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 ... 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.
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.
The Dresser family, of Mersea township, is one of the oldest of this section of County Essex, where its representatives have for over sixty years been identified with the growth and progress of that community. The founder of the name in Mersea township was George Dresser, who was a native of Yorkshire, England, a son of Thomas, who lived and died in his native home, stanch in his support of the Church of England.
George Dresser, before mentioned, grew to manhood in England, and there received a good solid education. He worked as a farmer on his father's home, and married Rose Hannah Adams in 1831. From time to time friends and relatives of young Dresser had crossed to America, and appeared to succeed, and, longing for a wider field in which to found a home, he and his wife emigrated to America, in a sailing vessel, landing in Quebec after a long and very tiresome voyage. From Quebec they made their way to Ontario, they came to the County of Kent, living there until 1841, when they removed to County Essex, and settling in Mersea township on a tract of 100 acres they laid the foundations of a sterling old family, beginning their pioneer life in a log house. With his brave wife to help and cheer him, George Dresser commenced clearing his land, and in time his sons also assisted. Later, a brick house replaced the primitive log one, and substantial buildings were put up about the farm. Upon this property, redeemed from the wilderness by such steadfast endeavor, George Dresser lived out his life, and died at the advanced age of ninety-one years, wealthy, respected and beloved. In politics he was a strict Conservative, and he was called upon to serve in the township council, as well as to fill a number of other township offices, his keen judgment and ability making him peculiarly fitted for public office.
George Dresser was a member of the Methodist Church, and took a deep interest in all church matters, living up to his creed in his daily life, and endeavoring to influence others to a higher way of living ... it was one of the greatest sources of rejoicing on the part of Mr. Dresser that through his offices many were brought into the church. His good wife also died on the homestead, and both were interred in Lake View cemetery. She, too, was a devout member of the Methodist Church, and was beloved by a wide circle of friends. The following named children were born to Mr. and Mrs. George Dresser: William is mentioned below. Christopher died at the age of twenty years. Thomas, who is now engaged in farming on the 3rd Concession, in Mersea township, married Mary Jane Minnis, daughter of the late John Minnis, and sister of Charles Minnis, of Mersea township, and they have a child, Darius, a farmer of Gosfield township. Hannah married Charles Minnis, of Mersea township. Lewis died in young manhood. Everett is on the homestead. Edith married David Nebitt, of Leamington. Ivan is at home. Margaret married James McCraken, of Mersea township.
William Dresser, the oldest son of George Dresser, was born in eastern Ontario, and came to the County of Essex with his parents, locating in Mersea township, where he began working at an early age...
Ivan
Dresser
Edith Dresser †
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