Joseph Hanes (Abt 1740 - 1820)

Pedigree: Me > Norma Haynes > Thomas N. Haynes > Robert Hanes > John Hanes > Joseph Hanes (my 3rd great grandfather)

The first Hanes to settle in the Kennetcook area of Douglas, Hants County, Nova Scotia was Joseph Hanes. He was allegedly from England and was born around 1740. He first appears in the 1791 tax assessment records as a farmer at Windsor, NS. He was probably a tenant on one of the land grants made to Halifax residents or military officials. He was appointed the pound-keeper for Douglas Township in 1800. A document dated March 21, 1810 includes a warrant in favor of Joseph Haines for 500 acres in Hants County for himself and his family. An additional land grant in 1814 of 900 acres was recorded in the District of Colchester, Halifax County for Joseph Haines (500 acres), John (son, farmer of Douglas - 200 acres) and William (son, farmer of Douglas - 200 acres).

Joseph Hanes married Jane ______ and had 5 children: 1) An unnamed child (mentioned in will), William, John (my 2nd great grandfather), Joseph, and Robert. His will was dated March 29, 1818.

In the name of God Amen, this 29th day of March 1818, I, Joseph Hanes, of Douglas in the County of Hants and Province of Nova Scotia, yeoman., being sick in body but of good and perfect memory, thanks be to Almighty God to make constitute ordain and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following...
First I give and commit my soul to Almighty God, who gave it and my body to be buried in a decent Christian like manner near to my child at William Smith, Esq. burying place by my executors hereafter to be named...
I give and bequeath to my well-beloved  wife, Jane Hanes one third part of any land during her natural life and at her decease to be the property of my two sons, Joseph and Robert.  All my household furniture except two beds and bedding, which I give to my sons Joseph and Robert - also one cow and three ewe sheep and the use of a good gentle mare when she wants to ride. She my said wife to be kept and taken care of by my two sons, Joseph and Robert, while she lives the articles bequested to my wife to be at her own disposal, whenever she pleases.
I give and bequeath to my son William Hanes, a small young horse worth about 10 pounds.
I give and bequeath to my son John Hanes, one mare and ten sheep.
I give and bequeath to my sons Joseph Hanes and Robert Hanes all my land with 150 acres of 200 acres that I have got of my son William. Also two horses and 20 sheep and two beds and bedding, these my two sons Joseph and Robert to take care of and provide for my wife their mother so long as she lives and to bury her decently at her decease.
I give and bequeath to my granddaughter, Sarah Jane Hanes, daughter to my son John 50 acres of land of the 200 acres I got of my son William and if she dies before she comes to age the said 50 acres to revert to my son John Hanes.
I will and desire that my farming utensils of every kind plows, harrows carts, sleds etc. etc. be left on the farm I now live on, so long as any of my son does occupy it and if any of the said articles remains when my children leave this farm the said articles to be equally divided between my sons, John, Joseph and Robert. And I do constitute and appoint and ordain my trusty and well beloved sons Joseph Hanes and Robert Hanes and my neighbor William Smith, Esq. to be sole executors to this my last will and testament...
N.B. My sleigh and harness I give to my wife.
N.B. The mare called the kicking mare to be sold and what ever she sells for to be equally divided between my wife and children.
Signed Joseph Hanes, his mark.

Joseph Hanes died on January 8, 1820 in Douglas Township. His estate was proved at Windsor, N.S. with an inventory dated Jan 29, 1820. The executors of his estate were William Smith (a neighbor), and sons Robert and Joseph Hanes. He was presumably buried in the William Smith Esq. Burying Ground, as requested in his will. His wife, Jane, died at age 88 on January 16, 1845 in Hants County.

Inventory: Total value 238 pounds, 15 shillings, 3 pence. Major items included 1 pair fat oxen, 1 horse six years old, 1 mare 14 years old, 1 lame mare six years old, 1 mare 4 years old, 1 colt 2 years old, 26 sheep, 16 hogs, 1 mare 4 years old, 1 ox cart, 1 horse cart, 1 plow, 1 sleigh and harness, 13 bushels of oats, 1 horse sled, 3 axes, 35 bushels of potatoes, 15 pounds flax, 29 yards cloth, 4 beds and bedding, 2 tables, 8 chairs, 1 looking glass, etc.

Source: Some information from: "Rawdon and Douglas - Two Loyalist Townships in Nova Scotia" by John Victor Duncanson, 1989.

Mary Louise BRIGHAM (1839-1910)

Pedigree relationship: Me > William R. Compton II > William R. Compton > Mary Louise Brigham Compton (wife of Norris Compton) - my great grandmother.

Mary Louise Brigham was born in Cherry Valley, Otsego, NY on November 11, 1839. She was the daughter of Phineas Brigham and Eliza Johnson.
In the early 1850's the family moved to Elmira, Chemung, NY where Mary finished school. An interesting note in the  Elmira Sunday Telegram from an 1889 article read in part:"It was among the very last days of the old Baldwin street Elmira academy that [Norris Compton] secured his education, and there he met his fate in one who became his wife.... The pupils and teachers of those days are widely scattered now, but wherever any of them are, you may be sure they will remember, certainly, the brightest and prettiest girl of her day, Mary Brigham, blond-haired, blue-eyed, rosy cheeked, Mary Brigham.

She married Norris Matthew Compton on March 6, 1856 in Elmira and the couple had 5 children: Ida Louise (born 1857), William Randall (born 1860), Johnson Brigham (born 1863), Edith Mary (born 1875) and Lena May (born 1879).

Mary Louise Brigham Compton

Some interesting comments about Mary were made by her grandson, John Compton Leffler - son of Lena, for which I am so grateful as it describes her personality and character: "Mary Brigham Compton, wife of Norris, was my grandmother.  Charming, hospitable, a good cook - she nevertheless, presided over her household with real strength. She bore two sons and three daughters.  Aunt Ida was the eldest, the image of her mother, a farmer's wife in northern Illinois, raising five children, working hard in the kitchen, growing her own vegetables, making her own soap, milking two cows, and, with her daughters, feeding 25 thrashers at harvest time.  Number 2 child was Johnson Brigham Compton, who died of TB at 21.  I never saw him.  No. 3 was William R. Compton - prosperous, unhappy in his first marriage, but a generous son and brother.  He was particularly fond of his baby sister, Lena, my mother.  The silver set, marked "C", was his wedding present at my parents marriage in 1898.  There were 16 years between him and my Aunt Edith, who was No. 4.  Not wanting to raise her alone, mother Lena was born two years later.  Grandpa Norris called these two his "buckwheat" crop, because they came later!
Grandma [Mary] Compton did not live too far from us - a few hours by train on the Erie Railroad - and the regular summer visits continued all my childhood. Usually the other aunts and cousins came while we were there.  How grandma took care of us I don't know - but it did make us a close-knit family.
Grandma Compton presided over that bulging household and was definitely the queen.  Her word was law, and we knew it instinctively.  Yet, she had compassion and a real sense of humor.  I remember the time when two of my cousins and I swiped one of Uncle Will's [William Compton, Sr] big, black cigars, and went behind the barn and smoked it - and became very ill.  Grandma was in the kitchen.  She stuck our heads over a washtub, mopped our sweating faces, laughing quietly as she did so.  Then she interceded with our parents, who were about to administer corporal punishment, saying: "I think they've learned their lesson." We had.  I can't smoke a cigar to this day!  But I suspect she also said a word to old "Nor" (as she called him) and son Will about being bad examples.

Her obituary in the Elmira Star Gazette followed her death on May 8, 1910 (2 months after the death of her mother-in-law, Amy Norris Compton):

John Compton Leffler described his impressions of the death and funeral:

"My first experience with death was at Grandma's going.  Mother [Lena] was needed, so she took us out of school and we went to Horseheads.  Aunt Edith was there too, but she did nothing but cry.  I remember the closed door to Grandma's room, the occasional muffled cry of one dying of cancer, the doctor coming and going, and Grandfather chain-smoking cigars as he paced the front porch.  Aunt Helen [Tubbs], Uncle Will's wife, took us kids part of the time across the street to her big house.  But in that hushed house, it was then I learned that men and children had to leave the crisis of life and death to the women.

The funeral, again, a new experience, was a good old-fashioned Methodist funeral.  Grandma lay in her casket in the front parlor - opened only for such occasions of joy or sadness.  Her face was calm and beautiful, silhouetted against the coffin lid.  Old hymns were sung  - Abide with Me, Rock of Ages,  Nearer My God to Thee - we all sang them together.  The preacher talked too long, and quoted too much weepy poetry.  But at last it was over and we got into carriages for the 8 mile drive out to Sullivanville Cemetery.  It was near my birthday.  Lilacs were in bloom. The road was dusty.  The day was warm.  But somehow, there amid the lush green grass of early summer in that old country cemetery seemed to me to be a good place to rest after a hard life."

Thomas Laffin

Pedigree: Me > Norma Haynes > Lillian Laffin > Asa Laffin > Thomas Laffin > John Laffin > Thomas Laffin (my 4th great grandfather)

The earliest ancestor of the Hants County, Nova Scotia Laffin line was Thomas Laffin. It is alleged that Thomas Laffin was originally from Ireland. The first known record of him is recorded in the Craig Index of the 2nd Battalion of the 84th Regiment as Private Thomas Laffin in the 2nd Company. The muster roll for Dec. 1782 - Oct 1783 given in Logan shows that he was at the Command of Spanish River (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia).

At the conclusion of the Revolutionary War in 1783, land grants were given to the 84th Regiment British Loyalists in Hants County, Nova Scotia, which became Douglas township.

" The Commissioners Report of 1800 lists 700 acres ( Lot 7C ) on the Kennetcook River as the property of Thomas Laffin. This land was obtained by a grant of the regimental lands of the 84th Regiment and by purchase from other grantees. The land had been occupied since 1786 and included a house, 15 acres of land. There was also some stock. "

However, because of improper recording and loss of records, the land grants were escheated (transferred) back to the British government. This resulted, in time, with a successful petition to have proper title to these lands returned as transcribed below (with original spellings) in 1815:

 "Douglass 1 Jany 1815

"To the Honorable Speaker & the Honourable House of Assembly----
"Gentlemen,
    "The Pettition of your Subscribers Most respectfully Sheweth-------
That Whereas in the year of our Lord 1783, on the Proclamation of Peace between Great Britain and the United States of AMERICA, his Majestys late 84th regiment was discharged with a Promise of a certain proportion of Lands to Officers Non commisd officers & privates, free of any charges from his Majestys Government as a compensation for their Servises during the late contest with america, to such as would actually Settle and become Inhabitants: In consequence of which Colo. Small the commandant of sd. regt. Settled in the wilderness where they encountered many difiquelties Namely up cannetcook, five mile & Nine Mile Rivers, now called the Township of Douglass and because the Major part of sd. regit. did abscond and abandon their Lands, and a number of other persons (trying to avail themselves of the same Priviledge the Soldiers had promised) Settled in among us who were actually Soldiers, and on acct. of Colo. Smalls Grant not being fully Complied with according to Government wish, it became Escheated with that reserve, that those disbanded Soldiers whom had actually Settled Should be established in their former Promise, and the same lands, altho long ago Settled, is still Lying under the same escheet, & neither of your Petitioners, having any title to our farmes. We therefore pray the Lajislative body will represent our Situation to his Majestys Council & to the Gover[n]our, expressing our wish to obtain a Genel. Grant to the undersigned who were actually Soldiers as it was originally intended of their then Promised Locations for themselves & families, Previous to our new applications Sincere whereof a return will be laid before you with the names of the occupiors of the above description at present residing in the above Township, and your Petitioners will every pray--"
[The document is signed by 40 individual Loyalists...] including Thomas Laffin.


Information about the family of Thomas Laffin is lacking,and his date and place of death are unknown with no known headstone. A son, John Laffin, was born about 1797 and married Olive Anthony (the first child of John Anthony and Jane Densmore). John and Olive had 12 children, the first born being Thomas Laffin, father of Asa Laffin.

Deacon Cornelius Van Sickle (1740 - 1820)

My Relationship:  Me > William R. Compton II > William R Compton > Norris Compton > Peter Compton > Stephen Compton (wife Anna Van Sickle) > Cornelius Van Sickle (my 4th great grandfather)

Cornelius Van Sickle, the first child of Andrew Van Sickle  and Mary Landen, was born in Hunterdon County, in the State of New Jersey about the year 1741. He married (about 1768) his second cousin, Miss Anne Van Sickle, by whom he had eight children--all daughters.

Cornelius is said to have walked (before 1781) from Hunterdon to Sussex County with a willow cane which he cut in two and planted on the homestead in Wantage Township, (near what was called the "Van Sickle School House" in 1880) from which grew two large trees. He was very supple, as well as athletic, and many traditions exist in regard to his wonderful feats of strength and agility.

Many years prior to its legal formation, ministers from the Minisink Dutch Reformed Church held worship services in the Clove Valley. Traditionally, services were held in Helmet Titsworth’s barn or in private homes until a log chapel could be built. One church historian recorded a romantic anecdote that according to tradition that during summer months the congregation’s first pastor, the Rev. Elias Van Bunschooten, would ride down the countryside several miles below the Clove to a certain great spreading pine tree and there standing in its ample crotch would preach to gatherings on the hillside on Sunday afternoons.

Cornelius signed a petition for a new church, along with Garret Van Sickle, John Van Sickle, David Compton (father of Stephen Compton who was the subject of a previous post on this blog), Jacob Compton, and 50 others on 21 August 1787. It read as follows:

"To the Reverend Classis of New Brunswick:
   "Gentlemen - We, inhabitants of the Clove and its vicinity, Beg Leaf to present ourselves in the following manner: Our ancestors a few in number who formerly belonged to the Dutch Reformed Church settled Our County about forty years since under part of which time the Reverend Mr. Thomas Romin By permission of his Church Council and people of the Minissink preached some of his time amongst us. By his leaving them we Became again Destitute till the Reverend Mr. Bunscooting was installed in Minissink Congregations, who labored some time amongst us, whose labors to appearans has Been attended with the Blessings of God, So as we have upwards of thirty communicant members Amongst us. We the under Mentioned being Ardently Desirous of the propagation of the Gospel and of being settled under the Constitution of the Low Dutch Reformed Church, Beg permission that you would be pleased to Grant and Appoint the Reverend Mr. Elias Bunschooting or any parson or parsons you may think proper to assist us in appointing and establishing us proper Church officers in order to Rule and Represent us for the future, and Grant us such supplies in our Destitute state as you in your wisdom shall think Meet and Necessary. May the Blessing of Almighty God attend your Councills and we your petitioners are in Duty Bound to Pray."

The petition was approved and a log church was erected in 1787 at a site about 150 feet  south of the present day Clove Church. The Reverend Elias Van Bunschooten, having received the calling, then became the first pastor of this Church. The Church was organized with 50 members - 25 males and the same number of females. The Church grew and flourished until the death of Rev, Van Bunschooten in 1815. Another pastor could not be found and in 1818 the Clove Church became the First Presbyterian Church of Wantage. In 1829, the old log meeting house was torn down and a new church was erected at the present site.

Cornelius was elected Deacon of the Clove Dutch Reformed Church in 1801, and was distinguished for his piety.

He died in Sussex County, New Jersey, about the year 1820. His daughters, Anna Van Sickle, (wife of Stephen Compton), and Rachel Van Sickle removed to Western New York, and Elizabeth Van Sickle to Pennsylvania.

From "A history of the Van Sickle family in the United States of America"...pp.100-101