Upper Canada Land Petition of Aw Ranciere July 4 1795/July 28 1795

To His Excellency John Graves Simcoe Esquire Lieutenant Governor and Colonel commanding His Majesty ' s Forces in the Province of Upper Canada & & &

The Petition of Andrew Rancier Most humbly showeth

(In Council)

That your Petitioner is the son of a loyalist who served during the late American War in the late Corps of Rangers commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John Butler as did such of his sons who was able to carry arms.

That your petitioner' s Father after _ ? drew one hundred acres of land in part of the G ? due him by the Crown for his services and died _? without having received his Complement.

That your petitioner agreed unconditionally? with the other Heirs of your petitioner' s late father to pay all the debts of his said late Father and funeral expenses.

Fathers Lands[:] That your petitioner having been now nine years in the province

& several years married to the Daughter of a Loyalist considers himself also entitled to expect? from your Excellency a grant of lands in his own right having as yet none.

Wherefore your petitioner prays that your Excellency would grant to your petitioner the two hundred acres due on his late Fathers quota as aforesaid[,] two hundred for himself and two hundred for his wife who comes under the instructions? of his Excellency General Haldimand in 1783 - all 600 acres & as in duty bound he will ever pray Newark 4 July

1795 .Jtnarew 'Rancier

Upper Canada Land Petitions, Vol. 422A, Rl/11 Canadian Archives Reel #C-2740 FHL Film No. 1630726

Note: The fact that in 1795 Andrew Rancier, son of Andrew Ransier, states he has been in the Province for nine years suggests that 1786 or thereabouts was the time of the family ' s move to Canada

3-71

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UPPER CANADA LAND PETITION OF ANDREW RANCIER Vol. 422A, Rl/11, Canadian Archives Reel C-2740; FHL Film No. 1630726

The article from which the following account was extracted appeared in the Colonial Genealogist 10 (1981) and 11(1982)

The Rancier-Ransier-Rantzir's of New York & Canada: A Founding German Loyalist Family by Esther Rancier and Ronald Ransier

(The original contains a major genealogical error. E. M.)

"I. Andres Rantzir1 b. Germany 1731 ; m. Agnes (Nenny, Nenjie, Anna)--; d. 1789 in Ontario, Canada, age 58. Andres was also called Andrew Ranseer, Ransier, Rantzier, Rantsier and other variations. By occupation he was a turner. His military files show him to have been 5 feet 5 1/2 inches tall, fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. The fust U. S. record shows Andres at the baptism of his son Johannes 19 May 1755 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Schoharie, N. Y. In the Third Annual Report of the State of New York he is on a muster roll of men raised by Stephen Schuyler's Company on 3 May 1760. He was enlisted by Lt. Peter B. Vrooman out of Stemberger' s Company. He apparently returned to that company because he is on that muster roll for 2 May 1767. When the American Revolution began Andrew Rantsier served with the Duchess Courtty Militia 23 October 1776 to 8 November 1776. He was paid 1 pourtd, 12 shillings, 4 1/2 pence for 17 days of service.

He next appeared in British records as Andrew Ransier serving in the 6th Battalion of the New Jersey Volurtteers in 1777 and 1778. Later in 1781-1783 he participated in the Queen' s Rangers. After the war he settled in the Niagara District in 1783 where his name appears on lot 160, Niagara and lot 2 of concession 5 of the first map of the Clinton Township.

A land petition in 1819 by his son John gave his date of death as 30 years before or 1789. His grave is unlocated. No details are available on his wife Agnes. Her birth and death are urtknown. All births of his children were taken from the baptism records of St. Paul 's Lutheran Church, Schoharie, N. Y. except for George and Joseph's births who are unrecorded. (This is incorrect, as Joseph's birth is recorded by his German given name of "Jost." E. M.)

1. George2 b.1752; m. at Schoharie 25 Dec. 1776 Elizabeth Curt (later called Coon); d. after 1804.

2. Johannes2 (later called John) b. 19 May 1755; m. 10 February 1784 Eva Deitz; d. after 1839.

3. Catharina2 b. 18 Jurte 1757 4. Wilhelm2 (later called William) b. 23 July 1759; m. 6 Jurte 1793 Elizabeth

(Babcock) McFarlane; d. 19 Sept. 1834. 5. Joseph2 b 1761 6. Johan Jost or Joost2 b. 2 Mar. 1762; m. Anna Maria ------

(Joseph and Johan Jost are the same person. E. M.) 7. Maria2 b. 14 Dec. 1763; m. in Schoharie 1 Aug. 1807 Frederick Scheel.(?) Due

to age of bride issue doubtful. (Maria married Michael Cune 27 Dec 1783. E. M.) 8. Anna2 (prob. later called Ann) b. 16 April 1766; m. Jacob Huffman, U.E. 9. Andres2 b. 1 May 1768; m. Christina Sagar. 10. Elizabeth2 b. 1 Aug. 1770; m. Michael Huffman. 11. Christina2 b. 27 Aug. 1775."

1

3-73

I 3-741

The authors were obviously unaware that Jost is the German equivalent of Joseph. As a result they had gaps in the lives of Joseph and Johan Jost Ransier. Combining the data on both men a whole person begins to emerge. It should also be remembered that "Nancy" is a nickname for "Ann."

"V. JoseQh Ransier2 (Andres 1) b. 1761. There are no good records of Joseph.

However, he or some of his children went to Kingston to live at some point. It is presumed that his son Joseph married William's daughter Rachel. Joseph apparently never applied for any land. When Rachel applied for land she did so using her father ' s service record. Joseph is listed officially on the roll of Butler' s Rangers, so he probably qualified for land. At Fort Erie after the war an Ann Rancier and one man were listed. Ann could possibly be Joseph 's wife. However, it is also possible she was his sister, Anna. The strange listing of Ann and one man suggests the man was not her husband. Joseph it listed without the mention of dependents. It is pure conjecture, but he might have returned to the states after the war.

Only two children may be presumed for him. Joseph of Kingston certainly suggests a link. But the female, Nancy, is very speculative. She existed and she was not a member of any other family. Both children should be treated as questionable. This line needs further research.

1. Joseph3 b. U.S.; m. 1 Jan. 1818 in Loughborough Rachel Ransier, his cousin. Joseph came from Kingston. In 1860 census he was 66. a shingleman. Rachael was 61 .

2. Nancy3 m. 29 July 1810 Daniel Lovette in Kingston."

"VI. Johan Jost or Joost Rantzir2 (Andres 1) b. 2 Mar. 1762; m. Anna Maria .

Johan was presumeably too young to immediately join up at the beginning of the Revolution. Possibly aware of the problems faced by his father and brothers he choose not to participate. He stayed in Schoharie and married. Later he followed John to Albany Co. It never appears that he went to Canada. His life seems lived quite apart from his family. His three younger children were christened at Berne, Albany County, N. Y. There is no evidence that this branch of the family ever deviated from the German spelling of the name.

1. Anna3 bap. Schoharie, N. Y. 10 Jan. 1790. 2. Eliesabeht3 bap. 23 May 1791. 3. Joahn3 b. 2 Sept. 1792. 4. Henrich3 b. 19 June 1794."

There is possibly an additional child in the family of Andres Ransier who has been overlooked by these authors. In a deposition taken for John Ransier's (child 2 above) RW pension application, Sarah Cassady states she is John's sister. Could she have been Catharina Sarah/Sarah Catharina (child 3) or Christina Sarah/Sarah Christina (child 10), or is she an additional daughter in this family?

For documentation of the critiqued additions, consult the references for the Family Group Sheet of Andres Ransier.

2

THE RANCIER-RANTZIR'S OF KINGSTON, ONTARIO, A FOUNDING GERMAN LOYALIST FAMILY Appendix

THE PUBLIC ARCHIVES OF CANADA - 79-8730/RA-RD - 5962 - 13 August 1979.

RANGIER (RANSIER) FAMILY

A search of the various indexes and logical sources in our custody has

produced the following references to the surname Rancier (Ransier,

Ranzier, Ranseer, Ransear)1

Upper ~anada Land Petitions (RG 1,LJ)

Name

Rancier, Andrew

Date Place

1795 Newark

Ranseer, George 1826 Loughborough

Ransier, Andrew 1819 Grantham

Ransier, Catharine(Lyon)18J2 Kingston

Ransier, Elizabeth(Babcock)1797 Kingston

Ransier, George 1794 Newark

Ransier, George

Ransier, Henry

Ransier, John

Ransier, Rachal

Ransier, W~lliam

Ransier, Williafu

1819

1819

1819

1819 1797

1807

Gainsborough

Gainsborough

Gainsborough

Kingston

Kingston

Vol.

422A

435

428 292

424

446

428 428

428

4JOA

42J

446

Ransier, William 1810 Kingston 446

Ransier, William

Ransier, William

1800 1819

Kingston J

Loughborough 4JOA

Reference

R 1/11

R 19/74 R 12/48

L 17/94A

R 3/118

R Misc/6 1777-1794

R 12/67

R 12/65

R 12/ 50 R 14/102

R J/19

R Misc/41 1796-1816

R Misc/45 1796-1816

A 5/20

R 14/109

Microfilm Reel No.

C-2740

C-2747

C-2743

C-2129

C-2740

C-2804

C-274)

C-2743

C-2?lt3

C-2744

C-2740

C-280lt

c-1609 C-27411-

3-75

Briti s h Military and Naval Records "C" Series (RG 8)

Name Description Date Vol. Page

1864 28

1866 27

1701 55

Microfilm Reel No.

Rancier, Andrew

Rancier, Andrew

Rancier, John

Ranci e r, John

? Ransier, Andrew

? Ransier , Andrew

Ransier, Andrew

Pte., Queen's Rangers ·24 August 1781

Pte., Queen's Rangers 24 August 1782

Joined Capt. Crook's August 1812 Company, 1st Lincoln Militia

On L·oll of Cap~. Reed's Company

Pte., 6th Ba tt., New Jers ey Volunteers

Pte ., 6th Batt ., New Jersey Volunteers

28 June 181 2

8 Septe mbe r 1777

7 March 1?78

C-4218

C-4218

C-J8)9

1701 92 C-J8 J9

1860 J2 c-4217

1860 40 C-4217

Pte., Queen ' s Rangers 2J February 1781 1864 4J C-4218

3-76

Name Description Date Vol. Page

Ransier, Andrew Pte ., Queen's Rangers 24 Oc tober 1782 1865 72 Ransier, Andrew Pte ., Queen's Rangers

Ransier, Andrew Pte., Queen's Rangers

Ransier, Henry Niagara District , has not taken the . oath of allegiance

Ransier, John Queen's Rangers, died

Ransier, John Sr. Niagara District, has not taken ·the oath of allegiance

? Ranzier, Andrew Royal American Reformers

Ranzier, Andrew Pte., Queen's Rangers

Ranzier , Andrew Pte. , Queen's Rangers

Haldimand's Loyalist Li sts (MG 21 ) Name Volume

Ransear, George 10 5 Ransear, Joseph 10 5 Ransear, William 166

24 December 1782

23 February 1783

16 September 1812

24 April 1781 16 September

1812

17"78

24 August 1779

24 August 1779

Page

74 64b

225

1866 28

1866 22

1700 9

1864 17 1700 9

1894 9

1862 55

1862 70

Microfilm Reel No .

C-147 5 C-147 5 C-147 5

Ontario Crown Lands Department Loyali s t List (M G 9. D l} , Volume 9)

(?) and William Ransier (page 240) ; reel C-1476 .Joseph Rancier {page 319); r ee l C-1476 Ann Ransier (page J20 ). reel C-1476

Family History Library Film Number Equivalents:

C-16 09 17 65732 C-2129 1630644 C-274 0 1630726 C-2743 1630729 C-2 744 1630730 C-2747 1630733 C- 2804 1630740 C-4217 1631542 C-4218 1631543 C-4222 1631547

The preceding was extracted from The Rancier-Rantzir's of Kingston, Ontario: A Founding German Loyalist Family

by Esther Rancier assisted by Ronald Ransier.

Microf Re e l N

C-4218 C-4218

C-4218

C-430 5

C-4217 C-4JO 5

C-4222

C-4217

C-4217

Page 3-77: This page from the original Meredith Collection showing the location of various tracts belonging to the Huffmans on an early Bertie Township map has been removed. The map originally appeared in the Mini Atlas of Early Settlers in the District of Niagara, 1782-1876. One of the authors, Maggie Parnall, would not give permission for the map to be reproduced here.

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JOHNSON

Our earliest known Johnson ancestor is Hector Johnson. His places and dates of birth and death are unknown. He was married to Nancy, maiden name unknown.1 The most definitive information we have concerning the origin of his Johnson family is found in a letter (see the following document) dated 9 May 1980 written by Miss Lena Bicknell, Foxboro, Ontario.2

Miss Bicknell states that our Johnson ancestor, possibly Hector Johnson, was from the United States and had eloped to Canada, the obvious implication being that his wife also had come from the United States. "They took land near Wellandport 15 miles from here. He rode to the mail on horse­back .... " He disappeared while on one of these excursions and his fate is unknown.3

Miss Bicknell's story is partially corroborated by the fact that in the 1881 Canadian census, one of Hector Johnson's granddaughters, Phoebe/Phebe (Johnson) Drake, gives as her birthplace Canada, hut as her place of origin, the United States.4 Miss Bicknell is a descendant of Phoebe (Johnson) Drake.

Trying to determine who the father and mother of Hector Johnson were is going to he a difficult task since Johnson is such a common name and the exact location in the United States from which Hector immigrated is not known, nor is it even known if he was the immigrant.

George Johnson, son of Hector, was horn between 1808 and 1811 at Queenston, Ontario.5 He was an innkeeper and a farmer.6 George Johnson's first wife from whom Phoebe and his other children horn before 1857 descend, was Elizabeth Davidson/Davison.7 Elizabeth was possibly the daughter of Samuel Davidson and Flora McDonell.8 Elizabeth was horn about 1812 or earlier and died 1 February 1857 when a number of her children were still young.9 George Johnson married second Hannah (Putnam) Robins 26September1860.10 He died in Wainfleet Township, Welland County, Ontario, 1May1884.11

Elizabeth Ann Johnson, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Davidson) Johnson, was horn 31 August 1848 in Wainfleet Township, Welland County, Ontario.12 She married William Bradt of Moulton Township, Haldimand County, Ontario, son of Aaron and Sarah (Runchey) Bradt, 1 March 1876 possibly in Buffalo, New York.13

In 1884 William and Elizabeth (Johnson) Bradt were involved in an ill-fated hotel venture, the purchase and short-lived operation of the American Hotel in Tonawanda, New York.14 According to the 1900 U.S. Census for the state of New York, Elizabeth (Johnson) Bradt had five children of whom four were living at that time.15 Elizabeth (Johnson) Bradt divorced William Bradt on 14 June 1894.16 After the divorce Elizabeth supported herself and her children by taking in hoarders and later by working as a practical nurse and governess.17 Elizabeth (Johnson) Bradt died in Tonawanda 9 May 1930, and is buried in Elmlawn Cemetery.18

1Elizabeth Hancocks, comp. and ed., County Mani.age Regi,sters of Ontario, Canada 1858-1869, 35 vols. (Agincourt, ON: Generation Press, Inc., 1989), 19:59. The record of George Johnson's second marriage names his parents ..

2Miss Lena Bicknell, Foxboro, Ont., to Mrs. Kay McDaniel, now of 131 Campus Drive East, Amherst, NY, 9 May 1980.

31bid.

41881 Canadian Census, Dunn Twp. , Haldimand Co., ON, p. 15. Film No. 1375890. Family History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, ITT, [hereafter FHL].

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3-79

3-80

51851 Canadian Census, Gainsborough Twp., Lincoln Co. , ON, p. 72. Film No. 349222. FHL; and Ontario, Canada, Office of the Registrar General , Death Register, Welland Co., George Johnson, #18951 , p. 236. Film No. 1853186. FHL.

6Ibid.

7Tonawanda, NY, Certification of Death, Dist. No. 1403, Flora A Kronkhite, 18 Apr 1908; and Lesia Davison Johnson, 21Sep1915. Tonawanda City Hall, Tonawanda, NY. Flora and Lesia were d1e daughters of George Johnson and the sisters of Elizabeth {Johnson) Bradt.

811Weddings at Niagara," Ontano Hi.storical Society Papers and Rerords, vol. 3 (Toronto: by the Society, 1901). Sanmel Davidson and Flora McDonell as parents of Elizabeth (Davidson) Johnson is based on circumstantial evidence. Theirs was the only Davidson marriage located in the area where Elizabeth Davidson lived, and Elizabeth named her second daughter Flora, a somewhat unusual name.

91851 Canadian Census, Gainsborough Twp., Lincoln Co., ON, p. 72; and Riverside Cemetery, Wellandport, Wainfleet Township, County of Niagara South, (fonnerly Welland County), OntariO, Canada , trans. Fiona McArthur and Robin Stayzer, (Wain.fleet, ON: Wain.fleet Township Public Library, 1984), p . 45.

1 OJ-lancocks, County Marriage Regi,sters of OntarirJ , 19: 59.

11 Ontario, Canada, Office of ilie Registrar General, Death Register, George Johnson.

121851 Canadian Census, Gainsborough Twp., Lincoln Co. , ON, p . 72; and 1861 Census, Wain.fleet Twp. , Welland Co. , ON, E .D. 3, p . 36. Film No. 349293. FHL. According to her tombstone inscription in Elrnlawn Cemetery, Tonawanda, NY, Elizabeili was born in 1854. As Elizabeth was somewhat older than her husband, she might have shaved a few years off her age, or the engraver may have been supplied the incorrect information. Also Tonawanda, NY, Certification of Death, Dist. No. 1403, Elizabeth A Bradt, 10 May 1930. Tonawanda City Hall , Tonawanda, NY. Elizabeth's death certificate erroneously names her father as "David" Johnson. His name is correctly recorded on the certificates of her sisters, Flora and Lesia (foot­note 7 above].

13Erie Co., NY, Certificate and Record of Marriage, Harry L. Bradt, 3 Apr 1900, Vol. 24:150. Erie County Courthouse, Buffalo, NY [The marriage record names parents of Harry L. Bradt as William Bradt and Elizabeth Johnson]. Ontario, CAN, Office of the Registrar General, Toronto, Lincoln Co. , Marriage Register, Nancy Catherine Bradt, p . 348, #10260. Film #1871077, FHL. [The marriage of Nancy Cailierine Bradt records her parent's names as Aaron Bradt and Sarah Runchey] . Haldimand Co., ON, CAN, Deed 3305, 2 Apr 1891/29 Apr 1891. County Hall of Records, Cayuga, ON, and Harold Fitzsimmons, Lockport, NY, to the compiler, undated, circa 1988. Harold Fitzsimmons, now deceased , was the son of Sara A (Bradt) Fitzsimmons and the grandson of Elizabeth {Johnson) Bradt. The voltune of Erie County, NY, marriage records which might have contained the marriage of William Bradt and Elizabeth Johnson is missing from the Erie County Couriliouse.

14Tonawanda (NY) Herakl. 26 Jun 1884 and 1 Jan 1885. Historical Society of the Tonawandas, Tonawanda, NY.

15U.S. Census, 1900, Tonawanda, Erie Co. , NY, E.D. 260, sh. 10, Microcopy T623, Roll 1034. National Archives and Records Service, Washington, D.C.

16Harold Fitzsimmons to the compiler.

17Ibid.

18-f onawanda, NY, Certification of Death, Dist. No. 1403, Elizabeili A Bradt.

Compiler : Elizabeili (VanBradt) Meredith 1720 South Gessner Road Houston, Texas 77063

July, 1997

2