Individual Details
David CANFIELD
(9 Mar 1812 - 8 May 1897)
He joined the Church in Toronto Canada and was baptized by Parley P. Pratt in June 1836. Went to Nauvoo in 1845 and helped finish the temple as far as it was completed. Came to Utah in 1850, settled in Provo and was in the Indian War there. Was called on the Dixie Mission in 1861 settled first in St. George, later moving and settling Hamblin.
History of David Canfield
David Canfield, the 6th child of James Canfield and Susannah Blake Canfield, was born 9 May 1812, in Gorham, Ontario, New York, which is twelve miles from the Hill Cumorah.
David left home when he was twelve years old and went to Canada and lived with his uncle who was an ax maker and ships carpenter. He worked on the Great Lake District much of his early life, following his trade of ships, carpenter and blacksmith. He also worked on the Erie Canal as a bridge builder.
While in Canada, he fell in love and married a young Irish girl named Sally Mathison. They had two girls, Jane born about 1834 and Susannah about 1836. It was at this time that he met the Mormon Missionaries and learned of the restored Gospel and he was baptized by Parley P. Pratt in Jun 1836.
In 1837, the United States and the English in Canada were having problems and a war broke out. The English found out that David was born in the States and was there working. They called him a rebel and his Canadian friends warned him they were after him. From this time on, he had no peace or rest and was always running and hiding from the English. He enlisted with a group of "Rebels" as they were known, and was Prescribed, which possibly means he was a leader of the group and gave orders or directions, fighting with the States against the English. Things got pretty hot for him and he decided he had better leave Canada. His wife was pregnant so he made arrangements to leave his family with his wifes grandmother Mathison. With the help of his Canadian friends, they put him in a large barrel that was used to haul molasses and put him on a wagon and surrounded him with barrels full of molasses and took him across the border into the States. For years, the Queens soldiers were looking for him and all other men of his company. He had received from the States a Commission as an Officer of an Insurgent Corporal.
After the war was over, he went back to Canada to get his wife and children. His friends there told him what had happened... his wife had died shortly after giving birth to a baby boy and the baby died also. They took him to the grave where they had buried them both together. The grandmother Mathison had then taken the two little girls and gone back to Ireland without leaving any means of contacting her. (The girls remained in Canada with their Uncle?)
After losing everything, he had only his church and his work to begin again. He went to work as a carpenter around the Great Lakes and finally drifted into Chicago and then into Ohio. During this time, he met and married Elizabeth Story Depew, age 19 on 1 Oct 1843 in Bryan, Williams Co., Ohio. She was a daughter of John Depuy and Lucy Lonsberre. (I have found Depew spelled more times Depuy). Needless to say, the Depew family being French Huegenots, were most unhappy about this marriage of Elizabeth to David Canfield, a Mormon.
Sometime after their marriage, David and Elizabeth moved to Defiance, Ohio where their first child, David Jr. was born. They then moved to Chicago for work. They eventually moved to Nauvoo, Illinois to join the saints and David worked on the Nauvoo Temple. They were very destitute of material things and, with the persecution the saints were receiving, it was hard for the family. Just prior to the saints being driven out of Nauvoo, Brigham Young told David to return to Chicago and earn enough means with which to get a team and wagon. This, David and his family did, and it was there in Chicago.
The fall of 1849 found them at Winter Quarters. During the summer of 1850, they crossed the plains with an ox team and wagon in the Aaron Johnson Company. Also in the company was Jacob Hamblin, Dan Tyler, Edison Barney and William Cameron. After reaching Salt Lake, Presdient Young sent David and his family to help settle Provo. They arrived in Provo just in time for James, their fourth child, to be born in a wagon box on 9 Oct 1850. He was the first white baby born in Provo. At this time a great loss came to them when their twelve year old boy, David Jr., died on 14 Jun 1856. Just seven months later on 17 Jan 1857, their second child Ellen Elizabeth, eleven years old, died and she was buring where Brigham Young University is now.
While living in Provo, David worked as City Alderman during 1851-1852 and as Councilor in 1853-1854. While living here in Provo, their next five children were born. Harriet Elma born 5 Apr 1859 died 12 Dec 1859 and is buring in the Provo City Cemetery.
During the October General Conference in 1861, Brigham Young called 360 families to go and settle the Dixie Mission. David and Elizabeth and their family received the call and they made ready for the trip. Clara was just two days old when they started the trip on the 14 Nov 1861. It was necessary for them to go at that time so they would have company to travel with. They had a fairly good team of oxen and figured they could make the trip. Rough roads and a heavy load...gave the oxen out between Conn Creek and Cove Fort. They made it as far as Beaver and stayed a week at the home of Daniel Tyler, who had crossed the plains with them. They then stopped a day or two at Parowan and again at the home of Father Corry at Cedar City.
Moroni, who was thirteen years old, was driving an outfit for James Holliday who settled in Grafton, Utah and as soon as they could unload he sent Moroni back with an outfit to help his father. Only through the kindness of Mr. Holliday were they able to make the last of the journey to Dixie. Coming into Washington, they stopped at the home of John Price for a day or two and then went onto St. George. They located at the spring above the Pace farm east of St. George. They were there for the first Christmas held in St. George.
It rained very heavy that first winter and was very difficult to keep things dry and keep fires going. The ground was so boggy where the city now stands, that it was hard to get around. They had to keep on the beaten trails and they often had to lift the animals out of the mud. The grass grew tall on the black hills around St. George and at times you couldn't see the black rocks for the grass. Oxen and cattle were wintered there. When the grass was gone on the east black ridge, the livestock was moved over to the west side of St. George on the black hill where the "D" is.
David was a good friend of Jacob Hamblin and he knew of Davids ability as a carpenter, so he asked David to build him a home on the Santa Clara Creek. The Canfield family moved over there and settled around what was called "Hunts Place" and the "Foster Ranch". While living on the Santa Clara creek, they experienced a great flood. It rained and rained. Elizabeth became so uneasy about it that as the family were having their prayer before going to bed, she asked for protection from the Lord. After going to sleep, Elizabeth awoke suddenly and shook David saying, "Wake up, Wake up David, I have been warned to take the family to higher ground. Hurry wake the children and warn the neighbors, then you and the boys climb the mountain. I will go ahead with the rest of the family." David and the boys alerted the neighbors, some laughed and went back to sleep while others took the warning and went to safe ground. After it was all over with, they helped gather up the bodies. Some they could never find. James never forgot the experience of trying to unwrap the arms of a youngster from around a tree, or the look on his mother Elizabeth's face as she cleaned and cared for the bodies of young and the old as they were brought in.
While living in Santa Clara, David Canfield and his boys build the old Jacob Hamblin home. They cut and hauled timber from Pine Valley Mountain and it was difficult work. The boys gathered and lifted rock, but laughed and had a good time. David became a little angry when Jacob could not pay them as promised for their labors and so David, in disgust, moved his family into the home and lived there for two or three years.
They then moved to Pine Vally. From there they moved a few more miles to the north, to the Meadows or Hamblin as it was called. They lived in a wagon box and what shelter they could fix up around it to keep the hot sun and weather out. They longed for a home of their own and so they worked and saved to get enough to build a home but it was hard in such a wilderness area. It was here the Jacob Hamblin finally paid David for building his home in Santa Clara. David and his boys now built a nice home of their own in Hamblin. Things seemed a little easier for awhile. Their little cow and sheep herd grew and they made cheese and butter to sell or trade. Travelers going and coming from Pioche, Nevada to St. George and other places would stop at the Canfield home for meals or to pick up supplies of cheese, butter, vegetables and etc.
David did carpenter work and blacksmith work for a living. One day as he was working on a roof, a sudden, heavy rain storm came up and he was caught in it. He developed a bad cold and never recovered. He died on 8 May 1897, at age 85, and was buried next to his son Moroni who had died the 28 Jun 1893 at age 45 and was buried in the Hamblin cemetery.
!Ollie Jones shows sources as: Index Bureau SLC, UT, St. George Temple Records, Cemetary Records
Sealings in Jordan River Temple 3-19-93 Proxy Individual Preston Hunt------------------- David Canfield, husband Darlene Hunt------------------- Sally Mathewson, wife
Candace Fackrell--------------- Jane Canfield, child Allyson Wood------------------- Susanna Canfield, child Dean Wood---------------------- baby Canfield, child
Farnsworth History of Canfields #1697672-7
(Raymond B. Farnsworth)
David Canfield, father of Clara Canfield, was a Utah pioneer of 1850. He was born at Gorham, Ontario County, New York, 9 May 1812. He died at Hamblin (Mountain Meadows) Washington County, Utah 8 May 1897.
His first wife, Sarah Mattison, died while he was in the Patriotic Service in Canada. He married Elizabeth Storey Depuy 1 October 1843 in Bryan, William County, Ohio. They were the parents of 10 children. Elizabeth died 5 June 1908 in Cedar City, Iron County, Utah.
In 1850 they crossed the plains with wagon and ox team. Soon after their arrival in Salt Lake City, they were sent to help lay out the City of Provo, east of Fort Utah on the Provo River.
Their fourth child, James, was born at Provo 9 Oct. 1850. Clara, the ninth child, born 12 November 1861 was only two days old when they started on their wagon journey to help settle St. George in answer to a call from Briham Young.
During the October conference of the Church, 6 October 1861, President Brigham Young issued a call for 309 families to go southward immediately to settle what is now called "Utah's Dixie". "These 309 families were joined with 30 Swiss families, just newly arrived in the valley." All of these families arrived at the site of St. George uring November and December of 1861. This was to be th city that had been named by President Brigham Young in honor of George A. Smith. These families had been called to this area for that express purpose and to participate in "the Cotton and Tobacco Mission".
The 30 Swiss families were given the area of "the Big Bend", which is now Santa Clara.
The last child (10th) of David and Elizabeth was Alice Lillian, the only child born to them in St. George. She was born 28 October 1864.
The next spring he and his family moved northward about 30 miles from Dixie to Hamblin -- The Mountain Meadows, to become a part of that settlement.
In 1856 Jacob Hamblin had established a ranch at the Mountian Meadows and had built a house.
The Mountain Meadows are situated on a plateau about 30 miles north of St. George and about 10 miles southeast of Enterprise (which was settled in 1896). The eadows form a segment of the rim of the Great Basin, the watershed on which some streams form and flow southward to the Colorado River. Other streams flow northward down the canyon (Holt's Canyon) to the semi-arid Escalante desert. It was in the lower part of this canyon where James Holt settled and utilized this stream to water his farm lands established on the edge of the Escalante valley.
The Meadows are a narrow valley or mountain plateau surrounded by mountains. The area is about 5 or 6 miles long and one to three miles in width. The valley narrows to only a few rods in width at the southern end. It was through this valley that the Old Spanish Trail led emigrants to California.
In was at the southern end of the valley in this narrow gap where the Mountain Meadow Massacre occured 9-12 September 1857. FIELD NAME Page FIELD NAME Page FIELD NAME Page VALUE accessed 23 Aug 2011), entry for David Canfield, person ID KWJZ-CTX. _INFO P FIELD NAME Title FIELD NAME Details FIELD NAME Location FIELD NAME Page FIELD NAME Remarks FIELD NAME Page VALUE accessed 23 Aug 2011), entry for David Canfield, person ID KWJZ-CTX. _INFO P FIELD NAME Page VALUE IGI 820331 #7208160 sheet 01 on Film _INFO P FIELD NAME Page VALUE IGI 820331 #7208160 sheet 01 on Film _INFO P FIELD NAME Page
History of David Canfield
David Canfield, the 6th child of James Canfield and Susannah Blake Canfield, was born 9 May 1812, in Gorham, Ontario, New York, which is twelve miles from the Hill Cumorah.
David left home when he was twelve years old and went to Canada and lived with his uncle who was an ax maker and ships carpenter. He worked on the Great Lake District much of his early life, following his trade of ships, carpenter and blacksmith. He also worked on the Erie Canal as a bridge builder.
While in Canada, he fell in love and married a young Irish girl named Sally Mathison. They had two girls, Jane born about 1834 and Susannah about 1836. It was at this time that he met the Mormon Missionaries and learned of the restored Gospel and he was baptized by Parley P. Pratt in Jun 1836.
In 1837, the United States and the English in Canada were having problems and a war broke out. The English found out that David was born in the States and was there working. They called him a rebel and his Canadian friends warned him they were after him. From this time on, he had no peace or rest and was always running and hiding from the English. He enlisted with a group of "Rebels" as they were known, and was Prescribed, which possibly means he was a leader of the group and gave orders or directions, fighting with the States against the English. Things got pretty hot for him and he decided he had better leave Canada. His wife was pregnant so he made arrangements to leave his family with his wifes grandmother Mathison. With the help of his Canadian friends, they put him in a large barrel that was used to haul molasses and put him on a wagon and surrounded him with barrels full of molasses and took him across the border into the States. For years, the Queens soldiers were looking for him and all other men of his company. He had received from the States a Commission as an Officer of an Insurgent Corporal.
After the war was over, he went back to Canada to get his wife and children. His friends there told him what had happened... his wife had died shortly after giving birth to a baby boy and the baby died also. They took him to the grave where they had buried them both together. The grandmother Mathison had then taken the two little girls and gone back to Ireland without leaving any means of contacting her. (The girls remained in Canada with their Uncle?)
After losing everything, he had only his church and his work to begin again. He went to work as a carpenter around the Great Lakes and finally drifted into Chicago and then into Ohio. During this time, he met and married Elizabeth Story Depew, age 19 on 1 Oct 1843 in Bryan, Williams Co., Ohio. She was a daughter of John Depuy and Lucy Lonsberre. (I have found Depew spelled more times Depuy). Needless to say, the Depew family being French Huegenots, were most unhappy about this marriage of Elizabeth to David Canfield, a Mormon.
Sometime after their marriage, David and Elizabeth moved to Defiance, Ohio where their first child, David Jr. was born. They then moved to Chicago for work. They eventually moved to Nauvoo, Illinois to join the saints and David worked on the Nauvoo Temple. They were very destitute of material things and, with the persecution the saints were receiving, it was hard for the family. Just prior to the saints being driven out of Nauvoo, Brigham Young told David to return to Chicago and earn enough means with which to get a team and wagon. This, David and his family did, and it was there in Chicago.
The fall of 1849 found them at Winter Quarters. During the summer of 1850, they crossed the plains with an ox team and wagon in the Aaron Johnson Company. Also in the company was Jacob Hamblin, Dan Tyler, Edison Barney and William Cameron. After reaching Salt Lake, Presdient Young sent David and his family to help settle Provo. They arrived in Provo just in time for James, their fourth child, to be born in a wagon box on 9 Oct 1850. He was the first white baby born in Provo. At this time a great loss came to them when their twelve year old boy, David Jr., died on 14 Jun 1856. Just seven months later on 17 Jan 1857, their second child Ellen Elizabeth, eleven years old, died and she was buring where Brigham Young University is now.
While living in Provo, David worked as City Alderman during 1851-1852 and as Councilor in 1853-1854. While living here in Provo, their next five children were born. Harriet Elma born 5 Apr 1859 died 12 Dec 1859 and is buring in the Provo City Cemetery.
During the October General Conference in 1861, Brigham Young called 360 families to go and settle the Dixie Mission. David and Elizabeth and their family received the call and they made ready for the trip. Clara was just two days old when they started the trip on the 14 Nov 1861. It was necessary for them to go at that time so they would have company to travel with. They had a fairly good team of oxen and figured they could make the trip. Rough roads and a heavy load...gave the oxen out between Conn Creek and Cove Fort. They made it as far as Beaver and stayed a week at the home of Daniel Tyler, who had crossed the plains with them. They then stopped a day or two at Parowan and again at the home of Father Corry at Cedar City.
Moroni, who was thirteen years old, was driving an outfit for James Holliday who settled in Grafton, Utah and as soon as they could unload he sent Moroni back with an outfit to help his father. Only through the kindness of Mr. Holliday were they able to make the last of the journey to Dixie. Coming into Washington, they stopped at the home of John Price for a day or two and then went onto St. George. They located at the spring above the Pace farm east of St. George. They were there for the first Christmas held in St. George.
It rained very heavy that first winter and was very difficult to keep things dry and keep fires going. The ground was so boggy where the city now stands, that it was hard to get around. They had to keep on the beaten trails and they often had to lift the animals out of the mud. The grass grew tall on the black hills around St. George and at times you couldn't see the black rocks for the grass. Oxen and cattle were wintered there. When the grass was gone on the east black ridge, the livestock was moved over to the west side of St. George on the black hill where the "D" is.
David was a good friend of Jacob Hamblin and he knew of Davids ability as a carpenter, so he asked David to build him a home on the Santa Clara Creek. The Canfield family moved over there and settled around what was called "Hunts Place" and the "Foster Ranch". While living on the Santa Clara creek, they experienced a great flood. It rained and rained. Elizabeth became so uneasy about it that as the family were having their prayer before going to bed, she asked for protection from the Lord. After going to sleep, Elizabeth awoke suddenly and shook David saying, "Wake up, Wake up David, I have been warned to take the family to higher ground. Hurry wake the children and warn the neighbors, then you and the boys climb the mountain. I will go ahead with the rest of the family." David and the boys alerted the neighbors, some laughed and went back to sleep while others took the warning and went to safe ground. After it was all over with, they helped gather up the bodies. Some they could never find. James never forgot the experience of trying to unwrap the arms of a youngster from around a tree, or the look on his mother Elizabeth's face as she cleaned and cared for the bodies of young and the old as they were brought in.
While living in Santa Clara, David Canfield and his boys build the old Jacob Hamblin home. They cut and hauled timber from Pine Valley Mountain and it was difficult work. The boys gathered and lifted rock, but laughed and had a good time. David became a little angry when Jacob could not pay them as promised for their labors and so David, in disgust, moved his family into the home and lived there for two or three years.
They then moved to Pine Vally. From there they moved a few more miles to the north, to the Meadows or Hamblin as it was called. They lived in a wagon box and what shelter they could fix up around it to keep the hot sun and weather out. They longed for a home of their own and so they worked and saved to get enough to build a home but it was hard in such a wilderness area. It was here the Jacob Hamblin finally paid David for building his home in Santa Clara. David and his boys now built a nice home of their own in Hamblin. Things seemed a little easier for awhile. Their little cow and sheep herd grew and they made cheese and butter to sell or trade. Travelers going and coming from Pioche, Nevada to St. George and other places would stop at the Canfield home for meals or to pick up supplies of cheese, butter, vegetables and etc.
David did carpenter work and blacksmith work for a living. One day as he was working on a roof, a sudden, heavy rain storm came up and he was caught in it. He developed a bad cold and never recovered. He died on 8 May 1897, at age 85, and was buried next to his son Moroni who had died the 28 Jun 1893 at age 45 and was buried in the Hamblin cemetery.
!Ollie Jones shows sources as: Index Bureau SLC, UT, St. George Temple Records, Cemetary Records
Sealings in Jordan River Temple 3-19-93 Proxy Individual Preston Hunt------------------- David Canfield, husband Darlene Hunt------------------- Sally Mathewson, wife
Candace Fackrell--------------- Jane Canfield, child Allyson Wood------------------- Susanna Canfield, child Dean Wood---------------------- baby Canfield, child
Farnsworth History of Canfields #1697672-7
(Raymond B. Farnsworth)
David Canfield, father of Clara Canfield, was a Utah pioneer of 1850. He was born at Gorham, Ontario County, New York, 9 May 1812. He died at Hamblin (Mountain Meadows) Washington County, Utah 8 May 1897.
His first wife, Sarah Mattison, died while he was in the Patriotic Service in Canada. He married Elizabeth Storey Depuy 1 October 1843 in Bryan, William County, Ohio. They were the parents of 10 children. Elizabeth died 5 June 1908 in Cedar City, Iron County, Utah.
In 1850 they crossed the plains with wagon and ox team. Soon after their arrival in Salt Lake City, they were sent to help lay out the City of Provo, east of Fort Utah on the Provo River.
Their fourth child, James, was born at Provo 9 Oct. 1850. Clara, the ninth child, born 12 November 1861 was only two days old when they started on their wagon journey to help settle St. George in answer to a call from Briham Young.
During the October conference of the Church, 6 October 1861, President Brigham Young issued a call for 309 families to go southward immediately to settle what is now called "Utah's Dixie". "These 309 families were joined with 30 Swiss families, just newly arrived in the valley." All of these families arrived at the site of St. George uring November and December of 1861. This was to be th city that had been named by President Brigham Young in honor of George A. Smith. These families had been called to this area for that express purpose and to participate in "the Cotton and Tobacco Mission".
The 30 Swiss families were given the area of "the Big Bend", which is now Santa Clara.
The last child (10th) of David and Elizabeth was Alice Lillian, the only child born to them in St. George. She was born 28 October 1864.
The next spring he and his family moved northward about 30 miles from Dixie to Hamblin -- The Mountain Meadows, to become a part of that settlement.
In 1856 Jacob Hamblin had established a ranch at the Mountian Meadows and had built a house.
The Mountain Meadows are situated on a plateau about 30 miles north of St. George and about 10 miles southeast of Enterprise (which was settled in 1896). The eadows form a segment of the rim of the Great Basin, the watershed on which some streams form and flow southward to the Colorado River. Other streams flow northward down the canyon (Holt's Canyon) to the semi-arid Escalante desert. It was in the lower part of this canyon where James Holt settled and utilized this stream to water his farm lands established on the edge of the Escalante valley.
The Meadows are a narrow valley or mountain plateau surrounded by mountains. The area is about 5 or 6 miles long and one to three miles in width. The valley narrows to only a few rods in width at the southern end. It was through this valley that the Old Spanish Trail led emigrants to California.
In was at the southern end of the valley in this narrow gap where the Mountain Meadow Massacre occured 9-12 September 1857. FIELD NAME Page FIELD NAME Page FIELD NAME Page VALUE accessed 23 Aug 2011), entry for David Canfield, person ID KWJZ-CTX. _INFO P FIELD NAME Title FIELD NAME Details FIELD NAME Location FIELD NAME Page FIELD NAME Remarks FIELD NAME Page VALUE accessed 23 Aug 2011), entry for David Canfield, person ID KWJZ-CTX. _INFO P FIELD NAME Page VALUE IGI 820331 #7208160 sheet 01 on Film _INFO P FIELD NAME Page VALUE IGI 820331 #7208160 sheet 01 on Film _INFO P FIELD NAME Page
Events
| Birth | 9 Mar 1812 | Gorham New, Hopewell Twp, Ontario, New York, United States |  |  | |
| Marriage | Abt 1834 | Toronto, York, Ontario, Canada - Sarah MATHEWSON | | | |
| Confirmation | Jun 1836 | ||||
| Marriage | 1 Oct 1843 | Bryan, Williams, Ohio, United States - Elizabeth Story DEPUY | | ||
| Emigration | 1850 | Aaron Johnson Company To Utah | |||
| Burial | May 1897 | Hamblin-Meadows, Washington, Utah, United States | | ||
| Death | 8 May 1897 | Hamblin-Meadows, Washington, Utah, United States | |||
| Marriage | Hulda LOOMIS | ||||
| Marriage | Cynthia LOOMIS | ||||
| Marriage | Sabra Amanda LOOMIS | ||||
| Marriage | Beulah Ann ROBERTS | ||||
| Marriage | Maranda LOOMIS | ||||
| Marriage | Eliza ROBERTS | ||||
| Marriage | Mary Louisa ROBERTS | ||||
| Ancestral File Number | 2CRR-1J | ||||
| Misc. | Cattle Brand | |
Families
| Spouse | Sarah MATHEWSON (1812 - 1837) |
| Child | Jane CANFIELD (1834 - ) |
| Child | Susanna CANFIELD (1836 - ) |
| Child | Baby (James?) CANFIELD (1838 - 1838) |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Story DEPUY (1824 - 1908) |
| Child | David CANFIELD Jr. (1844 - 1857) |
| Child | Ellen Elizabeth CANFIELD (1846 - 1858) |
| Child | Moroni CANFIELD (1848 - 1893) |
| Child | James CANFIELD (1850 - 1933) |
| Child | Lucy Philena CANFIELD (1853 - 1901) |
| Child | Parley Pratt CANFIELD (1855 - 1922) |
| Child | Lyman CANFIELD (1857 - 1944) |
| Child | Harriet Elma CANFIELD (1859 - 1859) |
| Child | Clara CANFIELD (1861 - 1928) |
| Child | Alice Lillian CANFIELD (1864 - 1952) |
| Spouse | Mary Louisa ROBERTS (1821 - ) |
| Spouse | Eliza ROBERTS (1820 - ) |
| Spouse | Maranda LOOMIS (1809 - 1870) |
| Spouse | Beulah Ann ROBERTS (1833 - 1862) |
| Spouse | Sabra Amanda LOOMIS (1823 - 1824) |
| Spouse | Cynthia LOOMIS (1798 - 1848) |
| Spouse | Hulda LOOMIS (1820 - 1842) |
| Father | James CANFIELD (1778 - 1841) |
| Mother | Susannah BLAKE (1773 - 1853) |
| Sibling | Miss CANFIELD (1800 - ) |
| Sibling | Harriet CANFIELD (1803 - ) |
| Sibling | Myron CANFIELD (1805 - 1805) |
| Sibling | Elnathan CANFIELD (1806 - ) |
| Sibling | Anson CANFIELD (1808 - ) |
| Sibling | Stephan CANFIELD (1810 - 1861) |
| Sibling | Lorenzo CANFIELD (1814 - ) |
| Sibling | Phebe CANFIELD (1816 - ) |
| Sibling | Eliza CANFIELD (1818 - ) |
| Sibling | Emily CANFIELD (1820 - ) |
Notes
Birth
A BIT OF HISTORYI owe thee debt, brother of by-gone years, for brave example shining yet to speed me on." ---Campbell. Those who live in Ontario Co. are more or less familiar with the account of the Sullivan Expedition through central and western New York state in 1779. By subduing the Indian the expedition paved the way toward opening up a new country. It made it possible for the settler to come in with his family with some degree of safety. Many of the men with Sullivan, retracing their steps homeward from this land of rich soil, began to anticipate the time when they might return on a mission of improvement, occupancy, and permanent development. And ten years later, through an association formed by the Phelps and Gorham Purchase, settlers began to come from the east and the south to buy land for their homes. The War of the Revolution had been a hard school for the sturdy youth of New England and Pennsylvania. Fearless and independent, there was no obstacle they did not remove, few dangers they did not surmount. He who traveled the forests of Ontario County In the 1790's found that three fourths of the heads of families had been soldiers or the sons of soldiers of the Revolution. Inheriting the manly firmness of their forefathers they felled the original forests, opened roads for communication, built their homes schools and churches with a rapidity akin to the marvelous. No age has supplied men and women more Intelligent, better versed in useful acquirements, more skilled in the practical concerns of life. The same axe used in cutting the logs for their cabin home was used to fell the tress for their church home. They were the descendants of the men and women who had left the old world that they might have religious freedom, and religion had the same vital force in the lives of these pioneers. Although the land was covered with forest and swamp with only trails winding through, yet these forefathers of ours must have been men of vision in their building for future generations. They must have had before then the vision of rich cultivated fields, fine roads, homes, schools and churches, to have laid the foundation so wisely. As we know the turnpike was, in itsoriginal state, the old Indian trail across the state--how old we will never know. But it was destined to become a hugeartery for cross country traffic. For many years the road has held its own as such, but now at this writing it is entering upon a new era, with the great Thruway paralleling It. Away from this constant roar of traffic by only few rods, on a rise of ground studded by pine trees is found the old Pioneer Burying Ground of Hopewell, or Easton (In some old legal papers I have found It called East Town.) Here we find the names of the pioneer settlers of the lower half of Hopewell and a portion of Gorham and Seneca Townships. The Gates, the Whitacres, the Cones, Murray, Miles, Thatcher, Birdseye, Brundle, Pratt, Case, Babcock, Hart, Lewis and others. No record of the settlement of Ontario County can be written without these names, and as we trace their records, we find that they became, through marriage, one large family. Like the weaving of a tapestry, colors appearing in one motive are found, here and there, through the whole pattern. Since settlement began in or before 1790 and death came early and often as the pioneer faced hardship with each morning's rising, we have no record of burials before 1800 In Easton. Before this date no doubt they were made each on his own land not far from the cabin, or In a family plot set aside for that purpose. When I was a small girl I remember such a plot in the Smith Road across from the George Brundage home, even then the shale markers were crumbling away. After 1796-7 the town of Hopewell began to fill up rapidly, and soon after 1800 the "First Presbyterian Society of Hopewell" was formed and plans made for the church building. Deacon George Babcock, 1749-1816, gave the land for It with space around it for their "Burying Ground." Many of the old slab stones have long since gone down and I think that 1805 is as early as any remaining. The church was the only one In that part of the township and so had a large membership. In 1828 the present Presbyterian Church in the village of Gorham was organized, with its charter members taken from the Hopewell church. Among the charter members of the Seneca Castle church were the Beldings, the Yackleys and the Whitneys. As churches were organized at Reed's Corners at Hopewell Center, at Lewis, now Aloquin, and Flint Creek-- even Chapin and Canandaigua, all drew from the membership of the old Hopewell Church until it finally went down. The last record in the clerks book is dated May 1, 1870. The last service that of the funeral service for Dr. Jonathan Pratt March 15, 1880. The Inside arrangement was something like that of the Congregational church in Canandaigua, though more simple, with its built-in box pews and balcony on three sides. But the pulpit with several steps leading up, was at the front; a door on each side from the entrance hall. The church was heated by two stoves with a long run of pipe to a center chimney. The windows were on the sides looking toward the north and the south. The front entrance hall had stairs on each side of the double entrance doors; outside an uncovered porch or platform across the entire front. Upstairs there was a "Session room" and steps going up to the steeple or belfry. I do not think there was a bell. There was a door on each side going Into the Balcony. In front of the pulpit there was a mahogany table. The last I knew that was In the possession of a family in Gorham. Of course the church was of white clapboards, New England type. Rev. Joseph Merrill was the first minister and was there for more than 25 years. The next minister was the Rev. Isaac Flagler, the father of Henry M. Flagler, the oil and Rail-road Magnate. Henry M. Flaglar was born In the Church Parsonage and baptized in the Church August 22, l83O. He also attended the district school a few rods from the church on the turnpike. This son of Ontario County is most noted for his promotion of real estate in Florida and for building the Florida Keys Rail-Road. The parsonage was south of the church on the same side of the road just over the township line into Gorham. It burned several years ago, and now a small frame house stands on the site. During the time of the Rev. Flagler's ministry, William and Oliver Babcock, Stephen Maltby, Jeremiah Stryker And Nathanial Smith were deacons; Oliver Babcock was clerk; these members made up the "Session." Among the ministers which followed Rev. Michael Carpenter, Jacob Burbank, Rev. H.B.Pierpoint, Rev. Warren Day. On Nov. 3, 1833 John Corson and Carlo Reed were "set apart to the office of Elders." In 1838 Jacob Pickle became an Elder, in place of Carlo Reed. Later John Mead and Ephraim Watkins became Elders and Jacob Pickle and John Mead became Deacons. In 1841 Richmond Case became an Elder and John J. Stone, Clerk. Seth V. DeGraff an Elder. The first Clerk's book could have told us so much and it is too bad that lt is lost to us. I think that Capt. John Hart was Clerk during that time. About 1890 the Hopewell Pioneer Cemetery Association was formed by a few of the descendants of the Hopewell Pioneers; the old church building was sold to Mr. Stark of Gorham and moved away for a barn, and the money received for it was put in a saving's account in the bank. But the cemetery itself needed repair and care; many stones with their records were already lost and many of those remaining needed mendinq to save them; the old board fence was of little account; the ground where the church building had stood must be leveled and seeded, etc. Mrs. Mary Gates and Mrs. Candice Birdseye drove, for this was In the horse and buggy days, many miles hither and yon, and wrote many letters they could not see till about $300 dollars was raised for this repair work. An Iron fence was put up across the front, stones mended; since then each year stones have needed repair, for the winter winds can play havoc with the old slab stones, grass has been mowed, holes filled. Some years it has been hard to find anyone for this work. Much work has been contributed by a few interested persons and members of this small association. A few years agoamember of the Joel Pratt family gave us a $1000 Dollar Rail-Road bond which is a great help. The dividends to be used for the upkeep of the cemetery grounds. What is most needed are those who can give an active interest and support to the care of this old cemetery. This should not necessarily be confined to the descendants, for all who live in Hopewell, Gorham, and Seneca, are, in some measure, beneficiaries of the work of these people who lie burried here. They worked through dangers and hardships that we may live and enjoy. Some one has said, "They are not dead so long as any remain who remember." ---authorof aboveunknown
Marriage
I do hereby certify that on the first day of October 1843 by virtue of a Licence from the clerk of the court of com- mons law of Williams County David Cainfield and Elizabeth S. Depy were legally bound in Marriage by me, a justice of the peace in ____for said County. Given under my hand and s?ave this 11th day of October 1843. Thomas Will Justice of the Peace Filed & recorded Oct.. 1E" (more of a backwards 3) 1843 (more but unreadable. Appears in every entry so probably not pertainant. Something like The Securs Dept clk)Defiance, Williams, Ohio marriage Record Vol. I, page 69. Page emailed to Allyson Wood on 9-23-2010.
Misc.
Reel #1, January 18, 1868, for David Canfield Page 148. Washington.Endnotes
1. Utah Pioneers 1847-1850.
2. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "FamilySearch," database, \i FamilySearch\i0 (http://new.familysearch.org), accessed 23 Aug 2011), entry for David Canfield, person ID KWJZ-CTX..
3. , LDS Ward Records; individual Ward..
4. Marriage Records.
5. Marriage Records, US/Can 977.1113 V22W 1824-68.
6. Marriage Records, Marriage listed in the Williams County, Ohio Marriages Vol. I-III found in LDS FHL US/CAN 977.1113 V22w 1824-1868. It lists: DEPUY, Elizabeth/CANFIELD, David Vol. I, pg, 69, Date: 1 Oct 1843. I found it on film (LDS 0954803).
7. Cemetery Records.