ETOBICOKE RECORDS

[loo]

 It's very unlikely you will find him on a passenger record if you haven't already.  There are none for any of my family, and there were 8 different surnames involved, between about 1830 and 1850.

There may or may not be a burial record or headstone, and it may or may not be informative.  Sometimes the early "headstones" were just wooden markers, and they long ago disintegrated. 

I would just start with what you have.  I feel confident that the 1851 census is your family.  The name is not common, and Etobicoke was not that big place in terms of population, as it was all farmland back then.

I presume you are in Britain, which makes some of the searches difficult.  There will be land records at Ontario Archives, for instance, and local history books at the library.

[pipesw]

I have a lot to add to this old forum post.  I am a direct descendant of Johnathan Peacock of Helmsley England.  I have all of the Canadian heritage and family connections within Richview and Etobicoke.  If  "snowqueen" is still active in this forum, I'll be happy to provide some dates and connections.

[snowqueen]

Hi,

I would be interested in information on the Peacocks, thank you. 

Kind regards
Lyn

[pipesw]

Johnathan Peacock was 6 generations back from me, all on my maternal side.
What I know about him: Native of Helmsley, England (b. abt 1801).  One of the first settlers in Etobicoke, York County, Ontario.  Settled at Richview Corner.  When he settled, there were no roads or other signs of civilization.  Church services were conducted in rotating farm houses led by Mr. Robert Walker of Toronto who traveled about by foot.   The homestead was demolished in 1968.

He married Catherine Grey (b. abt 1802, York County, Ontario)
We believe there were 4 children, 2 sons.  She is not present on the 1851 Canada Census.
Their son James Peacock is my next in line ancestor.
We do not have a date of death or know of the burial site for Johnathan or Catherine.
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James Peacock (abt 1830-5 Dec 1907)
He married Mary Dawson (b. 16 Sep 1832 Grove, Berkshire[though now this is in Oxfordshire], England; d. 25 Feb 1903 York, Ontario).  The Dawson's were also local farming settlers in the Richview area.
We believe they had 9 children but only 7 survived to adulthood.  Children were Matthew, James "Jim" Peacock, William, Mary "Minnie" Elizabeth, Catherine "Katie" Ann, Francis "Fanny" Jane, Joseph and Ida Margaret.
Of the children I know that Fanny married Edward Heath Stonehouse (from another of the original Richview settlers.  Matthew Peacock married a Mary Bailey and they had at least one son Francis James Peacock.
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Catherine "Katie" Ann Peacock (b. 29 Nov 1866, d. 7 Jan 1900) married (17 Jun 1891)  Francis "Frank" James Canning (another of the original prominent Richview settlers).  Frank's father was Matthew Canning who was on the Etobicoke Council for about 30 years as councillor and later as the Reeve.  My Great-Great-Grandma Katie (Peacock) Canning had 5 children with Frank - Ida May, Eva Gertrude, Gladys Mary, Pearl Lillian, and F. Harold James.  Sadly, Katie died about one year after baby Harold was born.  Death was listed as tuberculosis.  She was only 33.  Frank was not in a position to care for the children himself.    The children lived with surrounding extended family - Ida May lived with her Uncle Ed and Aunt Fanny Stonehouse.  Pearl, Eva and Gladys lived with her Uncle Jim(Katie's brother) Peacock and Aunt Ida - this would have been the original Peacock Homestead at Richview Corner.  Baby Harold went to live with his Uncle Matt Peacock (Grandson of Johnathan).
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Ida May Canning was my Great-grandmother.  She married Arthur Rounding Death.  They farmed the Richview area until retirement in the 1950's when they moved to Milton, Ontario.  Ida and Arthur had 2 children Muriel Catharine (likely named after Katie) Death and Arthur William Harold Death.  Muriel was my grandmother and one of her daughters, Grace Ellen May, is my mother.
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There are a lot of Peacock lines not directly related to me descended from Johnathan.  I have not followed up on them.  There are several interfamily marriages with Cannings, Deaths, and Stonehouses because of the close community.  They were all part of the Richview Methodist Church (listed as "Primitive" Methodist).  This was the local community center for the various families.  Church life, family connections and socials have been the backbone of our families until this day.
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Whether it was peculiar to this particular community or a heritage from England, I find it interesting the number of nicknames used.  Also, as was likely common, the repeating of antecedent names in the children and grandchildren.  You may find some interesting connections with these Peacock descendants with some of the ancestors of Johnathan from England.
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I have no information beyond Johnathan's birthplace so if you are able to share any of the English history, I'd love to hear it.

best regards,

Steven Pipe (Norman-Death-Canning-Peacock)
Presently in Michigan, USA





 

[snowqueen]

Hi Steven,

I've sent you a message
Lyn