FIRST GENERATION

1. Joseph Ireland⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾ was born on 5 Apr 1792 in Thringarth, Lunedale, Romaldkirk, County Durham, England.. He immigrated in 1819 to Canada. He owned 100 acres (of 300) from John's land grant about 1830 in Burlington, Halton County, Ontario, Canada.⁽³⁾ Received 100 acres upon proof that his twin brother John was dead. He was an Overseer of Highways in 1836 in Nelson Township, Halton Co., Ontario, Canada.⁽⁴⁾ Appointed overseer of highways at council meeting at Inn of William Chisholm. He was Won first prize for his cow it the Halton County Agricultural Show in 1853 in Halton County, Ontario, Canada.⁽⁵⁾ He was Won 2nd prize for his yearly rams at the Halton Agricultural Show in 1853 in Halton County, Ontario, Canada.⁽⁶⁾ He was a Justice of the Peace in 1859 in Halton County, Ontario, Canada.⁽⁷⁾ Handwritten complaint signed by Joseph Ireland J.P He signed a will on 18 Jan 1867 in Nelson, Nelson Township, Halton County, Ontario, Canada.⁽⁸⁾ He was buried in Nov 1869 in St. John's Anglican Church, Burlington, Ontario, Canada.⁽⁹⁾ Memorial stone not on the actual burial site. He died on 21 Nov 1869 in Halton County, Ontario, Canada. He served in the military 1837 MacKenzie Rebellion in Upper Canada.⁽¹⁰⁾⁽¹¹⁾ "One of Mackenzie's patriots was to receive the fine farm of Joseph Ireland one of the more pushing English Farmers in the Township of Nelson. The 2nd patriot was to have the farm of Mr. Best on Dundas Street about a mile below the Nelson P.O."

Joseph Ireland lent a sleigh to assist with putting down the Rebellion. - from copy of newspaper article in the collection. He has Ancestral File number PC1-8. He was an Esquire. He was a Farmer in Nelson, Nelson Township, Halton County, Ontario, Canada.⁽¹²⁾ Bought the present Oakridge Farm property in 1820. He was elected as Warden of the St. John's Anglican Church. He was elected as Councillor of Nelson Twp. municipal council. in Nelson, Nelson Township, Halton County, Ontario, Canada. He Biography See Notes. JOSEPH IRELAND 9 1792 - 1868)

Born in 1792 at Bowes, Yorkshire, England, Joseph was the 5th child of 8 born to Thomas Ireland (1753-1836) and Mary Fadden 1756-1836. He was baptised in the parish of Romaldikirk by Rev. Bligh whose son was the infamous Captain Bligh of the Bounty. Joseph's father was described as a lime burner and yeoman farmer.

At the age of 27, around June/July 1819, Joseph arrived in Upper Canada. Later that year, December 14, 1819, he petitioned for 100 acres of land, and the following year (1820) he purchased 100 acres from Daniel O'Reilly of Hamilton. It is on this piece of land that the present house sits. A petition was later made by Joseph and his brother James for "unclaimed " land their brother John, as a Militia man in the war of 1812, had petitioned for but not claimed because of his death. Joseph received title to a part of this claim in Trafalgar Township. Further land was also acquired along the Guelph Line and across Dundas Street (Hwy #5). By the year 1847, the total holdings reached 1,043 1/4 acres.

In 1823, Joseph married RUTH BEST,(1802-1867) at St. John's Anglican church in Ancaster. The Best family lived on Guelph Line north of Dundas St (#5 Hwy). At the time of her marriage, Ruth was 21 while Joseph was 31. Though they had 8 children, three of them died in childhood--John (1826-1829), Joseph (1835-1848), and Johathon Fadden (1843-1848).

In 1837, because Joseph opposed the rebellion,the Ireland Farm was promised to one of the rebels if the MACKENZIE REBELLION was successful. Because of this Joseph, on Christmas day 1837,supplied a SLEIGH to go go to Chippewa on the Niagara River. Many men from the area, including Joseph, went to Chipewa where they were successful in helping to put down the rebellion.

During his lifetime, Joseph Ireland became a respected resident of Nelson Township. He served on the NELSON TOWNSHIP COUNCIL, was an overseer of highways and a JUSTICE OF THE PEACE. There is a reference to his being a Justice of the Peace in 1859. He was also one of the FOUNDERS OF ST. JOHN'S ANGLICAN CHURCH, built on the the Dundas Hwy (now #5 HWY), near Guelph Line in 1842. Later he became a church warden.

In 1867, Ruth died, followed two years later by Joseph. His will allowed for his properties to be divided among his sons Robert Best, James, Thomas and John. His granddaughters Margaret and Fanny Dynes, who were the children of his daughter Mary (1832-63), each received 100 acres. Also in the will was a clause giving Ruth the use of the two east rooms on the ground floor and a bedroom of her choice upstairs. This, of course, did not come about as she predeceased him.

It was JOHN the youngest son who INHERITED THE FARM and homestead in 1869.
He Artifacts see notes. 989, 1, 44 Letter 1859
992,36,41 - Family History - Current
992,36,68 - Letter - Current
988, 1, 24 - Licence - Marriage Licence - 1823-- Copy
988,,1,51 - Letter - 1859
987,2,87 - Saddle bag
988,1,4E - Paper with name - Current
987,2,120 - Book to Joseph - 1877
988,1,67 - Will 1869
988,1,30 - Will 1869
988,1,11 - Letter
992,20,1 - Photograph
987,3,771 -Drawing of Ruth
988,1,1A- Pettion - 1829

He was married to Ruth Best (daughter of Robert Best and Mary Gaskell (Gashell)) on 18 Sep 1823.⁽¹³⁾⁽¹⁰⁾ Banns of Marriage - September 12, 1823; Marriage Licence September 18, 1823 by Ralph Luming, Missionary from Ancaster, Ontario, Canada Ruth Best⁽²⁾ was born on 5 Mar 1802. She was buried in Nov 1867 in Dundas Roman Catholic Cemetary, Dundas, Ontario, Canada.⁽¹⁴⁾ Her burial is recorded in the Roman Catholic Church burial records. The church was destroyed in the early 1900s and replaced as a stone quary. She died on 13 Nov 1867.⁽¹⁵⁾ Handwritten Note Joseph Ireland and Ruth Best had the following children:

+2 i. Robert Best Ireland.
3 ii. John Ireland⁽²⁾ was born on 12 Mar 1826.⁽¹⁶⁾⁽¹⁰⁾ Handwritten birth date He died on 29 Jul 1829.⁽¹⁷⁾ Handwritten death He has Ancestral File number FGI8-2.
+4 iii. James Ireland.
+5 iv. Thomas Ireland.
+6 v. Mary Ireland.
7 vi. Joseph Ireland⁽²⁾ was born on 22 Jun 1835 or 1848 in Nelson Township, Halton Co., Ontario, Canada.⁽¹²⁾⁽¹⁸⁾ He died on 16 Sep 1848 in Nelson Township, Halton Co., Ontario, Canada.⁽¹⁹⁾ Died at 40 minutes past 11 o-clock at night and interned on the 18th. He has Ancestral File number FGI8-6.
+8 vii. John Ireland.
9 viii. Jonathan Fadden Ireland⁽²⁾ was born on 10 Jan 1843.⁽²⁰⁾ Died at 9 1/4 o-clock in the evening. He died on 18 Sep 1848 in Nelson Township, Halton Co., Ontario, Canada.⁽²¹⁾⁽²²⁾ Died at 15 minutes past 10 o-clock at night and interred on 19th at 6 o-clock at night. He has Ancestral File number FGI8-8.

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