Descendants of John & Frances WILSON
First Generation 
1. John WILSON, son of Roger WILSON and Elizabeth (__?__), was christened on October 10, 1801 in Birdsall, Gomersal Morley, Yorkshire, England,1 died on January 22, 1849 in West Gwillimbury Twp, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada aged 47, and was buried in West Gwillimbury Twp, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada.
John WILSON's Christmas 1848
by W. Bruce Wilson 16 October, 1992
Christmas, 1848, saw the Wilson family gathered in their log shanty in West Gwillembury Township, Simcoe County. John was there with his wife Frances (born Frances Kneeshaw) whom he had married 20 March 1830, in Crambe, Yorkshire County, England, before emigrating to Canada. His children, all Canadian born, were also there: Alice, aged 14, Roger 13, John 10, Elizabeth 7, Mary Ann 4, Robert 2, and baby Sarah who was just two months old. In addition, there were a couple of friends who attended him for a very special reason this Christmas Day. John Wilson was dying and it was necessary that he make his will.
This is a copy of his will, probated in 1854 in the Prerogative Court of the County of Simcoe. Comparing John's signature and the writing, the will appears to have been dictated, likely to John Thorpe, a witness.
In the name of God, Amen.
I, John Wilson, of the Township of West Gwillembury, being ill in body but sound in mind and memory, do make this as my last and only will and testament ____ in which I divide my property in the following manner ___.
In the first place, I give unto my Son Roger one hundred acres of Land being the North half of lot No.13 in the fourteenth Con, Westgwillimbury, in consideration of his paying out of Said lot one hundred Dollars for his Sister Allice and his Sister Elisabeth to be paid in to annual payments after he is of age, and that he is to remain as heretofore with the family untill he is of age.
Secondly that I give unto my Son John fifty acres of lot No. Eleven South quarter out of which he is to pay his Sister Mary Anne fifty dollars in one year after he is of age ____ and that he is to remain on the farm and assist the family untill he is of age.
I give unto my Son Robert fifty Acres of lot No. Eleven being the North quarter of South half ____ out of which he is to pay unto his sister Sarah fifty dollars in one year after he is of age and that he is to remain with and assist the family untill he is of age and further that my wife Francis is to have her support out of the entire property During her Widowhood and further that when Roger is of age he is to have one third of the st9ck that will then be on the farm and further that when John is of age, he is to have one half of the stock that will be on the farm and further that when Robert is of age he is to have the stock remaining on the farm and further that the Executors will see that children be educated in a reasonable way.
I do further appoint and authorise Robert Sawyer and Robert Nishaw (sic) as my lawful Executors as may relate to the execution of this will and testament.
Whereunto I affix my hand and seal this 25th December, 1848, in the presence of John Thorpe (signed) Robert Sawyer (signed) John Wilson (signed)
John Wilson died a month later, 22 January 1849.
The 1861 census for West Gwillembury shows:
Roger (and his wife Annie) living with Frances, Robert and Sarah on 100 acres, con 14, lot 13, value $3500,
John (and his wife Eliza) living on 50 acres, con 13, lot 11, value $2000,
Alice (and her husband, John Garbett) living with Mary Ann on con 12, lot 11,
Elizabeth (and her husband, Amos Doan) living in a log shanty on Amos' father's farm, con 10, lot 12.
The witnesses were living on con 12, lot 14 (John Thorpe) and con 14, lot 17 (Robert Sawyer).
Of the other executor, Robert Nishaw, nothing could be found but it is noted that a Robert Kneeshaw lived on 200 acres, con 13, lot 13, the farm immediately south of Roger.
Events
• farmed: Lot 11 & 13, Con 14, 1848, West Gwillimbury Twp, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada.
John married Frances KNEESHAW, daughter of William KNEESHAW and Alice HORSLEY, on February 20, 1830 in Crambe, Bulmer, Yorkshire, England.1 Frances was born in February 1809 in Crambe, Bulmer, Yorkshire, England and died on October 15, 1894 in Greenock Twp, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada aged 85.
Children from this marriage were:
+ 2 F i. Alice WILSON was born on November 22, 1832 in West Gwillimbury Twp, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada and died on October 26, 1900 in West Gwillimbury Twp, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada aged 67.
+ 3 M ii. Rodger WILSON was born on November 24, 1834 in West Gwillimbury Twp, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada and died on November 20, 1880 aged 45.
+ 4 M iii. John WILSON was born on April 25, 1837 in West Gwillimbury Twp, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada,2 died on March 9, 1907 in Kincardine, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada aged 69, and was buried in Purdy's Cemetery Greenock Twp. Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada.
5 F iv. Elizabeth WILSON was born in 1839 in West Gwillimbury Twp, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada and died on December 4, 1875 in West Gwillimbury Twp, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada aged 36.
Elizabeth married Amos DOAN, son of John DOAN and Lucy HUNTLEY, on June 20, 1858 in , Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada. Amos was born in 1836 in West Gwillimbury Twp, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada,1 died on February 17, 1914 in Bellingham, Whatcom Co, Washington, USA1 aged 78, and was buried in Bellingham, Whatcom Co, Washington, USA.
Events
• farmed: Lot 12, Con 10, 1861, West Gwillimbury Twp, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada.
+ 6 F v. Mary Ann WILSON was born on October 15, 1842 in West Gwillimbury Twp, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada,3 died on July 12, 1922 in Greenock Twp, Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada aged 79, and was buried in Purdy's Cemetery Greenock Twp. Bruce Co, Ontario, Canada.
+ 7 M vi. Robert M. WILSON was born in 1845 in West Gwillimbury Twp, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada and died on September 11, 1928 aged 83.
8 F vii. Sarah WILSON was born in 1848 in West Gwillimbury Twp, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada, died on August 16, 1868 aged 20, and was buried in West Gwillimbury Twp, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada.
Sarah married Thomas KNEESHAW, son of John KNEESHAW and Sarah CURRY, on November 20, 1866 in Bradford, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada.4 Thomas was born on May 22, 1840 in Bradford, Simcoe Co, Ontario, Canada,5 died on October 11, 1921 in Parry Sound, , Ontario, Canada5 aged 81, and was buried in Parry Sound, , Ontario, Canada.
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