ETOBICOKE RECORDS

[snowqueen]

hi

Does anyone know if there are any records, particularly monumental inscriptions, online from the early 1800's for Etobicoke.  I am looking for a Peacock family who I think may have emigrated from Yorkshire to Canada and possible settled around the Etobicoke region.  Names include Jonathan and Philip.

Thank you

[JDC]

Hello snowqueen,

You can check out the Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid (OCFA) site and also the find-a-grave site. Hope this helps,

JDC

[snowqueen]

Hi,

Thank you for your reply.  I'll try those

[loo]

You can take a look at this early directory, which does include Etobicoke.  The search function was frozen when I tried it myself.
http://static.torontopubliclibrary.ca/da/pdfs/229901.pdf

1851 census shows:
Jonathan PEACOCK, labourer, b.England, 51yrs, CofE
Sarah "   17yrs b. Canada
George "  11yrs
David  "  7yrs
John  "  14yrs
James  "  22yrs
Jonathan "  20 yrs
They are living in a log house in Etobicoke, somewhere on lots 22-40 (not sure what that means), district  2, subdistrict 407 
(Library & Archives Canada)

Etobicoke is a large area, now within the City of Toronto and included many smaller villages etc. 

There is a Philip PEACOCK who took up residency in Buffalo, New York, not too far away, in 1833 - Alien registration.

In 1878 we find a James PEACOCK on a relatively small piece of land in Etobicoke with what I believe is the Credit River running through it on the western edge of Etobicoke, on Concession 2, at lot 17.  I would think there is a decent chance that this is the same family.  See map here http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/images/maps/townshipmaps/yor-m-etobicoke.jpg
I believe they were living at what is now the intersection of highways 427 and 401, more or less.

It appears that some of them are buried at Richview and probably some at St. Phillip's.  St. Phillip's is an Anglican cemetery but is further away from area of settlement.  http://canadianheadstones.com/on/view.php?id=184114

You might be able to find a volunteer here who will look up cemetery transcript for you, so that you can find out if there are any that are not recorded at canadianheadstones.com .  Look under "York" for Etobicoke.  York is both the name of the county and an earlier name for Toronto.   http://http.wightman.ca/~dkaufman/
Here is a list of the existing cemetery transcripts:  http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/microfilm/cemetery_york.aspx

I think you will find these articles very interesting:
http://www.heritagemississauga.com/page/Richview
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2009/10/31/resting_in_peace_not_at_this_graveyard.html
http://images.ourontario.ca/Partners/MPL/MPL002493967pf_0744.pdf (Death anniversary)

You might consider contacting the editor of the Etobicoke Guardian newspaper, pictured here:
http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/4326513-richview-student-alexander-simmons-nominated-for-ontario-junior-citizen-of-the-year/
She has a very interesting name, and local history stories are always popular, especially as this was an original family in the area and you can add the Yorkshire connection. 
See http://www.sources.com/MNN/Subscribers2/Me9329.htm
Similarly there might be some interest from the Etobicoke Historical Assoc http://www.etobicokehistorical.com/

[Christine53]

 
Here is a link to " History of Toronto and County of York ...." It mentions James Peacock  born on Lot 17 Etobicoke in 1830 , second son of the family of Jonathan Peacock , one of the first settlers and a native of Helmsley , England. ( Select " Ctrl f " to open find and type Peacock in the box to find 8 references to the surname )
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01e7m/ 

[loo]

Well done, CB53!

Here is a marriage for the granddaughter of Jonathan the immigrant:
"Edward Heath STONEHOUSE, 25, Chatham Ont, Etobicoke,
 b, farmer, s/o James STONEHOUSE & Julia HEATH, married Frances Jean
 PEACOCK, 23, Etobicoke, same, s, d/o James PEACOCK & Mary DAWSON, witn:
 Robt S.G. STONEHOUSE of Toronto, Ida PEACOCK of Richview, married 1 January
 1896, Richview by Rev. Jas. H. STONEHOUSE."  http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/CAN-ONT-YORK/2002-10/1033695776

Ida is probably a sister to Frances Jean.
Richview is an area in Etobicoke.  This will make it easier to find them geographically.

Here is a photo of headstone for STONEHOUSE family, into which Frances Jean PEACOCK married.  Beneath it there is info for Frances and husband - they must be on the reverse side of the headstone, which is not pictured here.  http://www.canadianheadstones.com/on/view.php?id=27866  It could be that the whole family is in Richview cemetery.

It seems extremely likely that they are all buried at Richview Memorial cemetery.  It is quite close to where they lived.
http://www.torontoplaques.com/Pages_PQR/Richview_Cemetery.html

[snowqueen]

Thank you very much to everyone for their replies.  I will have a look through all the information some of which relates to other families eg Stonehouse who are from the same area of Yorkshire.  I have found a good candidate for the Philip Peacock I was looking for living in the US so will chase him up

Kind regards
Lyn

[loo]

It was very common, in the early days of pioneer life, for people to settle close to other families that they knew from back home- no doubt many were already intermarried in generations past.

Good luck!

[snowqueen]

Hi Loo,

We're finding that.  The problem we have is that we have the back history in Yorkshire but as they left so early for Canada - early 1800's, it's very difficult to find them once they got there.  Hopefully one day the early passenger lists, burial records etc will become available.

Kind regards
Lyn