Isaac Vanorder

 

            The following is the transcript of an article I wrote and was published in the Leamington Post, Wednesday, 26 January 2000. (Robert Vanidour - London, Ontario)

 

            “If ever there was a reason for the generations to talk to each other; it would be to convey their family history. Many of our children feel that those who came before us are gone; “Who cares. I live for today”. Many of our parents and grandparents have either forgotten their family history or reminisce over old photos in solitude due to the scattering of the modern family unit.

            Locked away in archives, libraries, closets and shoe boxes is a wealth of family information waiting to be shared. Genealogy has become the fastest growing hobby in North America. It is second to pornography as the most popular use of the World Wide Web.

            On old records of the area the name “Vanidour” keeps appearing. They appear on census records beginning in 1861. They were politicians, business men and farmers. There was “Vanidours’ Cash & Carry and numerous cemetery markers in the area. Who they were and where they came from was a mystery, even in our family. Stories claim that they were of Pennsylvania Dutch descent and had once owned land in Kingston. The lack of communication between the generations is no different than other families. Much more is still to be revealed but after 20 years of research, an interesting story has emerged of war and cultural influence. It is a story that was never told.

            Born in 1804 Isaac was one of the children to a Loyalist family of Kingston, Ont. His origins were never known by his descendants and many spelling errors were made in documenting the name. His tombstone has VANIDOR. Old local records refer to him as Father VANIDER. His birth name was, however, VANORDER.

            The origins of the Vanorders has been researched and documented with much speculation. A Pierre Gaspard Mabille of Nevy, France, is reportedly the progenitor. He had served under Admiral Gaspard de Coligney during “The Reformation”, the religious wars, of the 1500s. After the Admirals assassination a general massacre of the reformed began. Pierre and family sought refuge in the Netherlands and two generations later, in 1623, his descendants arrived in New Amsterdam. The surname had changed to VanNaarden (from Naarden ), their place of residence in Holland. Records indicate that not only are all Vanorders, VanNordens, descended from this North American pioneer, NamedPierre Gaspard MAbille VanNaarden, but the Mabies (a variant of the name MAbille ) claim the same heritage.

            After generations in New York (formerly New Amsterdam) and New Jersey, the politics of the American Revolution pitted relative against relative, friend against friend. The VanNordens, as the name was pronounced due to the growing British influence, became a fractured family. Their religious and sometimes pious lifestyle was threatened and many assumed a loyalty to Britain as a way of maintaining their cultural heritage. Mattheus VanNorden was one such individual who fought for Britain during the war, but like his ancestor, was forced to seek refuge in another land.

            The Loyalists scattered for Europe, Sierre Leone, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Upper Canada. Matthew, as he became known, arrived in Sorel, Quebec in 1783 with a rag tag band of displaced person who became known as United Empire Loyalists. There was no red carpet to welcome them. Only measles, smallpox, cold, starvation and poverty. The thought of starting over must have been daunting to all who carried whatever belongings they could onto warships at New York for the journey to their new and desolate home. As compensation for their loyalty to the Empire of Great Britain they were granted land in the undeveloped area of Upper Canada, modern day Ontario. Matthew never lived long enough to settle or accept his claim. He had died by the 1800s. His children did.

            Isaiah had fought alongside his father, Matthew, during the American Revolution while only 11 years of age. He served in protecting the border during the War of 1812 stationed out of Fort Frontenac. His wife, Ann McGuin, was the daughter of a very notable Loyalist, Capt. Daniel McGuin. He had been commissioned by Lord Dorchester for his Loyalty to the King. His political beliefs caused him to be imprisoned and sentenced to death. After his escape, he returned to again fight for his King.

            The lands granted to Isaiah and Ann Vanorder were petitions on a military claim and as the child of a Loyalist. They extended from Kingston to Georgian Bay. They once owned the property were Kingston Penitentiary now sits; were involved in business and trade with a base in Kingston. The Vanorders sold their other holdings in the province to maintain their residence in Kingston. One of their sons, Isaac, was an exception.

            Isaac’s journey to Leamington was not a direct one. It took almost 20 years. After he married Sarah Annis in 1829, he, with his growing family, continued to relocate. They were in the Peterborough area in 1835 and the Oakville area from 1838-1840s.

            In the early 1840s’ they moved to Walpole Township where their growing children began a formal education. The French influence of the area appears to have influenced the spelling of the name VANORDER. The oldest son, William, married in Oakville and his marriage notice says “VANNIDOUR” This is the spelling on his tombstone in Blenheim where he died in 1878. By the mid 1850s they are established in Mersea Township.

            Of the 11 children born to Isaac and Sarah, two girls and nine boys, one had died in infancy and three sons, Thomas, John and James died as single adult men. The descendants emerge from the remaining children: William, Peter, Isaiah, Isaac, Ellen, Matthew, Almeron, who have an age span of 30 years from youngest to oldest.

            Peter and family moved to Bay City, Mich. in the 1880s. Isaiah died in the 1890s and his widow, Jane Lowe, and children moved to Alberta at the beginning of the 1900s. The descendants of these two branches today spell their name “Van Idour”.

            It was Isaiah and Matthew who loved the lakes and maintained professions related to sailing. Isaiah was a hewer of mast as well as a farmer in Tilbury West and Matt, a sailor. They also worked and traveled with their brother-in-law, Capt. Joe McCracken, the husband to Ellen Vanidour. The McCrackens, Joe and his brother James, had established a successful lumber business in the area, exporting to Europe by way of rafts down the Mississippi, journeys accompanied by Matt and other local residents. Isaac and Almeron became respected farmers in and around Leamington.

            The connecting families to the VANIDOURS are a who’s who of Essex County: Weigle, Bailey, Lowe, Riley, Sutts, Crozier, Hebblethwaite, Fox, Dresser, Parkers.

            The family’s journey to Leamington was not a solitary trek. Isaac traveled and farmed with his cousin Peter Howe, a son to Isaac’s Aunt Margaret Vanorder who had also married a Loyalist. Peter died shortly after his arrival in the area. The other Vanorder children claim the same association: Burnetts, Germain, Pugsley, Ruttan. All names of Ontario Loyalist history.

            Isaac died 19 Feb 1882 at the age of 78 years in Mersea Township. His death record lists him as a farmer and a member of the Canadian Methodist. It appears he lived long enough to celebrate his 50^th wedding anniversary which all of the children and neighbours would have acknowledged, but no record of an event can be found. After his death, son John and widow Sarah resided in the farm until her death 5 Jan 1894. They are side by side in Lakeview Cemetery, just as they lived.”

 

 

            The following is an extension to the above on the life of Isaac.

 

 

            The migration to Upper Canada after the Revolution was still in the memory of many Loyalists. The threat from the USA still existed. By 1808 the Militia Act was formed requiring that all males between the ages of 16 to 60 to enroll as militiamen. This act, revised in 1812, extended the provisions and called for the formation of two Flank Companies by each County Battalion. Each Flank was composed of 100 men who would be ordered by the Lieut-Governor to march on any part of the province. Isaac and his father Isaiah served in the Flank Company of the 1^st Regiment, Frontenac Militia. This time, like so many others, they served not out of patriotism for the British, but to preserve their homes and farms. Isaac was sixteen when he enlisted.

            At the National Archives more information of their enlistment can be found:

Land Claim Certificates; RG9, Series IB4, Vol. 18-25;

Paylists, Muster rolls, Nominal Rolls; RG9, Series IB7, Vol.1-32 micro-films, T-10379-T-10389

Nominal List of Officers and Privates; RG9, Series IB7, Vol #, Reel T-10379

List of Veterans of this War who received medals; RG8, Vol. 1202

 

                       

 

 

            To His Excellency Sir John Colborne, Leutenant Governor of the Province of upper Canada and Major General commanding the fort therein .               In Council

           

                        The Petition of Isaac Vanorder of the Township of Monoghan in the District of Newcastle, Yoemen.

 

            Humbly Shewith

                                    That your Petitioner is the son of Isaiah Vanorder of the Township of Kingston in the Midland district a U.E. Loyalist. That he is upward of twenty one Years of age and has never received any Grant or Order for Grant of land from the Crown. Therefore your petitioner does humbly pray that your Excellency will be pleased to grant him two hundred acres of the wasteland of the Crown.

 

                                                                        And Your Petitioner as in Duty

                                                                        Bound will ever pray.

 

                                                                        Isaac  X  Vanorder

 

 

 

District of Newcastle)

            To with        )                            Issac Vanorder of the Township of Monoghan in the said

 

                                    District, Yoemen, maketh Oath and saith that he is the person he describes                                      himself to be in the forgoing petition that he is upwards of twenty one Years                                   of age and never received any land or Order for  land from the Crown.

 

Sworn before me a Hamilton

In said District 13 Apr 1831                                           Isaac  X  Vanorder

Being first read in open                                                      his mark

Signature illegible

(U.C.L.P. V misc/42, 1797-1835, Vol.513)

           

 

            The reply to Isaac’s petition refers to his father having been expunged from the U.E. List. Therefore he could not claim for land as the Son of a U.E. What he was granted was under a military claim in the wastelands. I believe those lands were Leamington. More information is at the National Archives: RG9, IB3, reel C-1526

            Isaac married in 1829 to Sarah Annis. The location of the marriage is still in question and possibly took place in the area of Port Hope. She is reported to have been from Oakville; Trafalgar Twp. Isaac can be placed there when he was witness to the second marriage of his cousin Peter Howe. During this same period Isaac was stationed with the 1^st Regiment of East York.

           

 

The children to Isaac Vanorder(Vanidor) and Sarah Annis:

 

William Vannidour, m Rachel Waggoner; issue: Sarah, Isaac

John Vanidor

Peter Vanider, m Louise Ann Bailey; issue: Eunice, Degrithea, Sherman, Horatio, Byron, Edith

Thomas Vanidor

Isaiah Vanidour, m Jane Lowe; issue: Ida, Wilson, Lulu Maud, Ellen, Margret, Lylia,  Pearl, Naomi

Isaac Vanidour, m Maria Riley; issue: Ezra, Laura, Lewis, Mary Ellen, Nelson, Bruce

 

Ellen Vanidour, m Joseph McCracken; issue: Margaret, Edwin, William, Isabelle, Collin,  Elbert, Joseph, Senora, Norman, George

James Vanidour

Matthew Vanidour, m Catherine Sutts; issue: Raymond, Mary, Verna

Almeron Vanidour, m Sarah Crozier; issue: William, Thorborn, Oscar, Isaac, Roy, Carl, Benjamin, Alfred

James died in St. Thomas from gangrene of the stomach.

            Thomas is buried in Leamington, died 29 years, 8 months.

            The burial site in Leamington has been badly damaged but the stones lined up    from left to right: Thomas, Isaac, Sarah, John. If they still exist.

Note: It should be pointed out that no birth records have been located on the original 10 Vanidour children. However; with the exception of Almeron, their birth names will most likely be recorded as Vanorder.

 

POST SCRIPT:

                        Thorborn was reported to have moved to the Northwest in the early 1900’s. The 1901 census has been released and will be viewed in the future.

                        Also; the United States Social Security lists a Kathleen Vanidour, born 1890 died 1996 in Lorain, Ohio. I haven’t the foggiest idea as to who she is but she may possibly be a daughter to Isaac, son of William.