Family of Gates^7 Van Wicklin
Gates^7 Van Wicklin (John^6, Jan^5, Paul^4, Garret^3, Gerrit^2, Jentie^1 Jeppes), b.
1823, Cramahe, Ontario
Note: Gates was born in Cramahe Township, yet his 400 acres of farmland (abt. 1880), just a few miles east of his grandfather's
(Garret) farm land leased in 1801, is in Brighton Township. It is important to note that Brighton Township was formed from
parts of Cramahe and Murray townships in 1851. See historical information on Brighton township and village.
Married:
1. Had two sons by, but didn't marry Mary Ann Davis (b. 1849; d. 1929 Webster, NY)
**Click Mary Ann Davis for more information on
her life after her relationship with Gates Van Wicklin ended.**
2. Apparently married Rebecca ______ (b. abt. 1828) before 1881. No children by this marriage. (Also possible that this Rebecca in the household of Gates is his sister, b. 1831)
3. Amy L. Van Wicklin, b. 3 July 1856, ONT., CAN (appears from the 1901 census to be listed as a wife of Gates and possibly the mother of Sherman and Edward's half brothers, George and Claton.
**(Based on May 2006 email correspondence with
Jack Montgomery, it would appear that "Amy L. Van Wicklin" is Emma [Montgomery]
Van Wicklin, the first wife of Sherman Van Wicklin. George and Claton are two of
Emma's sons by her prior marriage to Samuel Whitney. More information on Samuel
and Emma [Montgomery] Whitney and their children can be found on the family page
for Sherman^8 Van Wicklin)***
Children:
(children of Gates Van Wicklin and Mary Ann Davis)
1. Sherman^8 Van Wicklin (b. 1866 Brighton, Ont., d. 1939, Rochester, NY)
2. Edward^8 Van Wicklin (b. 1868 Brighton, Ont., d. 1963, Rochester, NY)
(children of Gates and Amy L. Van Wicklin?)
3. George^8 Van Wicklin b. abt 1874, Brighton, Ontario, CAN (appears in 1891 Brighton Census)
(most likely a child of Emma [Montgomery] Van
Wicklin by her prior marriage to Samuel Whitney)
4. Claton^8 Van Wicklin b. abt. 1880, Brighton, Ontario, CAN (appears in 1891 Brighton Census)
(most likely a child of Emma [Montgomery] Van
Wicklin by her prior marriage to Samuel Whitney)
Parents:
Gates' parents are believed to be John/Unis and Margaret (Carr) Van Wicklen
Mary Ann's parents are Enoch Davis, Jr. (b. abt 1814/15 in Lower Can)
and Mary Jane Graham (b. abt 1820, Can).
Background information:
Gates^7 Van Wicklin (John^6, Jan^5, Paul^4, Garret^3, Gerrit^2, Jentie^1 Jeppes) was b. 26 January
1823 in Cramahe,
Ontario, Canada and died 31 August 1906 in Cobourg, Ontario. He died of Arterio Schlerosis/Senile Disposition in the
Cobourg Gaol (Jail) Infirmary. (see death registration information below) He had two children by Mary Ann Davis (b. 1849 and d.
1929) of Webster, NY. The two boys Sherman and Edward were born in 1866 and 1868. According to
Gates' Last Will and
Testament he apparently did not marry Mary Ann, and he provided for his sons but not Mary Ann in his will. Gates was
allegedly a violent, abusive man (told by Gate’s son Sherman to his son, Floyd), and Mary Ann left him when the boys were of
preschool age. Gates maintained custody of the boys who worked on the farm. Sherman was illiterate because he did not attend
school due to working on the farm and caring for his younger brother. Mary Ann returned to Webster and married a Mr.
Sedgwick. She is buried in a Webster, NY cemetery with the inscription, Mary A. Sedgwick (1849-1929). Floyd was an
18-year-old pall bearer at his grandmother’s funeral. He has no first-hand knowledge of Gates. He always thought his
grandfather’s name was McKinley but didn’t really know. He was surprised to see (for the first time in 1999) the name
"Garrett" on his parents' 1907 marriage license. (Gates actual name is a source of confusion.
Property maps of Brighton
Township 1880 on 400 acres of farm land refer to him as Gates. However, the 1 January 1907 marriage certificate of Sherman
and Alvira (Sabin) Van Wicklin lists him as Garret. Perhaps Gates is a nickname that he preferred. Also...see
Lot 30, Con. 7 for
a history of Gates Van Wicklin transactions on this property from about 1870 to 1894) I also have copies in my files (courtesy,
Marg Graham-Trottman) of four other property transactions: 1) 367d Brighton Twp. 29 November 1869 bet. Gates VW and the
Canada Building and Savings Society for $600 for east 50 acres and west 50 acres of Lot #30 in 7th Concession, Brighton of
about 100 acres; 2) 370d Brighton Twp. 5 October 1868 bet. Martha Dorland of Hallowell Twp, Prince Edward County, Ont.
and Gates VW of Brighton for $600 for 200 acres for Lot 30 of 7th Concession in Brighton, formerly called Murray and
Brighton; 3) 5103 Brighton on 2 April 1890 bet. Gates VW and Edward VW for $150 mortgage for lot #29 in 7th conc. and the
West quarter of Lot 30 and east half of lot 32; 4) 5104 Brighton on 2 April 1890 bet. Edward VW and Gates VW, a conveyance
of property and of one dollar for lot #29 in 7th conc. and west quarter of lot #30 and east half of lot #32 in 7th conc. Also the
Goodfellow family purchased their 100 acres of property in Brighton Twp. from Gates Van Wicklin.
The 1851 Census for Brighton Township lists Gates Van Wicklin, yeoman, native of Cramahe, age 26. The 1861 Census for
Brighton Township lists Gates, farmer, age 36.
The 1871 Census of Ontario lists Gates Van Wicklin as head of household (age 47) with Sherman (age 5) but no Mary Ann and
no Edward. (Presumably Mary Ann had left Gates by this time and still had custody of the younger Edward, age 3.) Also listed
in the household of Gates are a Margaret Van Wicklin (age 70). This may be Margaret Carr, the wife of John (Unis) Van
Wicklin. Also listed are John Carr, s/o Abram and Rhoda Carr who are buried in Carr
Cemetery, Cramahe Township (age 36, listed as a widower), and sons James (age 10) and William (age 7, not in school) Carr.
Presumably this is the John Carr who married Phoebe Jane Montgomery, sister of Emma who was Sherman VW's (Gates son) first wife.
The 1881 Census for Brighton Township lists Gates Van Wicklin, 55 (although he is clearly 57), Sherman, 15, Edward, 13, and
Rebecca (53), his sister. Mary Ann, the mother of his two sons, who he never married,
eventually went to live in Rochester, NY until
her death in 1929. Gates is strongly believed to be a son of John (Unis) and Margaret (Carr) Van Wicklin. In this case, the
Margaret in the 1871 Census is Gates' mother and the Rebecca in the 1881 would be his sister. The 1891 census clearly lists a
Rebecca Van Wicklin (b. 1831), sister of Gates, living in his household.
The 1881 Census of Canada (Brighton, Northumberland East, Ontario, Canada; source: FHL Film 1375875 NAC C-13239 Dist 123 SubDist C
Page 40 Family 198)
Gates Van Wicklen, male, 44 German, b. Ontario
Sherman Van Wicklen, male, 15 German, b. Ontario
Edward Van Wicklen, male 13 German, b. Ontario
Isaac Mattis, male, married, 24, German, b. Ontario
Nellie Mattis, female, married, 21, German, b. Ontario
Nicholis Mattis, male, 1, German, b. Ontario
Rachel Montgomery, female, 30, German (??) b. Ontario
Rebecca Van Wicklen, female, 53, German, b. Ontario
7 July 2000 email from Malcolm Montgomery: From the 1881 census we have Rachel Montgomery in Gates Van Wicklin's
household. Rachel is Gates' first cousin, and is Emma's (who married Sherman) older sister. In the same household we have
Isaac Mattis, who married Annette Montgomery, who was Rachel and Emma's younger sister. The census calls her Nellie, and
she is there with their one-year old son Nicholas. Their older sister Phoebe Jane Montgomery married John Carr, son of
Abraham and Rhoda Carr [buried at Carr Cemetery with Garret and Rachel VW]. Phoebe Jane was John Carr's 2nd wife. You
have John Carr in Gates' household from the 1871 census with two sons from his first marriage. Finally, on the farm next to
Gates' lived the Plumpton's. John N. Plumpton married Ruth Montgomery, who was a niece to the sisters Phoebe, Jane,
Emma, and Annette. This information solidifies the link between the Montgomerys and the Van Wicklins, particularly your
[JVW] line, or more interestingly, your great grandfather's household.
Malcolm goes on to say that he believes that my (JVW)"step" great grandmother was Rebecca Montgomery, eldest daughter of
Richard Montgomery, who was Hugh and Rebecca's eldest son! He also believes that Gates is the son of John Van Wicklen,
not Cornelius. He is working on details and will soon share the results of his research into this issue.
The 1891 Census for Brighton Township lists Gates Van Wicklin, b. 26 January 1824 (age 67), widower, farmer; Sherman, b. 30
August 1866 (age 24); wife, Amy L., born 3 July 1856 (age 34). This corresponds with Gates' last will and testament which does
not mention Rebecca (presumably she died before 1888) and Edward is required to come back and work on the farm or he'll
lose his share of the inheritance to his older brother, Sherman.
1901 Census for Brighton Township lists Gates Van Wicklin, Head b. 26 January 1823, Van Wicklin, Sherman, b. 30 August
1866 and Amy L. Van Wicklin, wife, b. 3 July 1856. (Is this Amy L. the wife of Gates or the wife of Sherman. Sherman's wife from 1884 was
named Emma Montgomery which could have lead to the nickname of Amy. Emma Montgomery was b. abt. 1852. However, the census listing would
suggest that Amy is the wife of the "head" of the home--i.e. Gates.
An interesting story about Gates Van Wicklin: Malcolm Montgomery, in a 4 November 1999 email, shared the following story
with me about Gates. It is from the Leona Ausin book cited below.
Gates was considered as part of the Codrington crowd. It seems that the neighborhood boys liked to play tricks on "old Gates."
Here is an excerpt from "As the Crow Flies: The Story of the People and Communities around Wooler" by Leona M. Austin. A
story Bruce Plumpton (another cousin) tells. (The Plumptons were on the next farm to Gates) is as follows:
"Bruce also told about the boys playing tricks on Gates Van Wicklin, who lived were Don Cameron lives now. (This turns out to be
inaccurate. When we visited the Cameron farmhouse on 28 July 2000, we were told that the property once belonged to Gates Van
Sicklin...and on closer inspection of the Beldon Atlas [or McGill Univ. property maps for 1880] Gates Van Sicklin lived at this
property on the bend in the road. Gates Van Wicklin's property is nearby. Perhaps the egg-stealing story is about Gates Van
Sicklin?) Gates had a hennery and the hens laid eggs by the dozen. These he packed in barrels, level on the top. The boys took the
eggs from the barrel, turned it upside down, and then laid a layer of eggs on the barrel. Gates did not seem to realize what had
happened. I heard from another man that his grain was stolen from him in the same way. It makes me think of one of Aesop's Fables, "What is fun for the boys is death for the frogs."
Children: (children of Gates Van Wicklin and Mary Ann Davis)
Sherman^8 Van Wicklin was born 30 August 1866 in Ontario, Canada. His brother, Edward^8 Van Wicklin, was born 1868. Both boys upon reaching adulthood lived in and around
Rochester, NY and apparently had very little contact with their mother or their father. Sherman and Edward were approached
by the Sedgwick family in 1928 to help pay for the funeral expenses of Mary Ann who was near death at the time. Floyd,
Sherman's son was a pall bearer for Mary Ann in 1929 at the age of 18. I (John Van Wicklin) attended Great Uncle Edward’s
funeral abt. 1963. He died in Rochester at the age of 95. Sherman married Alvira Sabin, b. 1874. on New Year’s Day of 1907
(1/1/07). She was the daughter of William and Adaline (Brown) Sabin; (children of Gates and Amy L. Van Wicklin?)
George^8 Van Wicklin b. abt 1874, Brighton, Ontario, CAN (appears in 1891 Brighton Census);
Claton^8 Van Wicklin b. abt. 1880, Brighton, Ontario, CAN (appears in 1891 Brighton Census)
Source:
Austin, Leona, As the Crow Flies: The Story of the People and Communities around Wooler (from email correspondence with
Malcolm Montgomery, 4 November 1999 and additional personal email correspondence dated 7 July 2000)
1871 Census of Ontario and 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, and 1891 Census of Brighton Township
1880 property maps of Ontario (see land owned by Gates Van Wicklin at http://imago.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/search.htm.
1901 Ontario Census for Brighton, Codrington #10, pg 6; lists
Gates Van Wickin, male, widower, head b. 23 July 1823 (age 77), with son,
Sherman (married), b. 30 August 1866, age 34; and wife Amy L., b. 3 July 1856,
age 44.
3 August 2000 - research in Archives of Toronto, Cobourg Registry Office, property abstracts, review of 1871, 1881, 1891, and
1901 Ontario census data--by Marg Graham-Trottman confirms that Gates Van Wicklin is the brother of Rebecca Van Wicklin
(age 60 in 1891, therefore b. 1831) and son of John and Margaret (Carr) Van Wicklin. Her research also included a personal
visit to the home of Charlie Puddephatt--a longtime Brighton Township resident who lives on Goodfellow Road on property
once owned by Gates Van Wicklin. He loaned Marg some original land deeds which greatly assisted in this search.
21 July 2000 email from Marg Graham-Trottman - Location of Gates home in Brighton: According to Mr. Woof once one
passes the pig farm on Cameron Road, one comes to a creek with two culverts and a sharp turn in the road... the house used to
sit on one side of the road and the barn on the other. A large maple tree with a hanging branch hangs over the road. Mr. Woof
remembers being in the house. A few years ago when it was vacant, a group of people drinking on a Saturday night torched the
place. There may be a bit of foundation remaining. It was originally a 1 and 1/2 story clapboard house. Mr. Woof's grandfather
purchased land from Gates. He also said that Warkworth is a good direction to look for burials. All his family was taken to
Warkworth and are not buried at Mt. Olivet.
Photo of Gates' death certificate courtesy of Georgi Sills in 11 June 2002 email.
Death Certificate: (provided in 20 February 2002 email from Marg Trottman Graham)
Van Wicklin, Gates August 31, 1906 Cobourg, Ont., CAN Reg. 020744 06
Death Registration: (provided in 4 March 2002 email from Marg Trottman Graham)
MS935, Reel 126
Death Registration Number 20744
Gates Vanwicklin
Male
Died - August 31, 1906
Age - 82 years
Place of Death - Cobourg Gaol - Infirmary
Occupation - Farmer
marital status - refused to supply/not given
Born - Canada
Death caused by - Arterio Schlerosis/Senile disposition
Religion - Methodist
Dr. James Henderson
Person that filed death registration - HJ Snelgrove
September 3, 1906
No parents noted on registration
15 July 2002 letter and enclosure from Mary Akenson, Acting Coordinator, Freedom
of Information and Privacy, Archives of Ontario. Mary performed a thorough
search of Cobourg Jail records housed at the Archives of Ontario and found
information pertaining to Gates incarceration in RG 20-66-1 Cobourg Jail
Registers 1899-1911 Volume 3 MS 2721. Page 169 lists Gates Vanwicklin, 6 month
sentence of incarceration for "vagrancy" beginning September 28,
1905 and ending March 28, 1906. He apparently was released to the prison
infirmary where he died 5 months later on August 31, 1906.
Photo is of the Cobourg Gaol as it exists today. Drawing is of the proposed Cobourg Gaol drawn in 1828 by James G. Chewitt (Gaol erected in 1832) and is now a museum, restaurant, and Bed and Breakfast which can be toured electronically at http://www.cobourgjail.com/cobourgjail6webpenallinks.htm The "Bed and Breakfast is called The King George Inn (formerly Cobourg Gaol) 77 Albert St., Cobourg, Ont. CAN
