John William EMPEY / Catherine SHEETS

INDEX

[1140] IDENTITY: John W. Empie, son of William Empie and Maria Margaret Laux, was the great-great-great
grandfather of E. Keith Fitzgerald (EKF), who compiled most of the early records of the Empey Family.
BIRTH: Stone Arabia, Palatine, Montgomery Co., NY.
Since his brother William's UC land petition states that his brother, John, if living, would be about 90 in 1850,
thus he was born about 1760, a reasonable date from the point of view of his marriage and date of birth of his first
child. However, his father's will lists him as the eldest son, so he had to have been born before John Dieterich (b.
1755), thus perhaps about 1754.
OCCUPATION: He was a farmer and blacksmith in Osnabruck, Stormont Co., Ontario Canada.
When he came to Upper Canada he worked for the Indian Department (Canada) until 1796.
MILITARY: (Edward Kipp) "He was a Sergeant in the KRRNY, Battalion 1, Grenadier Co., and enlisted on
August 15, 1777. He was in Captain Angus Mc Donnell's company in 1777. He was a Corporal and then Sergeant
of Grenadiers, 1781-83. He had property confiscated in the Palatine and Stone Arabia districts of Tryon Co.
(Montgomery Co., NY), as per judgement signed 14 July 1783."
In 1784 he had drawn lots for land in Royal Township #2, Cornwall.
A new claim made to Montreal, 26 Feb 1788, reads: "Evidence on the Claim of John Empy, late of Tryon Co.,
NY Province: Claimt sworn: Says he was a soldier in Sir John Johnsons, 1st Batal, in quarters at St. Martins and
gave his Claim to Capt. Angus Mc Donell."
He is a native of America. In 1775 he lived in Snyders Bush. He joined the Army at Fort Stanwix in 1777 and
came to Canada and has been in the British Lines ever since. He served all the War. Produces his discharge.
Resides now at New Johnson.
Says he lived on his father's land in Snyders Bush. He claims stock, 2 breeding Mares, 2 Cows & Heifer, 6
Sheep, 3 Hogs, Indian Corn, a House and Stable, Shoe Makers Tools....
Witness: Silvanus Casamur sworn: Remembers claimant had 2 Mares, 2 Cows & some Hogs on his father's
Lands. He had built a house on these lands. He worked as a Shoe Maker.
Note: Is Silvanus "Casumur" a Casselman and related in some manner to the husband of John's Aunt, Anna
Margaret (Empey) Casselman?;
EMPLOYMENT: He worked for the Indian Department (Canada) until 1796, when he came to Upper Canada.
"In another Haldimand Papers List, dated 17 Sep 1784, is another record: 1KRRNY, John Empey, one man, one
woman, one male under 10 years of age, drawing 2 1/2 rations per day, employed as Black Smithy in the Indian
Department." (EKF)
LAND: Per EKF: "On Patrick Mc Niff's map of 1 Nov 1786, "Serjt, I (J) Impey (Empey) is allocated Lot 26W in
both the First and Second Concessions of the Third Township (Osnabruck) for 400 acres."
MARRIAGE: John William's marriage was confirmed by #4 & #5; # 4 refers to "Upper Canada Land Petitions; # 5
refers to "Various Church Records in Stormont and Dundas Co., Canada."
BIOGRAPHICAL: Edith Van Heusen, "Empey Family", p. 6 writes: SIMMS vol 2:557 says a "John, William and
Philip Empie were among the first settlers of Fairfield, Herkimer Co., NY; John add Philip were Tories." This
would account for the birth and death records of his father, William Empie, the marriage of John, and several other
family records appearing in the records of the Reformed Dutch Church of German Flatts. Did father William begin
life in Stone Arabia, then move to Fairfield/German Flatts about the time his children were grown?;
DEATH: Died as a result of "having been killed by his horse leaping over a bridge." (DKM) (EKF)
EKF cites his death date as "23 Feb 1816/15 October 1817", when the source listed as Upper Canada Land
Petitions."
- From "The Descendants of Johan Ernst Emichen : Volume II - The Loyalist Canadian Empey Family" - http://www.magma.ca/~ekipp/

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