The Hearn Family - Darius Hearns

Descendants of Darius Hearns Sr.


This page last modified on Saturday, 08-Sep-2018 12:46:50 MDT




1 Darius David Hearns 1773 - 1836
.. + Mary Gould
.... 2 Darius Hearns
........ +Dorothy MacDonald 1807-1882
*2nd Wife of Darius David Hearns:
.. +Nancy Parks 1791 - 1853
..... 2 Mary Harnes 1810 - 1890
......... +George Bowers - 1865
..... *2nd Husband of Mary Hearns:
......... +Augustus N. Huyck 1816 - 1893




DARIUS DAVID HEARNS


The approximate date of birth for Darius David Hearns is 1773. Place of birth, to the best of our knowledge, was in the area of Philipse Patent, Dutchess County, New York. His parents were Thomas and Deborah Hearns.

Darius David’s actual year of birth is a bit contentious. According to his gravestone he died in 1836 at the age of 63, which means he was born in 1773. The petition he signed for land in 1797 says that he is 22 years old which would mean he was born in 1775. We tend to believe that he was born in 1773.

Nothing else is known of Darius during the very early part of his life. From what we know, his father, Thomas was a farmer until the Revolutionary War started and he joined the group that later became known as the United Empire Loyalists (UEL).

After the war, Thomas lost any property that he owned in New York and was forced to leave the American Colonies and come to Upper Canada. We know that Thomas had his five sons and two daughters at Cataraqui (Fredericksburgh) between 1st July and 31st August 1786; and that the two youngest sons, as well as the daughters, were recorded as being under 10 years of age. According to the Upper Canada Land Petitions, H Bundle 16, 1829-1831 [RG 1, L3, Vol. 233 (a)] and signed by Haldimand, Thomas Sr. and Thomas Jr. had been entitled to Four Hundred and Fifty acres and had drawn a Lot consisting of two hundred acres in the Fourth Concession, on September 23, 1784. Therefore, the approximate age of Darius David, when he came to Upper Canada, was about 10 or 11.

Darius David Hearns was baptized by Reverend Langhorn in Fredericksburgh on February 20, 1788 at the approximate age of 15 along with siblings Mary, Johnson, Thomas Jr., Jason and Jerusha. Josiah is not listed as being baptized on this date.

On June 7th, 1796, Darius’ father, Thomas made his will. In this will, Thomas declares "I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Deborah Harns [sic] Lot Number Eleven whereon I now Dwell with all household furniture, farming utensils, one pair of mares, two yoke of oxen, three cows, three heifers one year old and ten sheep. On the decease of the said Deborah, the above mentioned farm, farming utensils, cattle, horses, sheep shall belong to my beloved son Darius Harns [sic]...".

The next documentation that we have found for Darius David is on September 6, 1797 when he signed a petition asking for 200 acres as the son of Thomas, United Empire Loyalist. Darius David claimed to be 22 years of age. (Upper Canada Land Petition H3/9, microfilm C-2043).

On the 13th of February, 1798, Darius and Mary Gould of Fredricksburgh were married by Reverend Langhorn (ref: Ontario Historical Society, Papers and Records, Vol 1, published 1899, reprinted 1930). In attendance at the wedding were Darius’ brothers Jason and Josiah, Hannah Sager and Seth Burr Gould.

On December 23rd, 1800, Darius was witness to the marriage of John Smith and Sarah Fisher with Johannes Devy and Samuel Cochran. It should be noted that his wife, Mary Gould, was not listed as a witness.

In the year 1803, Darius’ father, Thomas, died. Thomas’ long time friend, William Bell who came up with Thomas through the New York conspiracies, was named one of the executors of his estate. The Will was probated the 29th of April, 1803 before Alexander Fisher, Surrogate. Darius David remained to run the farm with his mother, Deborah. He is estimated to be 30 years of age.

Ten years after his marriage to Mary Gould, Darius, described as a widower, married Nancy Parks on January 12, 1808. In attendance at the wedding were Frederick Bell, John Carscallen, Lydia Sager and Darius’ mother, Deborah. Darius David would be 35 years of age.

The Assessment Roll of Fredericksburgh Township for the year 1808 shows that "Deborough Hernes" had 45 acres of cleared acreage, 55 acres of uncleared acreage. The house was made of round log. She had two horses and three head of cattle. (The Ontario Register, Volume 111). We assume that Darius David was still looking after his mother’s farm.

On June 10, 1810, Darius David and Nancy Parks had a daughter they named Mary. Darius would be 37 years of age.

The book titled the Men of Upper Canada Militia Nominal Roll for the year 1818 for Lennox County shows listed "Derius Harnes" and "Derius Harnes Junior". It is also stated here, one had to be at least 16 years of age to join the Militia, therefore, Darius Junior would have to have been born by 1802 to be 16 years old in 1818. This would make him the son of Mary Gould and Darius Hearns Senior.

On July 13th, 1822, at the age 49, Darius David Hearns of Fredericksburgh, yeoman (farmer), signed a petition seeking a patent to property he inherited from his father. The petition stated he is the son of Thomas Harnes Senior who came to Canada in 1786. The petition says that in conjunction with his oldest son, Thomas Jr., Thomas Senior settled on Lot 11 in the 4th concession of the Township of Fredericksburgh and that on his father’s death, undivided interest in the lot was left to Darius who remained on the land since then.

The petition further went on to say that Darius David purchased from his brother, Thomas Jr, interest in the property and now Darius is "advanced in years with an aged companion and large family". The petition says that he had made many improvements to the property and wanted to obtain title to it so that he would not have to face moving to other land and start over. The petition further states that Thomas Jr. was ordered out of the area by a court of assize and was never to return. Apparently, the grant was issued (RG5, A1, pp. 29299-29301, July 13, 1822 microfilm C-4609).

On June 29, 1830, Thomas Junior signed a petition seeking a patent to the East half of lot 11 in the 4th concession of Fredericksburgh Township. Reading these old documents, it would appear that when Thomas Jr. was ordered out of the area, Darius took over his half of lot 11. Darius had been left the west half of the lot when his father died. Thomas later returned to the area and laid claim once again to the east half. (Upper Canada Land Petition #H16/37, Mircrofilm C-2051).

According to the Land Registry Office in Napanee the parcel of land, being the West Half of Lot 11, Concession 4, was deeded to Darius in 1830 by the Crown. It appears he kept it for a mere three years before selling to Henry Baker Sr. for 100.0.0 On the same date Darius acquired the East Half from Thomas Hearns for the same price. Darius eventually passes on this property to his son-in-law George Bowers. It is interesting to note that all three transactions were registered on the same date in 1834.

Darius David Hearns Senior died on April 27, 1836 at the age of 63. He is buried in the old Carscallen Wagar Cemetery just down road from where he lived. Laurie and I paid a visit to the cemetery in June, 2001 and found that his grave stone is still there. The stone has fallen over, is cracked through in at least two pieces and is embedded in the ground. However, some of the inscription is still readable and says:

Deries Hearns
Died April 27, 1836
Aged 63 years”

Nancy Hearns
Died April 26, 1853
Aged 62 yrs, 3 mo. 26 dys

They are recorded as buried in Plot 15(a) and Plot 15(b) respectively.

Darius’ widow, Nancy Hearns, was living with her daughter Mary and son-in-law, George Bowers at the time of the 1851 census for Fredericksburgh Township. She is listed as 62 years old, born in New York; her occupation was listed as tailoress and she is recorded as being a member of the Methodist Church. This is contradictory to the inscription the gravestone which says she was 62 years old in 1853.

Given the proximity of Mary and George Bowers to both Nancy Hearns in the 1851 census and to Jason and Catherine in the 1861 census, and based on the daughter named Nancy in Jason and Catherine’s family, the assumption could be made that this Jason was the son of Darius Senior and Nancy Parks which would make him the brother of Darius Junior and Mary Bowers. Further research is necessary in this area, or a small miracle.

Trying to find the children of Darius Hearns Senior has been difficult. He was described as having "a large family" in the 1822 petition for land patent and there is no doubt that he had a number of children. We have pieced together that he and his first wife, Mary Gould, had at least one child, a son, Darius.

Darius and his second wife, Nancy Parks, had a daughter, Mary.

In 1839, a son, named "William Darius Huff" was born to Joseph Huff and Jerusha Hearns. One would then wonder if this was the grandson of Darius Hearns Senior. If so, the Jerusha Hearns married to Joseph Huff would also be a sister to Darius Junior, Mary Hearns Bowers and the Jason referred to above. Of course, this is all speculation at this point but may down the road be proven to be fact.

Also, Nancy Parks Hearns, Darius Senior's second wife, did not die until 1853. She was still alive in 1836 when Darius Senior died, she remained on the farm in Fredericksburgh with Mary and George Bowers managing the farm.

MARY GOULD HEARNS

On the 13th of February, 1798, Darius and Mary Gould of Fredricksburgh were married by Reverend Langhorn. In attendance at the wedding were Darius’ brothers Jason and Josiah, Hannah Sager and Seth Burr Gould.

To date, we have been unable to determine the relationship between Seth Burr Gould and Mary Gould although there is no doubt that they were related to each other.

Seth Burr Gould was the son of Abel Gould. Seth married Hannah Sager the following year on August 6, 1799. Gould family genealogy also shows that Seth Burr Gould “removed” from Fairfield, Connecticut, hence, the earlier connection between the Hearn and Gould families going back to Fairfield, Connecticut when William lived there in the early 1700s.

On December 23rd, 1800, Darius was a witness at the marriage of John Smith and Sarah Fisher with Johannes Devy and Samuel Cochran. It is noted that his wife, Mary Gould, was not listed as a witness. Although she may have been present we feel that it was about this time that she may have passed away.

As I said earlier, we are continuing on our quest to find out who Mary Gould was and where she came from. We have been unable to find nothing further on Mary but it is almost a certainty that she and Darius had at least one child together and named this son Darius Junior. It is unknown when Mary Gould Hearns died but it was sometime between her marriage and 1798 and Darius’s second marriage in 1808 obviously.

There is a record of a Mary Herns at the Carscallen Wagar Cemetery in North Fredericksburgh, Lennox & Addington County in addition to Mary Hearns wife of A.N. Huyck. However, no headstone inscription, nor detailed death record is available. Our search continues.

The book titled the Men of Upper Canada Militia Nominal Roll for the year 1818 for Lennox County shows listed "Derius Harnes" and "Derius Harnes Junior". Since, the book records, one had to be at least 16 years of age to join the Militia, Darius Junior would have had to been born by 1802 to be 16 years old in 1818. This, in all likelihood, makes him the son of Mary Gould and Darius Hearns Senior.





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