.

"You went where your parents took you then and that was that, but we always had fun, " she said.

"Today, some of the young people aren't interested. They become more involved (with family traditions) as they grow older and the younger generation of Havilands is now taking over in organizing the reunions, which is wonderful."

There are more than 300 Havilands on the annual invitation list, most in the United States and Canada. Nearly 2,700 descendants of Capt. John Haviland and his wife Sarah are listed in a family genealogy compiled by Eleanor Chapin of Brantford, retired administration supervisor, genealogist, Grand River Branch, o f the United Empire Loyalist Association.

Capt. John's ancestors emigrated from England to the United States around 1641. He was born in 1752 in Haviland's Hollow, just outside of New York City. Founder of the Canadian branch of the family, John and his wife were United Empire Loyalists who came to Canada with their three sons and five daughters in 1803. They settled on 240 hectares (600 acres) north of the village of Boston, Ont.

A reunion of this size, which attracts 150 to 200 people from babes in arms to some in their 90s, takes organization.

Perhaps one reason it has been so successful is that an executive was formed and a constitution of the Haviland family picnic was drawn up and presented at the third picnic in 1898.

The constitution outlines in detail the object of the reunions: to cement family ties and to perpetuate and revere the memory of ancestors. The picnics are a meeting place at which to record births, marriages and deaths.

Kay's brother John and his son Douglas both served as presidents. This year's president is Linda Bakker of Guelph.

New members are elected at the annual spring executive meeting and they, in turn, appoint sub-committee chairpeople.

Attendees registered Friday at the Brant Park Inn where a video of past reunions was shown and mementos of the centennial celebration, caps and a variety of shirts bearing the Haviland crest were for sale.

Saturday was the big day at Mohawk Park. Because many people travel a great distance, pot-luck dinners have been replaced by catered buffets.

A group photograph was taken and there were horse-drawn carriage rides for the children offered by Haviland descendent Maurice (Slim) Norsworthy of Canfield. A mini-drama entitled The First Picnic by Ruth Haviland and an evening variety show featuring family talent provided entertainment.

There was a beard-growing contest for those who started the hair growth after Jan. 1, 1996, and another for men who have had beards for years. Prizes were given for the best 1896 style, as well as for color, texture and fullness.

For the women, there was a sewing contest of 1896-style clothing for children 10 years or younger, with garments modelled and judged on Saturday. There were displays of antiques and old snapshots and a silent auction to raise funds for centennial activities.

Ilene Chesterman of Tillsonburg was in charge of an essay contest on "What being a member of the Haviland family has meant to me" or on varied aspects of the Victorian era. There were junior, intermediate and senior categories.

The weekend concluded with a worship service at Boston Baptist Church where a Haviland minister served earlier in the century. Pastor Brent Powell officiated and family members sang in the choir and participated in readings.

Most pioneer families had their own burial ground. The first recorded burial in the Haviland cemetery in the Township of Townsend was in 1812.

Because conditions in the cemetery had deteriorated, a committee was formed in 1968 to purchase a block of burial plots.

After all descendants were notified, using the reunion mailing list, the remains and stones were moved to a new site in Greenwood Cemetery, Waterford, which was dedicated at the 1973 reunion. It is marked with a plaque, Haviland 1815-1916.