RICHARD OLMSTEAD AND ELIZABETH DURKEE

PART 3

By

Bill Samland

 

Here is the conclusion of Bill’s article.

 

12. RHOENA OLMSTEAD was born about 1817 in Marlborough Twp., Johnstown District, Upper Canada.  On 23 January 1840 Rhoena married Silas Warner in or near Merrickville, Grenville Co., Upper Canada.  Their marriage notice from a newspaper stated that they were both from Merrickville.

 

    Silas must have been born before 1810 (place unknown).  On 1 January 1829 he enrolled as a private in the 2nd Regiment of the Grenville Militia (the list was of men between the ages of 19 and 39). Silas was a witness to several marriages and deeds pertaining to the Olmsteads in the Johnstown District.

 

    In 1839 Silas and a female over 16 years of age were listed on the census of Wolford Township.  At that time he was of no religious denomination.  In 1840 Silas was also enumerated (with Rhoena) on the census of Wolford Township.  The census stated that he was a clothier and had a female under the age of five years old living with him.  Silas wasn't recorded on any other censuses for that area of Canada West.

 

    Baptismal records of Hull, Quebec show two children that might be Rhoena's and Silas's.  The records, however, recorded their surnames as "Coller."  They were Elisha Coller, born 19 July 1840 and William Coller, born 22 July 1843, sons of Rhoena Olmstead and Silas "Coller."  The boys were both baptised 16 July 1843 at Hull, Canada East (Quebec).  Quite a trick, since William wasn't born until 22 July 1832.  The record probably made a mistake with the surname.

 

    One point of interest is that an "Elitia Coller" was listed next to Silas on the 1839 census of Wolford Township.  At that time Elitia probably wasn't married (no females over the age of 16 resided in the household), but had 2 males over 16 (including himself), 1 male under 16, and 2 females under 16 living in his house.  They belonged to the Church of England.  Elitia was never found on another census of the area. Rhoena's name was also written as "Rowena."

 

SOLOMON DURKEE OLMSTEAD was born about 1819 in Marlborough Twp., Johnstown District, Upper Canada and died after 1881 possibly in Collingwood Twp., Grey Co., ON.

On February 11, 1839 Solomon married Louisa Harris, daughter of David Harris, in Upper Canada (Bathurst or Johnstown Districts).  Louisa was born about 1820 in Upper Canada and died between 1861-1871, probably in Thornbury, Grey Co., ON

 

    At the time of their marriage Solomon lived in Marlborough Township, Johnstown District, and Louisa resided at Long Island, Bathurst District (now Manotick, Carleton Co., ON).  Solomon's brother, Rufus Olmstead, was one of the witnesses to their wedding (Solomon was later a witness to Rufus's marriage). Solomon and Louisa lived in Marlborough Township and Burritts Rapids, Grenville Co., Upper Canada during the first ten years of their marriage.  In 1848 he decided to travel west in search of new prospects.

 

    The following in an excerpt from A HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF GREY:

 

    "It happened that in that year [1848] Solomon Olmstead, who was living at the time in Carleton County, decided to go farther west. Reaching Toronto,  he traveled on foot to Barrie, where he heard of the new surveys in Collingwood and St. Vincent Townships. Being quite at home in the woods, he pushed on with his rifle through the cedar swamps and pine plains along the Government Road until he came to the town line of the township. 

 

“A settler here by the name of Hurd was an old acquaintance, and one can imagine them, sitting in the firelight of the settler's shanty discussing the possibilities of the water-power at the mouth of the Beaver River, and growing in excitement until Olmstead declared he would take up the 'claim,' and become the Beaver's first miller.  Reaching the town plot, he felled a few trees. 

 

“Thornbury was still a forest with the exception of the scant clearings. Then he traveled on foot to Owen Sound, then the village of Sydenham, to register his claim.  This business completed, he made the journey back to his home for his family and his few possessions.  With these he returned just as winter was coming on [the fall of 1849].  However, the settlers helped him to build his house and make his family comfortable. The next year [1850] he set to work to clear a few acres and build a saw mill. About 3 years later, needing funds, he persuaded his brother, Rufus, to join him and take a half interest in the enterprise."

 

    Records show that on 4 January 1849 Solomon, who was recently back in Marlborough Township from visiting Collingwood Township petitioned to Montreal for 20 acres to locate a mill site on lot 33 in concession 9 of Collingwood Township on the Beaver River at Nottawasaga Bay.  He was granted a Crown Land Grant on 31 August 1849 at Montreal.

 

    In 1851 Solomon and Louisa lived in a one-story log house on lot 33 in the 3rd concession of Collingwood Twp., Grey Co., Canada West.  At that time they owned 20 acres of land, and Solomon was a lumber merchant.  The house was a part of what was to become the village of Thornbury (the village was established in 1852).

 

The following is also an excerpt from A HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF GREY

 

    "By 1853 the Olmsteads had added a flour and grist mill and opened a store and post office.  All were on the east side of the river.  With no bridge, a ferry service was set up.  Mail day was Saturday and every craft available was pressed into service to get across the river."

 

    In 1857 Solomon was listed as the postmaster of Thornbury and the proprietor of the Thornbury Hotel (his brother, Rufus Olmstead, was also listed as a hotelkeeper in Thornbury in 1857).    By 1857 Solomon's sister, Clarissa (Olmstead) Hicks and her husband, Thomas Hicks, and Solomon's first cousin once removed, Thomas H. Olmstead, and his wife, Mary Anne, joined Solomon and Rufus in Thornbury.

 

        In 1861 Solomon and Louisa lived in a two-story framed house in Thornbury that was described as mill property (in 1865 the house was listed as being on Alfred Street).  Solomon was enumerated on the census as a miller and tavern keeper. 

 

        Minn Olmstead (3 years old) lived with them at that time.  It is believed that she was Wilhelmina Strain, the daughter of Solomon and Louisa's daughter, Ruth Olmstead (who wasn't married yet) and her future husband, Francis Strain.

 

    In 1871 Solomon was widowed and lived by himself in Collingwood Township (he was a carpenter then).  It's not known where the younger children resided at that time.

 

    Sometime between 1871 and 1881 Solomon married Frances Driscoll.  In 1881 they lived in Collingwood Township (probably Thornbury).  At that time a Jeremiah Driscoll (age 85 years) lived with them.  He was probably Frances's father.  Solomon and Louisa were Universalist.  Frances was Roman Catholic.

 

 No information has been found on Solomon after 1881.

 

The children of SOLOMON DURKEE OLMSTEAD and LOUISA HARRIS:

 

-         RICHARD OLMSTEAD, born November 03, 1839; died September 25, 1906.

-    LAVINA OLMSTEAD, born about 1841.

-    RUTH OLMSTEAD, born about 1842; died February 22, 1886.

-    MARY OLMSTEAD, born 1844; died 1895.

-         DAVID OLMSTEAD, born August 10, 1845; died January 12, 1912.

-    WILLIAM C. OLMSTEAD, born about 1847.

-    CHESTERFIELD OLMSTEAD, born January 29, 1850; died August 15, 1917.

-    LOUISA VIOLA OLMSTEAD, born March 02, 1851; died September 08, 1933.

-         SOLOMON HARRIS OLMSTEAD, born August 02, 1853; died December 30, 1922.

MINERVA OLMSTEAD, b. April 14, 1856.