John and Anna Gilbert brought their family from Vermont to Upper Canada about 1795 settling first in Augusta and later in the rear of Lansdowne Township. Three of their sons were balloted for militia service during the War of 1812 in the 2nd Regiment Leeds Militia.
Thomas RaymondRoyal Navy
This application is sponsored by the Border Historical Society, Eastport, Maine
Thomas Raymond joined the Royal Navy on 17 August 1801 as a midshipman. He served on HMS Rattlesnake (sloop, 6th rate, 16 guns) until April 1810 when he briefly served on HMS Courageux (ship of the line, 3rd rate, 74 guns). In December 1810, he passed his Lieutenant’s examination. Through his training, he qualified as a (Sailing) Master which meant that he was responsible for the ship’s navigation. From 20 January 1812 to 23 March 1814, he served on HMS Comet (sloop, 6th rate, 18 guns). He then transferred to HMS Niobe (frigate, 5th rate, 38 guns) as the Master and served on her from September to October 1814. Niobe had been built as the French ship Diane and was captured by the British in 1800 off Malta. Raymond’s last ship was HMS Menai (sloop, 6th rate, 26 guns). He served on her as the Master from 15 October 1814 to 22 January 1817. While it is not known where he served, it would be reasonable to think that his first years of service were with the Channel Fleet that was blockading Napoleonic France. It appears that Niobe and Menai were employed in North American waters, most likely on convoy or anti-privateer duties.
Cleveland Stafford
2nd Regiment Leeds Militia
Born in Vermont in 1782 Cleveland Stafford brought his wife Sally and infant first son, Solomon to Upper Canada about 1805 eventually settling in Lansdowne Township, Leeds County.
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2nd Regiment Leeds Militia
William Sturdivant
1st Regiment Leeds Militia
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.
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1st Regiment Leeds Militia
Walter St. John102nd Regiment of Foot
This application is sponsored by the Border Historical Society, Eastport, Maine.
Walter St. John was commissioned as an Ensign in the 64th Regiment of Foot on 24 December 1804. The regiment was serving in Barbados. When the 64th was transferred to Surinam in mid-1805, St. John remained in Barbados and joined the 46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot that was part of the garrison there. He was promoted to Captain in 1806. The 46th participated in the capture of the French islands of Martinique in 1809 and Guadeloupe in 1810. St. John most likely participated in these attacks. The 46th returned to England in late 1811. Following garrison duty there, the 46th was ordered to Australia in August 1813. St. John again changed regiments and joined the 102nd Regiment of Foot in July 1813.
John GreenizanDeWattville’s Regiment
John Greenizan was born in the canton of Berne, Switzerland in 1780. As a young man he chose a military career serving as a mercenary in Napoleon’s army. After his capture by the British Greenizan joined DeWattville’s Regiment, a unit of Swiss mercenaries that fought for the British in Egypt and Spain.
Joel Stone
2nd Regiment Leeds Militia
Joel Stone was born in 1749 in Connecticut where he married and carried on a mercantile business until the beginning of the American Revolution when his support of the loyalist cause resulted in the confiscation of all his property.
Allen Sweet
2nd Regiment Leeds Militia
Allen Sweet was born in 1790 in Oswego, New York and came to Upper Canada about 1806 where his family settled in Leeds County. At the age of 22 he was a corporal in the Flank Company 2nd Regiment Leeds Militia commanded by Captain John Struthers and was called to duty at Gananoque in July 1812 where he served until the spring of 1813.
Archelaus Kenney Farnam
2nd Regiment Leeds Militia
Archelaus Kenny Farnam, born in 1779 in Dublin, New Hampshire, came to Upper Canada about 1797 with his parents and siblings eventually settling in Bastard Township, Leeds County.
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2nd Regiment Leeds Militia
Nathan Hicock
2nd Regiment Leeds Militia
A native of Connecticut, Nathan Hicock followed his cousin Truman Hicock to Leeds County, Upper Canada in 1800. Nathan Hicock was clerk of the Rear of Leeds and Lansdowne from 1803 to 1807. In 1806 he married the former Elizabeth Sexton with whom he had a family of eight children.