Richard Hiscott was born in 1790 in Wiltshire, England. His application for a land grant shows that he was a weaver before he enlisted with the 76th Regiment of Foot in 1809 as a Private and retired from the same regiment having attained the rank of Sergeant in 1830 (National Archives in Kew, WO 97/874/28). During his service he participated as a member of 76th Regiment of Foot in the Peninsular War as part of Wellington’s Troops. In 1814 and after the British success against French troops in Spain the 76th Regiment of Foot was transferred to Canada (The Service of British Regiments in Canada and North America, Charles H. Stewart, Department of National Defence Library, 1926, Ottawa, p. 316). There Richard Hiscott with his Regiment participated in the closing stage of the War of 1812-1814 at the Battle of Plattsburgh. Following the war Richard Hiscott stayed in Niagara. After he retired from the army he successfully applied for a land grant for his 21 years of service in the British Army (National Archives in Kew, WO 97/874/28).

He married Mary Read, a native of Scotland by which he had four children:

• Edward (1822-1892)
• James (1825-1917)
• Thomas (1826-1903)
• Mary (1830-1886)

After Richard Hiscott died in 1874 at the age of 84 he was buried at St. Mark’s Church in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. His monument contains an inscription which reads:

“In memory of Richard Hiscott, born in Wiltshire, England, 1790, Died at Niagara, Canada, 1874. Deservedly esteemed both as a citizen and a soldier. In early life he served with honour in H.M. 76th Regt. of Foot, and was in many battles of the Peninsular War and in Canada. He settled in Niagara, where a large family of his descendants and numerous friends lament his death.”