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M John Minnis

Heiraten und Kinder

Notizen

Hinweis zur Person

1851 personal census, Mersea Twp, Essex Co., ON, p. 19,20:
Minnis John, M, Married, 40, born Canada, Methodist, Farmer;
Easter, F, Married, 34, born Canada, Methodist;
Mary, F, 14, born Canada;
Sarah, F, 12, born Canada;
Chas, M, 10, born Canada;
Jno, M, 7, born Canada;
Hugh, M, 4, born Canada;
Melissa, F, 2, born Canada.

1861 personal census, Mersea Twp, Essex Co., ON, 1-19:
Minnis John, M, Married, married in 1840, 43, born Ireland, W Methodist, Farmer;
Ester, F, Married, married in 1840, 39, born U Canada, W Methodist;
Sarah, F, Single, 17, born U Canada, W Methodist;
Charles, M, Single, 15, born U Canada;
John J., M, Single, 14, born U Canada;
Hugh, M, Single, 13, born U Canada;
Malassa M., F, Single, 11, born U Canada;
Alexander, M, Single, 8, born U Canada;
Elizabeth C., F, Single, 7, born U Canada;
Lidia, F, Single, 5, born U Canada;
Malinda E., F, Single, 3, born U Canada;
Priscilla E., F, Single, 1, born U Canada.

Commemorative Biographical Record of the County of Essex, J. H. Beers & Co., Toronto, 1905, p. 480-482:
Charles Minnis, a prominent farmer and stock raiser of Mersea township, one of the substantial and best known men in that line in his section of the County of Essex, is not only influential as a business man, but also active in various other industries. He was born in Mersea township, Feb. 3, 1846, and is of Irish extraction, his father, John Minnis, having been born Feb. 2, 1818, in County Down, Ireland.
     Hugh Minnis and his wife, the grandparents, who were also natives of Ireland, were married there, and in 1818 emigrated to Canada, bringing their son, John, then but three months of age, with them. The voyage was made in a sailing-vessel, and consumed eleven weeks. Coming to Ontario they located in Mersea township, on the present site of the John Davies general store, in Leamington, County of Essex, and they lived there three years. There both parents died, leaving their only son, John, an orphan, three years old. He was adopted by Alexander Wilkinson, known as "Uncle Aleck", who owned land and lived in what is now the center of Leamington, and with whom he remained until of age, obtaining a fair education. He was reared like one of Mr. Wilkinson's own children, receiving a Christian training. His father had left a sum of money, about four hundred dollars, with which he bought land on what is now the 5th Concession, Lot 5, a tract of 200 acres. This land was then a wilderness, and upon it he erected a little log house, and began the life of a pioneer, commencing to clear off his farm, and succeeded in clearing off half the tract. In time he built a brick house, one of the first in that concession, and made other improvements. On this place he lived and reared his family, all of whom reflect credit on the Christian training of their devoted parents. Mr. Minnis devoted his active years to the cultivation and improvement of his farm, and the last years of his life were spent in Leamington, where he was cared for by his youngest daughter Mrs. W. W. Ames, at whose home he died June 22, 1901. He was buried in Lake View cemetery, Leamington. Several years before his death he lost his eyesight, and his hearing was also affected, but he bore these trials with Christian fortitude. He was a consistent member of the Methodist Church, which he joined early in life, and lived up to its principles and teachings, continuing steadfast in the faith until his death. He was quite active in church matters, and his home was used as a place of worship for many years before Mount Carmel church was built. He was a stanch Liberal in politics, and served as a member of the township council for a number of years. He was also school trustee for many years, giving the land on which the school was built for that purpose, and ever took a deep interest in education, doing his duty as he saw it in this as in everything else. Mr. Minnis was strictly temperate in his habits, was a stanch advocate of temperance, and was never known to take a drink in a barroom or tavern. As a business man he was quite successful.
     On March 17, 1840, in Mersea township, Mr. Minnis married Hester Jane McGaw, who was born March 17, 1822, in Newmarket, Ont., sister of the late John McGaw, and, as will be seen, was married before she was eighteen years of age. The married life of this couple extended over sixty-one years, and they celebrated their golden wedding on March 17, 1890, surrounded by all their children, and grandchildren and friends. Mrs. Minnis lived to the ripe old age of seventy-nine years, and died at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. W. W. Ames, April 18, 1901; she was buried in Lake View cemetery, Leamington, where her devoted husband was laid to rest two months later. They loved one another in life, and were not long separated by death. She was a sincere Christian woman, a devoted member of the Methodist Church, and a loving wife and mother to her large family, which consisted of twelve children, namely: Mary Jane married Thomas Dresser, of Mersea township; Sarah Ann married Albert Fox, of Mersea township; Charles is mentioned below; John J. is a resident of Leamington; Hugh resides in Detroit, Michigan; Malissa married Edward Foster, of Leamington; Alexander, an evangelist, resides in Kingsville; Chloe married Henry Foster, of Leamington; Lydia married Robert Beacon, of Mersea township; Malinda E. married Elliot Kimball, of Mersea township; Priscilla married Thomas J. J. Foster, of Gosfield township; Huldah married W. W. Ames, of Leamington.
     Charles Minnis, the subject proper of this sketch, was born on his father's place on Lot 5, Concession 5 and attended the district school of his township, remaining on the homestead until twenty-three years of age, working on the farm. His father then gave him the south part of the farm, where he started in to make a home for himself, building a small frame house to which he brought his bride. Here he has resided for the past thirty-five years, making extensive and systematic improvements on the farm, and in 1898 he built a fine brick dwelling-house, one of the finest in the township, fitted with all modern improvements, at a cost of over $3,500. He has also built some of the fine barns and other outbuildings. In addition to general agriculture Mr. Minnis has for several years been engaged in raising fine Short Horn Durham cattle, having been one of the first in the township to venture raising that kind of stock. He is a member of the Dominion Short Horn Breeders' Association, of Toronto. Mr. Minnis has been more than a merely successful farmer. His enterprising and progressive spirit has brought him to the front as a man of intelligence, one whose opionion on all practical matters may be respected, and he is favorably looked upon wherever known.
     Mr. Minnis is Liberal in politics, but never sought office. He and his wife are both members of the Mount Carmel Church, of which he was one of the organizers, and he has served as a member of the building committee, and was one of the first to solicit aid to build the present church edifice. He has acted as Sunday-school teacher, superintendent and assistant superintendent of the Sunday-school, and has been class leader for over thirty-five years, as well as trustee and steward, and a member of the quarterly official board ever since uniting with the church.
     As may be inferred from the record of his services Mr. Minnis has long been active in religious work, in fact his interest began in boyhood. He has a Bible given him over forty-five years ago by the venerable Jasper Golden, of Kingsville (who was a Sunday-school Superintendent for many years) for answering the most questions from the Gospel of St. Mark. Mr. Minnis, like his esteemed father, is a man of temperate habits, has never used tobacco or strong drink, and is so consistent on the tobacco question that he would never grow the weed, or allow it to be grown on his farm.
     Mr. Minnis was married, in Mersea township, Feb. 12, 1869, to Hannah Dresser, who was born in Mersea township April 25, 1848, a daughter of George and Rose H. (Adams) Dresser, and one child blessed this union, Oscar, born May 7, 1871, who died from diphtheria Sept. 1, 1879. He was buried in Lake View cemetery. Mrs. Hannah (Dresser) Minnis died Aug. 22, 1904 and was buried in the Lake View cemetery. She had been ailing for six months, and though she received the best of care it proved unavailing. Mrs. Minnis proved an ideal helpmeet to her husband, not only in the home, but in many benevolent and charitable interests, in all of which he had her sincere sympathy and able assistance.
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