The Islands: Biographies: Wolfe Island Bio 7

Wolfe Island Biographies 7

WILDERS OF WOLFE ISLAND

Beverley Straub Watkins

NEW!4 Generations of Wilders by Joan Baker
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Artemas Wilder was born the 3rd August 1776 in Templeton, Mass., the son of Major Jonas Wilder and Elizabeth Baker. On October 26, 1799 he married Catherine Sherburne in Lancaster, New Hampshire. (Both Artemas and Catherine can trace their ancestry back to the early settlers of Massachusetts.) They had at least six children: Betsy, Catherine, Jonas, Pheba and John were born in New Hampshire and Artemas Jr. was born in Montreal. It seems Artemas Sr. was involved in some unfortunate land speculations and left New Hampshire for Quebec around 1812. From there he went to Kingston when it was a small village, surrounded by a brush fence. Apparently he worked as a butcher and died of cholera in 1832.

It is not clear when the families moved to Wolfe Island, but Artemus Jr. appears on the Wolfe Island census of 1851 as a man of 38 at concession 10, Lot 1. Artemus married Mary Maxwell from Ireland and had ten children: Betsey Sherburne who married David Purdy; Charlotte, Emma and Laura who taught school in Kingston, Joseph, James, George, John, Henry and Martha. Catherine Sherburne Wilder died at Wolfe Island in 1858. Artemus Jr. then moved to Kingston, where he appears in the 1858 Kingston census and the 1878 Illustrated Historical Atlas.

Artemus� brother, John Wilder appears in the 1851 census at Concession 10, Lot 3. On August 8, 1835, he married Mary, daughter of Henry and Hannah (Wright) Harvey, of English descent, who came to Kingston, Canada, in 1822. Mary was born September 25, 1815. Their children are listed in the article below. Apparently John went to Macomb, Michigan around 1857.

Although some of the references in the article were incorrect, readers might be interested in the following from �Macomb County Michigan, Early Pioneers�: �When he (John) moved to Wolf Island, St. Lawrence River, he cleared up a farm of fifty acres from a wilderness, which he bought for $5 per acre and sold for $52 per acre. As a sample of what Macomb people can do, we mention the following: Reaching Wolf Island, Mr. Wilder, with his wife, moved into a fisherman's hut, which had a fireplace in one corner and a hole in the roof through which the smoke might escape. Soon after, he got the help of neighbors and built a log house 13x20, and had lumber enough to cover half the roof and half the floor; during the first summer, had neither door or window, but used a bed-quilt to hang before the hole where there ought to be. These were at last provided, second-hand, from an old building in the vicinity. Wolves were fierce and plenty, and at one time attacked Mr. Wilder's cattle, which at once formed in a circle, the calves and young cattle in the center, and the cows and oxen on the outside. One wolf was shot, and the others fled. Mrs. Wilder worked at clearing land all day, with a baby in a cradle near at hand, and with a small boy with a bell on his neck to keep him from being lost. The wolves were at length driven from the island by a raid of all the inhabitants. After selling the farm on the island, Mr. Wilder purchased land in Wales, St. Clair Co., Mich., but, on account of his wife's ill health, concluded to purchase an improved place. After considerable search, he bought the farm of about one hundred acres on Section 27 of Armada Township, where he has since resided. Mr. Wilder's family consists of the following: John W., born at Kingston, July 8, 1836, died at home February 11, 1861; Henry L., born at Kingston January 13, 1837, now living in Armada Township; Catherine H., born on Wolf Island December 2, 1839, married and living in Romeo Village; William H., born on Wolf Island December 4, 1841, served in the war of the rebellion, and died at home in July, 1874; Jonas W., born on Wolf Island August 6, 1843, married and lives in Armada Township; Phebe E., born on Wolf Island, September 14, 1845, married and lives in Armada Township; Samuel S., born on Wolf Island, September 25, 1847, married and lives in Armada Township; Artemas T., born on Wolf Island, August 24, 1851, married and living in Armada Township; Albert P., born of Wolf Island December 8, 1853, married and lives in Armada Township; Almira, born on Wolf Island February 10, 1856, died at the homestead February 17, 1874; Isaac R., born at Armada, June 10, 1860, died April 19, 1861. Mr. Wilder has always been a Republican in politics, and a Methodist in religion... Mr. Wilder is a hale and hearty man; never has taken a dose of medicine in his life. He has never drunk intoxicants nor used tobacco in any form - an example followed by all his large family. He has one of the most sightly, pleasant and commodious places in Armada Township. His farm is supplied with a windmill, good barns, and all the necessary appendages of a prosperous business, and is making the product of milk a leading feature."

Readers might also be interested to know that an article was published in the �Kingston Whig Standard� of Saturday September 22, 1962 on the occasion of Charlotte Wilder�s 100th birthday. She lived to be one hundred and five years old!

The Islands: Biographies: Wolfe Island Bio 7