Farm Purchases
James Glassford purchased on 20th of May 1836, 100 acres of land defined as west -half of lot number 30 in the 6th concession (written as concefsion ) of the township of Kingston from Joseph Hamilton for the price of 125 pounds. A copy of the 1836 Indenture between James Glassford and Joseph is available as well as a copy of the Deed. Both documents were signed by James and John Strange an attorney for Joseph Hamilton. An interesting point in the old documents both the Indentures and the Deeds that support these stories  have Glassford written as Glafsford as well as other words where the pronunciation is to use  a long "s" sound .

James Glassford purchased on 4th of April 1837, 100 acres of land defined as the east half of lot number 30 in the 6th concession  of the township of Kingston from John Mowat (father of Sir Oliver Mowat premier of Ontario) for the sum of 93 pounds and 15 shillings. A copy of this 1837 Indenture between James Glassford and John Mowat as well as the Deed is available. Both Documents were signed by James Glassford and John Mowat.
 
From a letter written by Ann [Paterson] Blacklock in 1939 to her daughter Catherine we have record of the sale of land by William B Glassford, "William Glassford was given the land now known as the Craig farm and afterwards sold it to a Scotchman named MacMillan who later in 1856 sold it to the Grandfather of Andrew Craig who had come from Jedburgh Scotland."

The 1878 land record shows this Craig  farm as Lot 31 so it was probable purchased by James Glassford between 1821 and 1836.  All that remains of the Original cabin is the chimney as shown in the following picture.

 Division of the Land

On the 28th of February 1846 , six years after the death of his father (intestate) and 3 years after the death of his mother William B [Boyd] Glassford, had an indenture written to allow him to divide the real estate he inherited. This document transfer title of a portion of lot 30 6th concession  (about 117 acres) to his then spinster sister Margaret Yates Glassford. In compensation William received 112 pounds and 10 shillings. A copy of this 1846 Indenture between William B Glassford and Margaret Yates Glassford as well as the Deed is available.
  The document also refers to a portion of the lot being owned by James Glassford so it can be assumed at James either received his inheritance early from William or purchased the lot from his father.

 Brotherly Love
This story comes from Ann [Paterson] Blacklock in 1939, that may give some insight to the character of William B Glassford as well as adding some linkages that are rather surprising.

The story relates that the spinster Margaret Yates Glassford at the age of 34 with her own land purchased from her brother Wm. B, in February 1846 , married William Blacklock from Eccefehan Dunfries Scotland on April 16th 1846. Margaret may not have married without this land.
 

The couple were married by Rev. John MacKay of St. Andrews Church in  Kingston and the ceremony took place in a comfortable log home built by the brides father (this house still exists although it is covered in clapboard and used now only as a shed). Witnesses to the wedding were James Glassford the bride's brother and  owner of the house and adjacent acreage as well as the groom's brother. Through information provided by  Marian Gamester [Keane], Blacklock’s brother was Thomas (he was Marian’s 3rd great grandfather). Marian's is also linked to another Glas(s)ford line that can be traced back to UEL's (United Empire Loyalist), at this time the UEL line can not be connected to the James of 1623 line, but the probability is that it links are related to the Tobacco Baron.

Margaret’s and James’ descendants retained remained on the land until at least 1943.
 
Burials

James Glassford and his wife Jean (called Jane) were buried in Kingston in what is now known as Skeleton Park , however, were later moved to the Cataraqui Cemetery.  The current name of James’ and Jean's, original resting place relates directly  to the location of the original Sons of Scotland Cemetery and the growth of the town of Kingston. It seems that the more the town grew, the more encroachment was done on the Cemetery grounds until finally families with relatives buried in the grounds were asked to relocate them to another site. In the 1980’s additional road work was being done in the area and a number of skeletons were unearthed. This caused a lot of excitement in Kingston until it was remembered that the site was an old cemetery, as a result of the find the park is now known as Skeleton Park.
It is estimated that the Glassfords were relocated between  1877-1881  during which  time 6 of their grand-daughters  (3 daughters of James Jr. and 3 daughters of Margaret) died from TB (contracted from cattle). James Jr.’s children were buried with their grand parents while Margaret’s were buried in an adjacent Blacklock plot.

Since that time James Jr. and his wife Elizabeth (Ross), Elizabeth Patterson (mother ofd Elizabeth Ross), grand-son Thomas Calvin and wife Annie (Stewart) , great grandson James Ross and his wife Margaret (Thomas), as well as the ashes of 2nd great grandson Jack Stewart have also been interred in the family plot.

Elsewhere within the Cataraqui Cemetery James's daughter Janet Barbara  is also buried with her husband John Balentyne  and daughters Jane Ann and Margaret Cecelia.

Home , Stories , Next