The Commemorative Biographical Record of the County of Kent, J. H. Beers & Co., Toronto, 1904, p. 862-863:
William Alexander Everett (deceased). Few citizens of the County of Kent were better known or more thoroughly respected than was the late William Alexander Everett, whose death on Feb. 20, 1889, removed one of the early residents of Chatham township. His birth took place Aug. 13, 1815, in Chatham township, nineteen years after the settlement of his family in that location.
The Everett family is of Welsh extraction. The grandfather of the above, also William Alexander Everett, was born in Pennsylvania about 1740, and married Nancy Jackman, also a native of that State. In 1796 they settled on the 1st Concession, river front, in Chatham township, near Louisville, and there engaged in farming until they died, the grandfather passing away in 1821 and his widow a few years later. The children born to these worthy people were: (1) Adam, the father of our subject, is mentioned below. (2) William, born in 1783, in Pennsylvania, came to the County of Kent in 1796, married Hannah Fleming, an aunt of Dr. D. G. Fleming, of Chatham, and had fourteen children, thirteen of whom grew to maturity: James, William Alexander, John T, David H., Nancy, who died in infancy; Barbara, who died in 1900, Rebecca, Dorothy Ann, Mary [born in Chatham township May 20, 1825, a resident of County Kent for more than three quarters of a century], Elizabeth [twin of Mary],[Hannah], Emeline [Mrs. R. E. Cornwall of Walla Walla, State of Washington], Melissa and Amelia [of Hillsboro, Oregon], the survivors being Mary, of Oregon, Emeline, Mrs. R. E. Cornwall of the State of Washington, and Miss Amelia, of Oregon. (3) David, born in Pennsylvania, who came to the County of Kent in 1796, was a hatter by trade but followed farming later in life. He married Mary Houk, of German extraction, and they had three daughters and five sons, of whom Samuel and Henry, of Oregon, and Sarah, Mrs. T. W. Wright of Hamilton, North Dakota, are the survivors. (4) John, born in Pennsylvania, who came with the family to the County of Kent, married Sally Sherman, and they had five children: David, William, John, Elizabeth and Sarah, of whom William, John and Sarah (wife of Marcellus Minschel) still reside in Howard township, County of Kent. (5) Mary [married George Reynolds]. (6) Elizabeth [married John Reynolds]. (7) Rebecca [married Robert Crow]. (8) Rachel [married Thomas Crow]. Nancy died young.
Adam Everett, father of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania, and in 1795 came to the County of Kent, Ont., Canada, preparing for the family to come the following year. In Kent he married Nancy Hazlett[Haslet], a native of Ireland, and they had children as follows: William, Richard, Adam, Joseph, Mary (wife of Ira Allen), Rachel (wife of Alexander Whitesell, of Howard township), Elizabeth, Thornton (a resident of the County of Lambton), John and Seth. Mrs. Rachel Whitsell and Thornton are the only survivors. The parents of this family were members of the Methodist Church. The father passed away in 1843, the mother in 1850, both well advanced in years. Mr. Everett and his three brothers all settled in Chatham, at Louisville, and engaged in farming, and they took the first wheat from the County of Kent to Detroit, Michigan, in a boat called the "Blacksnake," which had a capacity of twenty-five bushels of wheat and four men. Adam Everett was the first man to carry the mail between London and Sandwich, Ont., making the trip on foot at first, afterward on horseback.
During his active years William Alexander Everett followed agricultural life on Lot 21, 1st Concession, township of Chatham. In 1850 he was united in marriage with Miss Jane McLean, who was born in Scotland Aug. 13, 1830, and came to the County of Kent in 1843.
In political sentiment Mr. Everett was a Reformer. Both he and his wife were consistent members of the Methodist Church during a long and happy united life. He was a man of stable character, of unimpeachable integrity, for thirty years he administered the law as justice of the peace, and for twelve years was reeve of the township, also serving as a member of the county council. He was held in high esteem in every relation of life, and when its end came it closed an honorable career. Mrs. Everett, with two of her daughters, resides in Chatham. The valuable old farm was disposed of by the family in 1900.
Adam
Everett
Mary Everett
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