Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Robert Leeder

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Descendants of Robert Leeder

Generation No. 2

2. MARY ANN³ LEEDER (ROBERT², ROBERT¹) was born September 4, 1819 in Suffolk, England, and died February 21, 1912 in Mallorytown, Ontario. She married JOHN HODGE Abt. 1841, son of FRANCIS HODGE and MARY HARRISON. He was born December 1819 in Yorkshire, England, and died January 16, 1898 in Mallorytown, Yonge Front Twp, ON.

More About JOHN HODGE and MARY LEEDER:
Marriage: Abt. 1841

Children of MARY LEEDER and JOHN HODGE are:

8.	i.	ROBERT⁴ HODGE, b. Abt. 1843; d. 1921.
	ii.	HANNAH HODGE, b. Abt. 1844; d. 1930; m. JOSEPH MANOR; b. 1837; d. 1927.
	iii.	HARRIET HODGE, b. Abt. 1845.
	iv.	ELIZABETH HODGE, b. Abt. 1847.
	v.	MARGARET HODGE, b. Abt. 1850.
	vi.	DAVID HODGE, b. Abt. 1853.
9.	vii.	MARY A. HODGE, b. Abt. 1856; d. 1904.
	viii.	SARA A. HODGE, b. Abt. 1856; d. 1934; m. GEORGE R. COMSTOCK; b. 1867; d. 1903.
10.	ix.	LUCY HODGE, b. Abt. 1859; d. 1930.
	x.	ABRAHAM HODGE, b. 1863; d. 1954; m. LOIE E. HALL; b. 1866; d. 1937.

3. ELIZABETH³ LEEDER (ROBERT², ROBERT¹) was born Abt. 1821, and died Abt. 1856. She married JAMES DONOHUE. He died May 1, 1879.

Notes for ELIZABETH LEEDER:
Nicknamed "It". Lived on Quabbin Rd., across from Elizabeth (Gavin) Leeder.

More About ELIZABETH LEEDER:
Confirmation: 1837, Confirmed at St Raphael's RC, Cornwall Twp.

Children of ELIZABETH LEEDER and JAMES DONOHUE are:

SYLVESTER⁴ DONOHUE, b. Abt. 1846, Twp Rear of Escott, Leeds Cty, Ontario; d. November 11, 1913, Brockville, ON; m. (1) TERESA COX, January 19, 1865; d. January 1870; m. (2) MARY ANNE O'BRIEN, September 5, 1870; b. Abt. 1842.

More About SYLVESTER DONOHUE:
Cod: "cardiac", 2 yrs
Occ: Cabman

More About SYLVESTER DONOHUE and TERESA COX:
Marriage: January 19, 1865

More About SYLVESTER DONOHUE and MARY O'BRIEN:
Marriage: September 5, 1870

ii.

JAMES DONOHUE, b. Abt. 1847; d. 1865.

More About JAMES DONOHUE:
Burial: St James RC Cem. Trevelyan, Yonge Twp.

11.	iii.	THOMAS DONOHUE.
12.	iv.	ELIZABETH DONOHUE, b. Mallorytown, Leeds Cty.
13.	v.	HANNAH DONOHUE.

4. ROBERT³ LEEDER (ROBERT², ROBERT¹) was born Abt. January 20, 1822 in Rattlesden, Suffolk, England, and died Abt. 1848 in Balleycanoe, Ontario. He married ELIZABETH GAVIN Abt. 1845 in Escott Twp., ON, daughter of LAWRENCE GAVIN and NANCY BOYLE. She was born August 1, 1825 in Co. Kildare, Ireland, and died January 2, 1915 in Brockville, Ontario.

Notes for ROBERT LEEDER:
Family story, related by Francis Leeder, of Brockville, says that he was killed by a tree falling on him. Apparently he was working for his father at the time. The story also states the he swelled up so badly that the clothes had to be cut off him.

More About ROBERT LEEDER and ELIZABETH GAVIN:
Marriage: Abt. 1845, Escott Twp., ON

Children of ROBERT LEEDER and ELIZABETH GAVIN are:

14.	i.		ROBERT⁴ LEEDER, b. August 1, 1846, Quabbin, Ontario; d. November 15, 1931.
15.	ii.		ANNIE LEEDER, b. 1848, Escott Twp., Leeds Cty, ON; d. March 26, 1894, Lansdowne, Ont.

5. WILLIAM³ LEEDER (ROBERT², ROBERT¹) was born Abt. June 6, 1824 in Rattlesden, Suffolk, England, and died 1873 in Leeds Cty or Frontenac Cty. He married (1) ELLEN IMERSON Abt. 1848, daughter of THOMAS IMERSON and ELLEN WADDINGTON. She was born 1831 in Leeds Cty, ON, and died 1869 in Leeds Cty, ON. He married (2) MARGARET ANN EATON November 25, 1870 in Smiths Falls, Lanark Cty, daughter of HUGH EATON and MARTHA ABBOTT. She was born Abt. 1848 in Bastard Twp, Leeds Cty, Ontario.

Notes for WILLIAM LEEDER:
William Leader was a brother of my great great grandfather Robert Jr.. He has been a mystery to me for many years. There were a few anecdotes about him but very little solid information. Thanks to the research of several people, as well as my own, I have been able to piece together some of his life.

Mary Shea of Kingston, a descendant of George Leeder (of the second family), has done, pre computer, an enormous amount of research on the early Leeders. Unfortunately, she had little on William's later life. Marie Coughlin, of Smiths Falls, another Leeder descendant, has much anecdotal information on these early people taken from conversations with may other Leeder descendants. The major breakthrough came with the discovery of the 'Family Tree of the Imerson Family'. Edgar Clow, of Brockville, allowed me to copy this impressive work. His wife is a descendant of William and Ellen. It has a large section on their genealogy. The author was Ethel Amelia Imerson Pritchard (1886-1978). This unpublished work was dated 1961. Lastly, Willard Haugen, a descendant of Samuel William Leader, of Utah, made me aware of the Margaret Eaton connection. I discovered his submission on the Latter Day Saints web site. Samuel was one of William and Margaret's two children.

William led an eventful life: he changed religions like some people change their shirts, had at least two wives, farmed the kids out to friends and relatives, moved several times and had an early and almost unrecorded death. His kids were mostly young when he died so probably knew little about him. Being orphaned (Ellen Imerson's kids) they had to make their own lives work and they were mainly connected to the Imersons. William and Margaret's two kids were also on their own early. Some, like Victoria, William J., Benjamin and Samuel moved out of the area.

In the Leeder family there has always been confusion about Tom and Ben Leeder. Mostly they are assigned as children of Robert Leeder and Hannah Sewell, William's parents, even though there is no documentation to support this. Hopefully they can now be seen as belonging to William and Ellen's family and the confusion laid to rest.

William was born, according to the LDS IGI June 6, 1824 in Rattlesden, Suffolk, England. He came to Canada with his parents Robert Leeder and Hanna Sewell, in 1825. Newly arrived in Canada, it appears that his mother died, about the 16 to 18th of September, 1827, at St Andrews West, Stormont County, in then Upper Canada, probably in child birth. On the 18th of September William's sister, Harriet, was baptized 2 days old, as a Catholic at St Raphael's RC church, St Andrew's West, Cornwall Twp., Stormont County. Her parents were Robert 'Leeda' and Hanna 'Suel' The following day his father is also baptized, son of Robert 'Leeda' and Ann 'Leeda'. On the ninth of April, 1828, the following children were baptized : Robert aged 6 years, William, aged 5, Elizabeth, aged 9 and Mary Ann, aged 7 years. All the children of Robert 'Laida' and Hannah 'Suel'. Family tradition has it that Hannah Sewell was buried at Mille Roches. That site has since been flooded by the creation of the Saint Lawrence Seaway. No actual record of her death or burial have been found.

Another family story has it that the kids were 'farmed out' to friends while Robert worked on the building of the Rideau Canal. It was during this time that Robert met and married his second wife, Jane Towe. By the 1830's some the family was settled near MacIntosh Mills, Leeds County (at that time called the Johnstown District). His sister Elizabeth was confirmed at St Raphael's in 1837 and Harriet in 1843

About 1849, William, aged about 25 years married Ellen Imerson, aged about 19 years. There is a persistant family story that he first married a Giffin or Griffin and that his first child, Eleanor Jane, was of that marriage. No documentation has ever been produced to prove or disprove this assertion. What is known is that on the 1851 census for Escott Twp, Leeds County (actually taken in the spring of 1852) William, 28, RC, farmer is living with Ellen, 21, wife, E Methodist and a child, Eleanor J., aged 2 (next birthday). Also present at the household is a visitor, Thomas 'Emerson, 52, W Methodist, lives Crosby Twp. This is Ellen Imerson's father. They were located on the west half of lot 12 in the 4th concession, 100 acres.

About 1853 it appears that son William J. is born followed by Victoria in 1858 (May 5 by the 1901 census). The 1861 cenus for Pittsburgh Twp, Frontenac County lists William, 36, WM, Helen, 31, WM, Helen, 10, illegible, male, 8 (William?) and Victoria, 3.

The dates for Thomas and Martha are confusing. Most likely Thomas was born in 1861 after the census. The 1901 census says May 12, 1862. Martha follows Feb. 28, 1862 (1901 census) but her tombstone says 1861.

Benjamin, according to the 1901 census was born March 29, 1867. Bendict appears to have been born in 1868 (1868-1931 on his tombstone) and is listed as 3 years on the 1871 census. Mary J. was born in 1869.

Perhaps that is the reason for Ellen's death, child birth. Her tombstone in the Mallorytown Cemetery, Yonge Twp. says: Ellen, wife if Will M Leader, died June 8, 1869, AE 37 yrs.

The 1871 census for Pittsburgh Twp. Frontenac County, has a new make up: William, 45, born England, CE, farmer; his wife is Margaret, 21, b. Ont., CE. The children listed are Martha, 9, Benjamin, 5 and Mary J., 2.

Eleanor Jane had married to Richard Cronkwright, son of John Cronkwright and Jemima White, in 1866 d/o William and Eleanor Leader. The winesses were Enoch Freeman (2nd husband of Ellen's sister Ann) and her father William.

A search of the 1871 census for the other kids shows: Victoria, not found; Thomas, Bastard Twp, 10; Benedict, Rear of Leeds and Lansdowne Twp., 3; William not found but a couple of candidates. See each of the children for more details.

The records show that on Nov. 28, 1870, William, again a W Methodist married Margaret Ann Eaton, Episcopalian, daughter of Hugh Eaton and Martha Jane Abbott. Their first child was Catherine born Nov. 8, 1872 (1901 census). Her birth doesn't appear to have been registered but her marriage in 1896 to William Butterfield lists William and Margaret as her parents. Their second child, Samuel William was born on Nov 8, 1873. His birth was recorded in the Rear of Leeds Twp., Leeds County. This is very close to Pittsburgh Twp.. The accoucheurs name was Mrs Churchill and she lived on the 8th concession of Leeds. This corresponds with the current highway 15 which continues into Pittsburgh Twp.. Most notable in Samuel's registration is the word, in brackets, beside William Leader's name - (dead).

We can now narrow down the time of William's death to between the time of the registration of Samuel's birth, Dec. 8, 1873 and his conception in March of that year. One story explains the cause of death: William died from a brocken neck when a team of horses bolted. Unfortunately, it is still not known where he is buried.

More About WILLIAM LEEDER:
Burial: Unknown

More About WILLIAM LEEDER and ELLEN IMERSON:
Marriage: Abt. 1848

Notes for MARGARET ANN EATON:
After William's death in 1873 Margaret remarried, as Margaret Leader, aged 24, widow, living in Bastard Twp., on 15 July 1875 to Jedire (sic) Day, aged 18, living in Bastard Twp., son of Albert and Rua Day. Both as Baptists. On the registration (Ontario marriages 1875, #00472, Elgin, Leeds Cty) she is the daughter of Hugh and Jane Eaton.

Jedire must have died as Margaret marries again as Margaret Leader, widow, aged 38, lives Bastard Twp., daughter of Hugh and Jane Eaton, on Nov. 26, 1886 to George Robert Carr, batchelor, aged 25, lives Bastard Twp., son of George Robert and Sarah Carr. They are both episcopalians in this marriage.
(Ontario marriages 1886, #006189, Bastard Twp, Leeds Cty)

Unknown if there were any children by these marriages.

More About WILLIAM LEEDER and MARGARET EATON:
Marriage: November 25, 1870, Smiths Falls, Lanark Cty

Children of WILLIAM LEEDER and ELLEN IMERSON are:

16.	i.	ELEANOR JANE⁴ LEEDER, b. December 6, 1851, Lansdowne, ON; d. July 23, 1901, Lansdowne, ON.
17.	ii.	WILLIAM J. LEEDER, b. Abt. 1855, Leeds Cty.
18.	iii.	VICTORIA LEEDER, b. Abt. 1858; d. 1939.
	iv.	THOMAS LEEDER, b. Abt. 1860; d. July 5, 1910, House of Industry, Con. 9, lot 9, Yonge Twp., Leeds Cty, ON.

Notes for THOMAS LEEDER:

Marie Coughlin's recollections describe him as " partly crippled and not too bright". This description reinforces the finding of a Tom Leeder who died at the House of Industry in Athens, ON, in 1910, aged 50 (Ontario Vital Records, #018085, Rear of Yonge and Escott Twp.). Unfortunately this Tom seems to have always been assigned to the Robert Leeder/Hannah Sewell family and not in his rightful place as a son of William Leeder and Ellen Imerson.

On the 1871 census for Bastard and Burgess Twp. (Div. 2, Sub Dist. I, p. 96) he is a 'stray' and listed as living with Anna Smith, 43, single, he is aged ten years, Methodist. Relationship unknown. The next census on which he is found is the 1901. He is listed as a domestic at the residence of John Giles in the Rear of Yonge and Escott Twp., aged 38, with a birth date of May 12, 1862, Baptist. No infirmities are listed.

More About THOMAS LEEDER:
Cod: consumption

19.	v.	MARTHA ANN LEEDER, b. February 28, 1862; d. 1948.
20.	vi.	BENJAMIN JOHN LEEDER, b. March 29, 1867, Leeds Cty; d. 1934.
	vii.	BENEDICT LEEDER, b. Abt. 1868; d. 1931, Leeds Co., Ontario.

Notes for BENEDICT LEEDER:
Buried with his sister Martha and her husband George Pattemore in Harlem United Cem., Leeds Cty., ON. Haven't found a death registration. Perhaps he died out of province.

From Marie Coughlin, of Smiths Falls, ON (she collected many anecdotal stories about the Leeders):
"Ben married a Jacobs from Oak Leaf. He made cheese in the old factory across the road from Stanley Leeder's.e old wooden pump there belonged to the cheese factory. I have no record of any family." This is actually Benjamin Leeder, 38, s/o John Leeder and Ellen Tesmer (second family with Jane Towe). He married Ann Eliza Jacob 20 Nov., 1906 in Lanark Cty (Family History Library MS932_122).

There seems to be a lot of confusion between the Ben and Tom of the first family and the Ben and Tom of William Leeder's family. Based on the dates available I conjecture that both are from William's family and they never existed as part of Robert Leeder's and Hannah Sewell's family.

In the 1871 census for the Rear of Leeds and Lansdowne Twp.( Dist 67, sub Dist. C, p45-46) he is listed as living with Enoch Freeman and Family. Enoch was the second husband of Ann Imerson (sister of Ellen Leeder, who died in 1869). He is listed as 3 years of age and as a Weslyan Methodist. On the 1881 census, Lansdowne Rear, he is also with the Freeman's, aged 12. In subsequent census I have been unable to locate him.

More About BENEDICT LEEDER:
Burial: Harlem Cem.

viii.

MARY J. LEEDER, b. Abt. 1869.

Notes for MARY J. LEEDER:
By 1871 Ellen Imerson had died (June 8, 1869). The 1871 census for Pittsburg Twp., Dist. 65, Div. E3, page 37, line 17, shows William with a new wife, Margaret, aged 21, with Martha, aged 9, Benjamin, aged 5, and Mary J., aged 2. The Family Tree of the Imerson Family, written in 1961 by Ethel Amelia Imerson) Pritchard, 1886-1978, does not include Mary J. in the list of descendents of William and Ellen. It appears she died young as I haven't found another mention of her. By the dates I suspect that Ellen died at or shortly after her birth.

Children of WILLIAM LEEDER and MARGARET EATON are:

ix.

CATHERINE⁴ LEEDER, b. November 8, 1872, Bastard Twp, Leeds Cty; d. February 20, 1931, South Crosby Twp., Leeds Cty.; m. WILLIAM JOHN BUTTERFIELD, March 16, 1896, Elgin, South Crosby Twp, Leeds Cty; b. June 17, 1877, Lyn, Elizabethtown Twp, Leeds Cty; d. October 9, 1929, Caintown, Yonge Twp., Leeds Cty..

Notes for CATHERINE LEEDER:
On the 1901 census they were located in the Rear of Leeds and Lansdowne Twp and her name was written as 'Kater'. On the 1911 census they were living in Bastard and South Burgess Twp. On both census there were no children listed.
On the 1901 census William Butterfield is listed as farmer. No occupation is listed on the Ancestry.ca short form for 1911.

On the 1881 census she is at the residence of Thom and Jane Chapman, aged nine, in Bastard and South Burgess Twp. Haven't checked the 1891. Don't know if this is the infamous Thomas and Lucy Jane Chapman of the Briar Hill gang (see 'The Rear of Leeds and Lansdowne by Glenn J. Lockwood, 1996, pages 370-371, ISBN 0-968-0549-0-0. Private printing. Copies of the book can be obtained from Leeds and the 1000 Islands Twp. The web address is www.townshipleeds.on.ca .

Death info from Ontario Vital Records, South Crosby, reg. # 021320, aged 58 yrs, 3 mos., 12 days, widow, born Leeds, resided Two South Crosby 6 months (presume Two in this case refers to the concession number, also the location of Elgin). Father Wm. Leader; mother's name unknown, born, unknown; informant Frank Jones, nephew; buried Elgin Two South Crosby.

More About CATHERINE LEEDER:
Burial: February 22, 1931, Elgin, South Crosby
Cod: Cancer, about 1 year, had operation in Brockville
Individual Note: 1872, There does not appear to have been a birth registration for her.

Notes for WILLIAM JOHN BUTTERFIELD:
Marriage record says born Lyn, death record says Elgin. Death reg. # 021733, Front of Yonge Twp.. Residence at time of death Caintowm, 8 months; informant Mrs W J Butterfield of Caintown

More About WILLIAM JOHN BUTTERFIELD:
Burial: October 15, 1929, Elgin United Cemetery
Cod: Carcenoma of lower mandible and cheek, contributing factors general exhaustion and toxemia(?)

More About WILLIAM BUTTERFIELD and CATHERINE LEEDER:
Marriage: March 16, 1896, Elgin, South Crosby Twp, Leeds Cty

21.

SAMUEL WILLIAM LEEDER, b. November 8, 1873, Rear of Leeds and Lansdowne Twp, Leeds Cty; d. June 13, 1958, Eugene, Lane, Oregon.

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