List of Settlers in Cramahe Tp, 1797 & 1799

Northumberland County

Records of the Bay of Quinte

Cramahe Township, now in Northumberland County, was settled early and the lists below were prepared as "returns" to measure the improvments that had been made. These men were granted land as "settlers" and not as Loyalists and likely all came from the States. As of 1794, a settler had only to occupy the lot and build a house to get a patent. Further conditions were added in 1798 requiring settlers to clear and fence 5 acres.

For these Cramahe settlers, Asa Danforth and Aaron Greeley were acting as "agents" for American speculators called 'nominees' who were to get a fee for each settler who got a patent. Greeley was an authorized deputy surveyor who settled near Carrying Place in 1795 and then got involved with Danforth. When the scheme came to nothing he returned to the States in 1806. See They Left Their Mark, Surveyors and Their Role in the Settlement of Ontario, John L Ladell, Dundurn, 1993, Chap. 7.

There are 4 separate sets of these lists and all are presented below. The Sept 1797 list has quite a few notes that were filed with the bundle and these notes are indexed by name, date and a comment.

Use these links to jump up and down this web page.

June 1797 list
Sept 1797 list

Index of Notes from the bundle above.

May 1799 list
June 1799 list - new Jan 2021

All four lists are found in the Upper Canada Land Petitions, LAC, RG 1 L3. Source notes with links to each film are provided below.

Names transcribed as written and can be a challenge to decifier. Let me know if you think names have been misread.
© Randy Saylor, Jan 2012, updated Jan 2021

1. List of Settlers in Cramahe by Danforth & Greeley agents for ?
Council Office, York
17 Jun 1797
The [list below] is a true list
Asa Danforth & Aaron Greeley
Entered in Land Book C page 82, 83
See subsequent List C227, No 3 [The above from image 677.]

[Source: UCLP, RG 1 L3, 1797, V91, bundle C3/228, C-1648, online at LAC, starts at image 673 with the list starting at image 674]

Names of Settlers	Lot	Con
Cramahe
Capt James Richardson	1	1st
John Spencer	2	Ditto
Capt Benjamin Richardson	4	Ditto
James Bottis	6	Ditto
Oliver Campbell	12	Ditto
William Campbell	13	Ditto
John Campbell	14	Ditto
David Turner Jnr [Turney - see note below]	22	Ditto
William Gates	24	Ditto
Barnabas McKeyes	26	Ditto
Aldredge Stanton	27	Ditto
Peres Cooper	29	Ditto
Aaron Wallice [Wallace]	30	Ditto
John Ogden	32	Ditto
John Ward	33	Ditto
Joseph Keeler	35	Ditto
John L Robberts [Roberts]	1	2nd
John Belcher	2	Ditto
Obidiah Simson [Simpson]	4	Ditto
Samuel Sherwood	24	Ditto
John Turner	5	Ditto
John Nix	23	Ditto
Palmer Crandall	29	Ditto
Reuben Crandall	28	Ditto
George Palmer	31	Ditto
Nathaniel Gaffield - see note below	32	Ditto
John McSherman	34	Ditto
Elisha Alger	33	3rd
Cyrus Richmond	4	4th
John Dowling	31	Ditto
John Simson	7	Ditto
James Dowling	22	Ditto
Walter Warden	23	Ditto
Sylvester Richmond	5	Ditto
Timothy Olcoth?	10	5th?
Willim Obryant	19	5th
William Brunson	20	Dittto
Enoch Wright	2	4th
Stephen Campbell	16	1st
David Turner [Turney]	23	Ditto
Jeremiah Scripture	9	Ditto

Two notes form the above bundle

Elisha Alger	13 Sept 1807	Lot 33, Con 3	Privleged for lot of Cramahe as UE [image 673]
Reuben Crandall	20 Apr 1805	Lot 28, Con 2	Benjamin Ewing paid fee on the grant [image 676]

2. List of Settlers in Cramahe 1st Sept 1797

[Source: UCLP, LAC, RG 1 L3, 1797, V91, bundle C3/227, C-1648, online at LAC, starts at image 638]

Town of Cramahe	Lots	Concessions
Eldridge Stanton	27	1
Timothy Olcott	1	2
John Turner	7	2
David Turner [Turney as informed by descendant Mark Turney]	23	1
David Turner Jnr [Turney]	22	1
Nathaniel Gaffield	32	2
George Palmer	31	2
Palmer Crandall	29	2
Reuben Crandall	28	2
Henry Frint	26	2
Amos Beach	25	2
John Nix	23	2
Martin Frint	21	2
Barnabas McKeys	26	1
John Ward	33	1
Aaron Wallace	30	1
Simon Winn	16	5
Abraham Winn	17	5
Joseph Winn	18	5
John Sichler	19?	5
William Clark?	20	5
John Heaviland [Haviland]	18	6
William Brunson	20	1
John Frint	22	2
Elisha Alger	33	3
Lanson Bostwick	10	1
Aaron Ives	19	2
John Ogden	32	1
Cryus Richmond	4	4
Jeremiah Scripture	6	1
William Obryon	19	1?
James Richardson	1	5
Surfernus? Dygert	3	1
Benjamin Richardson	4	5
James Bothis	7	1
Oliver Campbell	12	1
William Campbell	13	5
Stephen Campbell	16	1
John Campbell	14	1
Isaiah Hall	29	5
~~Peris Cooper~~	24	1
Joseph Keeler?	35 & 35	1 & 2

[page 2]
John Belcher	2	2
Obediah Simson	4	2
John McThirnan	34	2
John Dowling	31	4
John Simson	7	4
Walter Warden	23	4
Sylvester Richmond	5	4
Enoch Weight	2	4
Garbrum Spring	10	4
Jason Yearns	8	4
John Burtley	8	2
Elisha Bristol	17	5
Joel Merriman	24	1
54 [total]
[signed]
Asa Danforth
Aaron Greeley

List of Settlers in Cramahe
Signed and ?? 1st Sept 1797
Peter Russell
See a former list 17th June 1797 C228, No 3

2a. Notes from the bundle above.
These notes are lengthy and go from image 640 up to 672.

Timothy Alcott	14 June 1802	5 acres of land cleared and fenced and comfortable house on Lot 10 Con 24 Isiah Hall JP
Joel Merriman	12 June 1802	5 acres of land cleared and fenced and comfortable house on Lot 1 Con 24 Isiah Hall JP
Peres Cooper	12 June 1802	5 acres of land cleared and fenced and built a good log house and has a family and is settled and that the lot was vacant the person who took it up went to the States soon after and has not since been herad of on Lot 1 Con 2 A Chisholm JP
Anson Ives?	25 May 1801	5 acres of land cleared built a house and has a family and is settled on lot 19 Con 2 Chisholm JP
Henry Frint	27 March 1809	Has paid Patent fees for himself and for his father John Frint
Palmer Crandell	23 March 1813	Elisha Renson? Agent paid fees
John Ogden	10 March 1809	Caleb Elsworth agent paid fees
David McGregor Rogers Esq	7 March 1808	paid fees
David Turney Jr see image 665 to 668	undated	certify 20 acres cleared lot 23 Con 1 with family and living on lot. Alex Hagerman
Joseph Winn	1 Sep 1797	Joseph Winn, of Ameliasburgh, yeoman, lot 18, Con 5 as a settler. Fee and survey paid.
Peter Wyatt	2 Oct 1800	Joseph J Lency & Jeremiah Scripture swear that Peter Wyatt has built a house on lot 6, Con 1, Haldimand 18 by 20 and has cleared 5 acres
Stepehen Bowerman	2 Oct 1800	John Dowling swears that Stephen Bowerman has house 18 feet square and cleared 6 acres on lot 7, con 1 Haldimand
John Dowling	2 Oct 1800	Jeremiah Scripture swears that John Dowling has a house 16 by 18 on lot 31, con 4 Cramahe
Mathew Morris	2 Oct 1800	John Dowling swears that Mathew Morris has house 18 feet square and has cleared 5 acres lot 13, Con 2, haldimand
John Nix	27 June 1807	Cleared and fenced lot 23, con 2 Cramahe
John Nix	10 Nov 1807	David M Rogers paid the patent fees to John Nix located in Cramahe
John Ward	7 Apr 1811	paid fees, lot 33, con 1
John Ward and Alemnun Stephens	13 Apr 1811	Before Damian Cameron Esq, make oath that John Ward and Almenun Stephens, Cramahe, yeomen, lot 33, con 1 40 acres cleared and house built 30 by 18 and half the road front cleared and fit for carriages
Jeremiah Scripture and John Dowling	22 Feb 1808	paid fees, lot 6, con 1 as a settler

3. A list of the Settlers in the Township of Cramahe 13 May 1799
Stating the Improvments, each one has made as well as their Place of residence.

[See also a second similar list with some differences starting at image 207.]

[Source: UCLP, RG 1 L3, 1799, V92, bundle C4/145, C-1649, online at LAC, starts at image 203]

James Richardson	No 1 in front about 1/2 acre partly, residing at Kingston
Benjamin Richardson	No 4 in front, about 6 acres cleared - he has also cleared about 15 acres on lot No 5 and erected five small log houses
Jeremiah Scripture	No 6 in front about 8 acres cleared
Jeremiah Beatys	No 7 in front about 7 acres cleared
Oliver Campbell	No 12 in front about 20 acres cleared
John Campbell	No 13 in front about 2 acres cleared
William Campbell	No 14 in front about 4 acres cleared
Stehen Campbell	No 16 in front about 1 acres cleared
Zediah Hurd	No 19 in front about 6 acres cleared
William Brunson	No 20 in front about 3 acres cleared
David Turner Jr [Turney]	No 22, single man settled & improvedAbout 18 acres cleared part on both lots
David Turner Sr [Turney]	No 23 Family settled and improved
Alexr McDonell	No 26 in front about 6 acres cleared
Eldridge Stanton	No 27 in front about 15 acres cleared
Isiah Hall	No 29 in front about 50 acres cleared - he has also partly cleared about 10 acres on lot No 28 in front
Aaron Wallace	No 30 in front about 8 acres cleared

[Second page]
John Ogden	No 32 in front about 16 acres cleared
John Ward	No 3 in front about 12 acres cleared; Sold to Beeman, and has settled and cleared about 12 acres more in rear of lot D^o near the 1st concession line
Richard Ogden	No 31 in 1" Concession about 1 acres cleared
Timothy Oldcott	No 1 in 2nd Concession about 1 acre partly clear; he is said to have died in the States, the lot claimed by John Dowling & Gudger
John Belcher	No 2 in 2nd Con - about 6 acres partly clear living at the Bay of Quinty
Obidiah Simson	No 4 in 2nd Con - about 16 acres clear
John Turner	No 7 in 2nd Con - about 1 acre partly clear; said he has left the Country and resides in the States
Martin Frint	No 21 in 2nd Con - about 2 acres partly clear living at the Bay of Quinty
John Nix	No 23 in 2nd Con - about 5 acres clear
Amos Beach	No 25 in 2nd Con - about 6 acres clear
Henry Frint	No 26 in 2nd Con - about 7 acres clear
Ruben Crandle	No 28 in 2nd Con - about 10 acres clear
Palmer Crandle	No 29 in 2nd Con - about 10 acres clear
George Palmer	No 31 in 2nd Con - about 10 acres clear
Nathaniel Gaffield	No 32 in 2nd Con - about 15 acres clear
Elias Alger	No 32 in 3rd Con - about 6 acres partly clear
Cyrus Richmond	No 4 in 4th Con l- triffling cleared
Silvester Richmond	No 5 in 4th Con - a very triffling clearing, living at the Bay of Quinte
William Carle	No 4 in 8th Con - about 10 acres clear
Daniel Mastin	No 5 in 8th Con - about 3 acres clear
Paul VanWychule	No 10 in 8th Con - about 2 acres clear
John Kerr	No 11 in 8th Con - about 1 acres clear
Joel Merriman	residing in the States; said to clear lot 24 in front; but has not made any improvements thereon but said that the half of the Improvements returned to Mrs Hall No 28 & 29 in front belong to him

A Jones D. A. S.
13 May 1799

4. List of Settlers in Cramahe June 1799
A Statement of the Settlement of the Township of Cramahe at this time made by the persons who were returned as actual settlers by Asa Danforth and Aaron Greeley in August 1797 at Niagara. [This later "Statement" by Greeley is dated 18 June 1799 at the bottom.]

[Source: UCLP, RG 1 L3, 1799, V92, bundle C4/145, C-1649, online at LAC, starts at image 207]

Concession & No of Lot	Names of Settlers	Remarks on the improvements and settlers shewing their Situation
Concession 1
1	Capt James Richardson	but a small improvement living in Kingston and since the above return has drawn the lot for his services
2	Saffrenus Digart	Not in the Country and made no improvement but is preparing to move on with his family immediately & settle
4	Benjamin Richardson	Settled a family & large improvement
6	Jeremiah Scripture	a singleman living in the Township and made considerable improvements
7	Jeremiah Bettys	Settled a family and considerable improvements
9	John Spencer	No improvements settled in the Township of Hallowell Midland District and one of the nominees of Haldimand
10	Lanson? Bostwick	No improvements & and not in the Country
12, 14, 13, 16	Oliver Campbell. William Campbell, John Campbell, Stephen Campbell	at the time of the above return drew these lots as UE Loyalists and they have since moved into the Township and made considerable improvement on Lots 12 & 13. Report to Mr Rogers
17	Elisha Bristol?	No improvement but has resided in the Township since the above return and is preparing to improve the lot as a single man
19	William Obrien	Not in Country but the lot settled and improved by a man with a family from the States last year by the name of Hurd
20	William Brunson	A single man settled and improved and has resided in the Country since the above return
22	David Turner Jr [Turney]	A single man settled and improved and has resided in the Township since the above return
23	David Turner Sr [Turney]	A family settled and improved considerably
24	Joel Merriman	No improvement a family in Partnership with with Huriah Hall who has made a large improvement on 29 in front and is now at the Onadagya Salt Springs manufacturing salt to bring to this Country
26	Barnabas McKeys	the lot in Dispute with Alexander Mcdonell who is now settled on the lot and Mckeys residing elsewhere in the Township with his family
27	Aldridge Staunton	A family settled & large improvement
29	Isaiah Hall [Hull?]	A family settled & large improvement in partnership with Joel merriman
30	Aaron Wallace	A family settled & considerable improvement
32	John Ogden	A family settled & considerable improvement
33	John Ward	A family settled & considerable improvement
35	Joseph Keeler	One of the nominees of the Township

Concession 2
1	Timothy Olcott	Dead and his wife since come in John Dowling a trfling improvement
2	John Belcher	No improvement a single man settled in Adolphustown Midland District
4	Obadiah Simpson	A family settled & considerable improvement
7	John Turner	No improvement & left the Country
8	John Bartley	No improvement not known where he is
19	Aaron Ives	No improvement a single man and has resided in the Township since the above return
21	Martin Frint	A family settled & improved
23	John Nix	A singleman settled and improved
25	Amos Beech	A family settled and improved
26	Henry Frint	A family settled and improved
28	Reuben Crandell	A family settled and improved
29	Palmer Crandell	A family settled and improved
31	George Palmer	A family settled and improved
32	Nathaniel Gaffield	A family settled and improved
34	John McKinnon	Dead settled by Thomas Everton with his family who obtained a warrant for lands in Novemeber 1797

Concession 3
3	Elisha Algar	Referd to Mr Rogers

Concession 4
2	Enoch Weight?	Not in the Country not improved
4	Cyrus Richmond	No improvement a single man settled in Fredericksburg Midland District
5	Sylvester Richmond	No improvement a family and settled in Fredericksburg Midland District
7	John Simpson	No improvement not of age but resides in the Township
8	Jason Oyearns?	No improvement not known where he is
10	Gabrun Sprung	No improvement not known where he is
23	Walter Warden	No improvement & not in the Country
31	John Dowling	No improvement now gone for his family and will settle immediately

Concession 5
16	Simeon Winn	Referd to Mr Rogers
17	Abraham Winn	Referd to Mr Rogers
18	Joseph Winn	Referd to Mr Rogers
19	John Sickler??	[no note]
20	William Clark	Dead No improvement and no heir in this Country

Concession 6
18	John Haviland	The deed issued to him

	York June 18 1799
	Aaron Greeley

NATHANIEL GAFFIELD UE - the Loyalist With Two Names and An Early Resident of Cramahe Tp.
Nathaniel Gaffield was born about 1755 and captured in 1756 by Indians during the Seven Years' War. He was found in the latter part of the War and was given the name 'Amherst Ferrol' as his actual name was not known by then. The 'Amherst' first name was after British Commander Amherst. It was with this name he served during the American Revolution, initially in the Rebel Albany County Militia, but switching sides to close the war in (Jessup's) Loyal Rangers. After the War he returned to the US and somehow managed to reunite with his family and reclaim his original name. He returned to Canada, settling finally in Cramahe Tp.

For a more detailed account see descendant Roger W. Reid's article in Fidelity Vol 18 No. 1 (Sep/Oct 1995), newsletter of Toronto Branch UELAC. Thanks to Peter W. Johnson UE for this additional information.

DAVID TURNEY Sr and JR
The names David Turner and David Turner Jr of lots 22 and 23, Con 1 are in all three lists. Mark Turney, a descendant informs that it should be Turney. This is supported by a single record in the Sept 1797 set of notes on image 665. Turney is clearly written but Turner follows on the remaining images of the note. Mark writes, "The name Turney is also listed on the 1878 Northumberland county atlas on the corresponding lots and concessions. Many of us still live in the area."

Turney it is. The clerks wrote Turner in the lists and they were probably copying field notes of some sort.