Daniel Knott, an Impossible Brickwall?

[WolfeEye]

I'm trying to connect my ancestor Daniel Knott back to his homeland of England. But as I don't know what county or parish he was born in I'm having a lot of trouble ascertaining which Daniel Knott is "mine". Here's the information I DO have.

Daniel Knott  (b. about 1793) was a miner employed on the "King's Works" in Quebec. He had with his wife, Catherine McLeod, four children that I know of: John (b. 6 Feb 1818), Daniel (b. 5  Sept 1820), Elizabeth (b.27 Oct 1827) and James (b.1832). His son Daniel may have served in the British military in some capacity. If anyone can be of assistance I would greatly appreciate it!

[CaroleW]

Were the children born in England or Canada?

[WolfeEye]

They were all born in Canada.

[maddys52]

Doesn't help with his parentage, however he was married 10 June 1815 in St Andrew's (Presbyterian) Quebec. Neither he nor Catherine could sign.

[maddys52]

Son John's baptism (22 Feb 1818) says Daniel was a private soldier in the Royal Corps of Sappers and Miners (again, he and Catherine could not sign).

[amondg]

The witness at John's baptism was a William Blight also of the Royal Sappers and Miners.

The god parents George and Mary Hargert   sp. (they could write but not clearly)

Does the names of god parents help at all are they related?
---------
Daniel's god parents are Thomas and Martha Scott  1820

[AlanBoyd]

Here is some evidence relating to the deployment of the Royal Sappers and Engineers to Canada. The context of this is that Britain was engaged in the War of 1812 with the USA.

From The History of the Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners. Connolly, T W J, 1855 volume 1, available at archive.org:

The third company, third battalion, of eighty-one men under Lieutenant G. Phillpotts, R.E, and Sub-Lieutenant James A. Stephenson, sailed for Canada on board the 'Zodiac' transport on the 23rd April [1813] and landed at Quebec on the 5th June. They had been trained in the field duties of the department at Chatham and were the first of the corps ever employed in the Canadas. Nothing satisfactory is known of their services; but they appear to have been much dispersed through the country, the greatest numbers being at Burlington Heights, Prescott, Point Henry, York, and Kingston. The last station was the head-quarters of the company.

and

A second company–fourth of the fourth battalion–embarked for service in Canada in April [1814], and disembarked at Quebec from the 'Belfield' transport in June. In August the company was attached to the expedition under Sir George Prevost, and was present at the attack on Plattsburg, where they constructed sand-bag batteries, temporary bridges of felled trees, and planted the ladders against the walls for the storm. Subsequently to the assault, the company removed to Lacolle, and, after fortifying Ash Island, wintered at Prescott. During the campaign parties were detached to Montreal, Cascade-Montmorenci, Isle-aux- Noix, Turkey Point, and Burtonville.

In relation to the 1814 deployment, from the Montreal Gazette 28th June 1814:

PORT OF QUEBEC–ARRIVED
JUNE 21–Brig Belfield, Walker, from London, sailed do. from do. to Munro & Bell, cargo provisions for govt ... passengers, 4 officers and 77 men of the royal regt. of miners and sappers.

Looking at the preceding entries in the list (17 vessels are detailed for this date) my interpretation of "sailed do. from do." is "sailed 2nd May from Torbay"

[AlanBoyd]

There is a record for William Blight of the Sappers and Engineers at Fold3 (the record of a Medical Board in 1834) https://www.fold3.com/image/585397226

Pertinent details are: born in the parish of Marivinston(? see image below) Cornwall, a miner; attested at Plymouth Dock 4th February 1812 at the age of 19; first served "In Quebec from June 1813 to August 1823. Bermuda from 25th May 1827 to 15 June 1833. The remainder at home."

This places him on the first deployment to Canada. The War of 1812 started in June 1812, so he joined up before the start of the war.

There is a parish of Morwenstow in Cornwall, is that it?

added: there is a 1792 baptism for a William Blight at Morwenstow at FindMyPast

[WolfeEye]

Amondg, I'm not sure if the godparents are related to the Knott's. It's certainly worth exploring.

WOW. Thanks for the impressive research everyone.