Notes:

From Bryan Cass:
He made a will in Hawkesbury, Prescott, Upper Canada, 16 Aug 1804. "In the name of God Amen. I Josiah Cass of the township of Hawkesbury in the County of Prescott Eastern district of the Province of Upper Canada Esquire being in body but of sound disposing mind and memory Do make and order this to be my last Will and Testament in manner following, To Wit

First. I bequeath my soul to God who gave it

Secondly. I Give and bequeath to my oldest Son Josiah the sum of two shillings Halifax Currency in right of primogeniture.

Thirdly. I Give and bequeath to my Son Joseph P., Elihu and Daniel and to my Daughters Mercy and Amanda all the Children by my first wife the sum of five shillings each, having already provided for them.

Fourthly. All the rest residue and remainder of my Estate real and personal I give devise and bequeath to my loving wife Anna for and during her natural life to use and order as she thinks best.

Fifthly. After the death of my beloved Wife Anna Give devise and bequeath to my Son Moses [their heirs and afsigns forever] and to my StepSon John McIntyre the lot of land No. b in Hawkesbury which I now pofsefs To Wit the northernmost with stock and moveables to John McIntyre subject to these conditions that the said John do and shall provide suitable support and maintenance for his brother Moses and Sisters Margaret, Anna, Elizabeth and Jenny during the time of their minority, and unsettled joined with their Industry Also pay to Moses as specified in the next Article, And to the other members of the Family One half of the Legacies directed above.

Sixthly. I Give and bequeath to my youngest Son Moses the Southernmost half of Wheat grown in lot No. b in Hawkesbury After his Mothers decease and in consideration and in consideration of the front half containing the improvements and movables. John may and shall give Moses a Years provisions: Yoke of Oxen, a Cow, a set of Harrow teeth, Cow Irons, Ax and hoe over and above what is contained in the Fifth Article And Moses to pay One half the Legacies directed to my first Wifes children Also half that hereunder directed to his own Sisters.

Seventhly. I Give and bequeath to Mercy, Margaret, Anna, Elizabeth and Jenny Eight dollars apiece after their Mothers decease if not paid before, to be paid by John And Moses.

Lastly. I nominate Appoint and constitute my beloved Wife Anna and her Son John McIntyre executors to this My last Will and Testament. Witnefs, Whereof I have herein set my hand and seal the Sixteenth day of August in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and four And in the forty fourth year of His Majestys Reign. Signed Josiah Cafs

Signed Sealed published & declared ...Josiah Cafs Esq the Testator to be his last Will and presence of us who ...subscribed our names in presence of the Testator & Each Other.

Peter McArthur Phebe McArthur signed Henry Rowley

The foregoing is a true Copy of the last Will and Testament of Josiah Cafs late of Hawkesbury in said District Esquire deceased proved Peter McArthur one of the subscribing Witnefses to the last Will and testament In testimony whereof I have --- Seal of said Surrogate Court to be hereunto affixed at ??? District this 12 th day of February 1805. Signed S. Anderson S. ??."

Josiah's will was probated 12 Feb 1805. Reference: Material by M.J. Barton - ca. 1907

Josiah Cass, U.E.L.

Josiah Cass, U.E. Loyalist was born, February 2, 1743 at Hebron, Connecticut. He was twice married--first, November 28, 1760, to Mercy Pomeroy, who died May 16, 1781, at Machiche, Quebec, and again, April 1, 1782, at Machiche, to Ann McIntyre. He died at Hawkesbury, Ontario, in 1804 or 1805, having pre-deceased his second wife.

My mother says: "Of his birthplace, his youth and his early manhood we have no account. The above dates of births and marriage and the death of his first wife, his second marriage, the birth of six children of his first family and three of the second, are to be recorded by himself in a small Bible now in the possession of the Chatham family. Considering and comparing the traditions still existing among different branches of the family, I have inferred that some of his youthful years must have been spent at Yale."

With reference to another tradition; namely, that he was present at the siege of Quebec, she thinks, though possible, it is improbable. He seems to have lived at different times in Connecticut, VT and New York. In 1775, he states, he was living as a farmer in Charlotte County, Province of York, and in 1777 joined the British army under General Burgoyne, and did duty with Colonel Peter's Regiment, the Queen's Royal Rangers. In October, 1777, he, with the remnant of Colonel Peter's Corps after the disaster to that regiment, was given permission to try to escape to Canada. My mother was not able to ascertain certainly whether they crossed the St. Lawrence and wintered at one of the posts there or whether they did not leave Charlotte County, N. Y. until the following Spring, but, in September, 1778, they, with other Loyalists, had reached Montreal and were conducted by order of the Commander-in-Chief to Machiche, Quebec, a post situated at the mouth of a small stream of that name emptying into the St. Maurice River near the town of Three Rivers, where they arrived on the 14th of September, 1778. Jeptha Hawley, a friend and kinsman of Josiah Cass, also belonged to this band of U. E. Loyalists. Here Josiah Cass acted as school master for a time, and is reported to have helped in the laying out of the town of Three Rivers. In 1781, his wife, Mercy Pomeroy, died. On the first of April, 1782, he married Ann McIntyre, which marriage may be found in the Church Records at Three Rivers. My mother says - "Ann McIntyre, according to the statement of John Josiah, was the widow of a soldier, with one son, John McIntyre". This statement is probably correct, otherwise she would hardly have been with this party of Loyalists. On May 1, 1783, was born a little daughter, whose birth is entered in the records of the Church at Three Rivers. This little daughter was given the name of Mary. The Rector of three Rivers, being a French gentleman and apparently not very familiar with English, often spelled his words phonetically. In this case, the name was written "Marie". This daughter afterwards became the wife of Jacob Marston.

In 1783, Captain Sherwood, having been despatched to the Bay Chaleur to explore the country around the Bay and report as to the suitability for farming and forming settlements, on his return gave such a favourable report that many of the Loyalists decided to go there, and, among them, Josiah Cass. They arrived at Bay Chaleur on August 14, 1784, landing at Paspebiac. A town site was laid out and called New Carlisle (now Paspebiac), and here Josiah Cass and his family lived. He appears to have helped in surveying the townships around as his name appears in the Government returns for this work. A grant of 750 acres was made to him and 100 acres each to his three sons, Josiah, Joseph Pomeroy and Elihu, who had enlisted in Sir John Johnston's Royal Regiment after coming to Canada and served until the Regiment was disbanded at the end of the war.

They appear, however, to have been dis-satisfied with this country and resolved to seek a new home, and in 1788, the surveys on the north shore of the Ottawa and the Township of Hawkesbury on the south shore having been completed, Josiah Cass obtained from John Collins, Deputy Surveyor General, certificates of location in the first and second Concessions of Hawkesbury, four hundred acres. Early in 1790, Josiah and his family, with the exception of the eldest son, Josiah Jr., who had married and whose wife did not wish to leave her family, set out on their journey to their new home. I quote again - "We cannot tell how the family travelled from the Bay of Chaleur, but presume they must have gone by sea to Quebec or some other port on the St. Lawerence River, but, on this western end of their route they employed habitants and their teams to bring them and their effects to their destination. On nearing their location, they purchased some cattle, which they drove before them. Upon arriving in March, 1790, they found the snow very deep, and digging a hole they placed their potatoes in it, covering them with the grain and other things to prevent freezing, and then they proceeded to construct a small temporary dwelling, and also constructed a shelter for their cattle. These cattle were fed on the brush from trees and boiled oats until the Spring opened. They then proceeded with the work of carving out a new home for themselves in the wilderness. Sucess was now assured and progress was rapid. In 1791, another son was added to the family and named Moses, and later two little daughters, Elizabeth and Janet. Here Josiah Cass passed the remainder of his earthly career, and in his official capacity for several years as Justice of the Peace dispensed Justice to the community, in the absence of clergymen performing marriage ceremonies and assisting at funerals. Returning from one of his long trips weary and exhausted from slight exposure he contracted an illness to which he finally succumbed. Here, in 1804 or 1805, he passed from an earthly home of competence and comfort to his final rest. I have not been able to fix exactly the date of his death, but, as the Will was drawn the 16th of August, 1804, and probated on the 12th day of February, 1805, his death must have occurred between these dates.

signed, M. J. Barton.

NOTE: The above summary are recollections dictated by Eliza Anne (Murray) Barton to her daughter Mary Jane Barton, circa 1907.

Josiah married Mercy Pomeroy on 7 Nov 1760 in Hebron, Tolland Co., CT. Mercy (daughter of Joseph Pomeroy and Thankful Burbank) was born on 24 Apr 1740 in Suffield, Hartford Co., CT; died on 16 May 1781 in Machiche, Maskinong?, Qu?bec, Canada; was buried in Machiche, Maskinong?, Qu?bec, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~cassb/CASS/i0000425.htm#i425:

He made a will in Hebron, Tolland, CT, 4 Sep 1741.(102) "I, Moses Case of Hebron, in the County of Hartford, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament: I give to my wife Mary, after my debts are discharged, 1-3 part of my house moveable estate to be to her own dispose forever, whom, with my son Moses Case, I ordain to be my executors. I give to my wife the use and improvement of 1-3 part of my lands during life or while she remains my widow, as also one room in my dwelling house. I give to my two sons, namely, Moses and Josiah, all my houseing and lands in Hebron to be equally divided betwixt them, only my son Moses shall have 10 acres of land more than Josiah. In the division regards shall be had both to quantity and quality, sd. division to be made by indifferent men. Sd. division to be made when my son Moses shall some of full age of 21 years. I give to my 4 daughters, namely, to Patience, Lois, Alice and Hannah, to each of them ?100, to be paid to them when or as they arrive to the age of 18 years. And whereas, my daughter Patience has had already near ?100, the remaining 2-3 of my house moveables I give to my three younger daughters, Lois, Alice and Hannah, equally to be divided. And as to my debts and charges aforesd., my will is that they be paid out of my cattle, horses, sheep, &c., and not out of my house moveables, having given them to my sd. wife and daughters. And the remaining part of my horses, cattle, sheep and tools for husbandry I give to my sd. sons Moses and Josiah, equally to be divided, and my joiner tools I give to my sd. son Moses. I give to Eliphalet Case, son to my sd. wife, ?5, to be paid him out of my estate when my sd. son Josiah shall come of full age to 21 years, &c., whereas I am apprehensive. But if my wife yet bring forth a son and he survive, he shall have out of my estate ?600; but if she bring forth a daughter that shall survive until she comes to the age of 18 years, sd. daughter shall be paid ?100 with lawfull interest thereon from the day of her birth. I appoint my wife and my son Moses Case executors.

Moses Case, LS.

Witness: Ebenezer Case, Jonathan Case, Nathaniel Phelps." Was admitted freeman at Norwich, CT 13 Sep 1726, but returned to Hebron, CT before 1736.

Will was dated 4 Sep 1741 and taken 21 Sep 1741.

From William Stowell's article in the 1902 New England Historical and Genealogical Register: "Moses Cass left records of himself, which, by correspondence with town clerks and descendants of the family, I have been able to trace. We have his own testimony as to his parentage. Sept. 3, 1730, at Norwich, he gave a deed to John Hutchins, of land 'which I bought of my father, Mr. Ebenezer Cass' (Land Records, Vol. VI., p. 232). In 1722, he bought a hundred acres of land in the 'Pratt Tract,' partly in Lebanon and partly in Hebron. He was admitted freeman at Norwich, Sept. 13, 1726; but returned to Hebron before 1736. There is proof that he married a second wife, Mary. His will (Colchester Probate Records, Book 1, page 77) mentions his wife Mary; sons Moses and Josiah; daughters Patience, Lois, Alice and Hannah; and 'Eliphalet Case, son to my second wife, to have ?5.' The will was dated Sept. 4, 1741, and his death occurred two days later. The will was presented for probate Sept. 14, 1741 by Mary Hutchins, 'late widow of Moses Case, of Hebron, deceased.' His last child was posthumous, and, from the fact of his special mention of the son's parentage, it is to be presumed that at the date of the will, Eliphalet was the only child of the second wife. Though long sought, the lineage of his first wife, Mary Haskins, has not been found with certainty. Circumstances would seem to indicate that she was daughter either of Richard Haskins or of John Haskins, of Norwich, who were brothers, and who went to Norwich from Taunton, Mass., whither they had gone from Portsmouth, N.H. with their father, Nicholas, who, Savage says, was a schoolmaster at Portsmouth in 1660. She may, however, have been daughter of Samuel and Mary (Austin) Haskins of Taunton, who were married in 1684."

Moses married Mary Haskins on 23 Jan 1717 in Lebanon, New London Co., CT. Mary died about 1739 in Hebron, Tolland Co., CT. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Joseph + Thankful Burbank. Thankful and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Ebenezer married Patience Draper on 13 Mar 1689 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA. Patience (daughter of James Draper and Miriam Stansfield) was born on 16 Aug 1668 in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]