Born in Vermont about 1776 William Sturdivant came to Upper Canada in 1790 where he married Catherine Gordon, daughter of Robert Gordon, a Loyalist who had settled in Charlottenburg.

The Sturdivants removed to the front of Leeds Township where Catherine’s brother-in-law Thomas Howland was the overseer of Sir John Johnson’s property on the Gananoque River.

William Sturdivant was a private in the Flank Company, 1st Regiment Leeds Militia commanded by Lieutenant Jonathan Fulfurd which was called out in July 1812 and stationed at Prescott.

At the end of the conflict William returned to his family at a place later known as Sturdivant’s Point on the St. Lawrence River. He was one of the signatories to the address written in response to Robert Gourlay’s 1818 survey of the township.

William Sturdivant died Feb. 6,1842 at the age of 66 years; he was survived by his wife and twelve children.