Peter and Mary (Anna Maria Kester) Shewfelt Family

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Catherine Shewfelt and Peter Ryckman

Catherine Shewfelt  was the third child (second daughter) of Peter and Mary Shewfelt.  She also was born in Barton Township,  Wentworth County, Ontario, Canada. Her exact birthdate has not been documented.   Calculating a date from her age at death, her birthdate would be 20 June1803, but some histories have her birthdate as 30 Jul 1805.  Her family moved to Brock Township, Ontario County, Ontario, Canada around 1817. 

She married Peter Ryckman who was the son of Albert and Hannah Ryckman.  He was also born in Barton Township, Wentworth County, Ontario.  It is not known whether Catherine moved to Brock Township before she married.  She would have been a teenager when the family left Hamilton.

Catherine and Peter raised a large family of eleven children.  The older children listed their birthplace as Markham, York, Ontario.  The youngest child has his birthplace as Brock Twp.  By the 1851 census (which was taken in 1852) the Ryckman family was living in in Brock Township.  The oldest two children had married and left home.

Land records are some of the early documents that give information about the Ryckmans.  On the abstract index for the Township of  Brock Lot number 4 of the 7the concession the Ryckman name appears starting with April 6, 1852 with a Bargain & Sale agreement between James Vrooman and Peter Ryckman.  Instrument number 759 in the deed book is an agreement between James Vrooman & Rhoda Vrooman & Peter Ryckman.  Peter paid 100 pounds for 100 acres.  There are mortgages, discharges, assignments of mortgages listed and further Bargain and Sale agreements.  David Ryckman (oldest son of Peter) held the land, Joseph and Hannah Buck (Peter' daughter and son-in-law) had it and later on it was in the name of Adam Ryckman (Peter's youngest son) until 1894 when it was sold to Richard Shier.

On the 1861 census for Brock Township four of the children were at home (Hannah, James, Joseph and Adam).  By 1871 only the youngest child was at home.

On the 7th April 1876 Peter Ryckman died of old age.  He was  76 years old according to his death registration.

Catherine Ryckman has not been found on the 1881 census, but in 1891 she was living with her son, Adam, and his family.  Her death is recorded in the County of Ontario, Division of Cannington 20 March 95 at age 91 yrs, 7 mos., 21 days.  She lived nearly twenty years after the death of her husband.

Children of  Catherine Shewfelt and Peter Ryckman

David Ryckman
Mary Ryckman
George Ryckman
William Ryckman
Peter Ryckman
Hannah Ryckman
Samuel Ryckman
Albert Ryckman
James Ryckman
Joseph Ryckman
Adam Ryckman






Copyright © 2004
A Shewfelt called Peter