Jacob Rawn was born 17 Aug 1767 to Johan Rheinuh and Maria Elisabeth(?) His god parents were Jacob Dinges and Michel Seitzer. Jacobs’ family were refugees who had fled the war ravaged lands of the Palatine in 1709. At that time, Queen Anne of Britain offered them refuge in England where thousands of Palatines camped in tents around the walls of London.

A North American Indian leader who was brought to London from the New World viewed these destitute people and offered them some of his hunting grounds to settle on. Ten ships sailed to the province of New York. Many died on the way, but the survivors were hardy folk and successfully  pioneered what is now upper New York state. It was not easy as they endured and fought alongside the British in the French & Indian Wars and later  for the American side in the American Revolutionary War in 1776.

Jabob Rawn married Anna Eva Miller, a child of one of the early Mohawk Palatine families, at the Protestant Reformed Church of the German Flatts 19 Jan 1790. The couple farmed in the town of Palatine, County of Montgomery and had nine children. In 1803, John Graves Simcoe and William Moll Berczy offered lands in Upper Canada to the hardy German settlers. Jacob and his family packed up their young family and crossed the frozen Niagara River on sleds. Jacob Rawn — Yeoman, late of the state of New York with grey eyes, dark hair, five foot nine inches took the oath of Allegiance on 8 Dec 1804 in York before William Willcocks JP.

Jacob Rawn and his family received Lot 25 Conc 4 in Markham Township from William Berczy. Jacob and his family took up the challenge and pioneered the area along with many other settlers working on building the infrastructure of the area — such as Young Street, Steeles Ave and other projects.

When the War of 1812 broke out,  Sergeant Jacob Rawn and two of his oldest sons — Jacob jr. and John were enrolled in the 1st Regiment York Militia. Many of the men in that regiment were fellow Palatine German relatives and Markham neighbours. Two nephews John and George Hilts were under his command.

There is some indication that the two Rawn boys were involved in the fighting in the Niagara region. A oral history tells of the Rawns who had they taken prisoner a young American named Peter Moon. He was a pacifist Dunkard (early Mennonite) caught selling horses to the American Army. The Rawn boys told him  of Markham and convinced him to immigrate after the war was over. He wound up marrying their sister Sussanah. (the Moons’ started one of the biggest maple sugar business in Upper Canada in Albion Peel).

Jacob Rawn was listed on the muster roll of a detachment of the 1st Regiment of Major Wilmot retreating with the Army to Hamilton Court House in April 1813.

Sergeant Jacob Rawn was also took part in the Battle of York when the American ships landed and burned and sacked York. He is listed along with Captain John Arnold, Captain John Wilson, Sergeant Christopher Hilts, and private Mark Schell.

In 1819 Jacob Rawn petitioned his Excellency Lieut. Governor Peregrine Maitland of the Province of Upper Canada for land in the newly opening lands in Albion Peel (Mono Mills) on behalf of himself and his sons for fighting in the War of 1812. Jacob Rawn and his sons received a favorable response in 1821. Jacob received Lot 35 Conc 1 Albion Township in Peel County.

The Rawn families pioneered their homesteads out of the hills of Mono Mills, again working on infrastructure such as Airport Road and working on building the Welland Canal. In 1828, Jacob sold a piece of his land in Markham to D’Arcy Boulton of the Boulton family.

The Rawn families went on to Pioneer Mount Forest, Stayner-Sunnidale , Owen Sound , Northern Ontario and both Western Canada and USA whenever  new lands opened up for settlement.

Jacob and his wife Anna Eva Miller were buried on the Rawn Farm along with a son in Mono Mills. Apparently, the graves were destroyed later. The present Glenn Haffey Conservation Area on Airport Road, Mono Mills, Ontario  is located around the old farm.

[Graveside Team ed — Cemetery GPS coordinates not accurate as no definitive location given.]