Jonathan was the son of David Henderson U.E. of Bastard
Twp. Leeds County. From the Ontario Register we learn
the following (Vol 2 Page 5) "Jonathan Henderson 18 born
in Conecticut farmer approved by J. Breckenridge J.P.
County of Leeds 8th April 1796 was granted Lot
24 Con. 8 Bastard Twp. But as this proved unsatisfactory,
he was granted another." This first grant was about half
covered by water (Lower Beverly Lake). The "other" grant
was Lot 11, Con. 4 South Crosby, Leeds County Ont. This
is presently owned by Earl Powell (1984). Jonathan worked
for a time clearing the land and returned to Vermont where
he married Clarissa Bullard. They then returned to live on
their farm. From Clare Churchill's book "Rideau Reflections"
we learn that their first child was a girl Speda who died
in childhood. Utarpe was next and Parthena was the youngest.
Utarpe lived to 84, she was born in 1807. Jonathan was a
Quaker by faith yet he served in the Militia during the war
of 1812. He operated a nursery on his farm, and many of
the early orchards got their start from here. Some of the
trees I remember were: St. Lawrence, Sam apple, Nursery
apple. He produced Potash which which was sold to Billa
Flint of Brockville and in addition grew HEMP which was used
to bind sheaves of flax during the retting process to make
flax into linen. The Government of the time paid a subsidy
for growing this plant which is now illegal to possess or
grow "Marijuana". The Hemp fibres being tougher than flax
took long to rot so they held the sheaf together while the
flax broke down.
Jonathan died about 1860 and is buried in the cemetery on
the farm he once owned. The graves herein are unmarked
except for field stones. The records for this cemetery
have disappeared over the years - they were last known to
be in possession of Lew Halliday in the States. Tradition
has it that there are 28 persons buried there. |
