John Anthony Hennigar (1820 - 1914)

Pedigree: Me > Norma Haynes (mother) > Lillian Laffin (grandmother) > Rosella Hennigar (great grandmother) > John A. Hennigar (2nd great grandfather)

John Anthony Hennigar was born on 1 October 1820, the first child of George Hennigar and Ruth Anthony. He was christened at St. Paul's Anglican Church in nearby Rawdon on February 25, 1821. John is listed on the Hants County school returns as age 10 in November 1829, identified as the son of George Hennigar. In December 1829 he is listed as a member of the third class. He is listed as age 12 in 1833, studying penmanship and mental arithmetic, and is described as an "obedient attentive Scholar."

He married Letitia Densmore (born 31 March 1823 - daughter of Phillip Densmore and Jane McCartney) on January 18, 1851 at Noel Road, probably at the home of Letitia's parents.  On all of the censuses John is listed as being able to read and write, and a farmer as his primary occupation. But he was also a carpenter and built his home in Upper Kennetcook, standing on a hilltop, where his eight children (five girls and three boys) were born and grew up.  My great grandmother, Rose Ellen (Rosella) Hennigar, was born the fifth child and third daughter on 27 September 1859, and became the wife of Asa Laffin.

This is the house on the hill in Upper Kennetcook built by John Hennigar.

Recollections from my grandmother, Lillian Laffin:
Sometime during his older years, John was traveling home from the grocery store and a tree branch hit him in the eye and it became infected.  The infection spread to the other eye and he became blind. He was known as "Blind John."  He was cared for by his wife Letitia until she died in 1907 of pneumonia.  He then moved in with Asa and Rosella Laffin for a few years and then returned to live with his son Samuel Hennigar who also lived in Upper Kennetcook.  He died there in 1914 and is buried in the Upper Kennetcook Anglican Church cemetery along with his wife.

Comments:
It appears that John was a good student, developing his reading, writing and math skills. He married late at age 30. Eight children was not a large family in rural Nova Scotia at the time, especially for farmers, with the family members all contributing to the farm and household chores. Having the skills to build his own home, which has withstood the test of time, attests to his many talents.
Medical care in the area at the time was pretty basic and there were no antibiotic treatments available, so it was so tragic to go blind from that accident. But fortunately he was looked after, assisted and cared for by his wife and daughter and son until his death. This attests to the sacrifices and love of family caring for one another.