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| Leonard Kester Shewfelt was the
first son (second child) born to Peter and Mary Shewfelt. He was
born 6 May 1802 in Burlington Heights which was part of Lincoln County,
Upper Canada at the time. That area became Barton Township,
Wentworth County in 1816. The city of Hamilton has annexed most
of the township as it has grown over the years. Around 1817 the Shewfelt family took up land in Brock Township, Ontario County, Ontario. On June 23rd, 1824, a petition from Leonard Shufelt of Markham, was read before the Land Committee of the Executive Council of Upper Canada, asking for 100 Acres as a settler. The petition mentioned that Leonard was a native of this province and had resided therein over his infancy and had just attained the age of 21 years. He was granted 100 acres, being the west half of lot 3, concession 7, township of Brock, patented 9th June 1838. About 1828 Leonard was married to Mary Ann Thompson, daughter of George Thompson and Ann Bagnall. She had been born about 1805 in Cashell, Tipperary, Ireland. Nine children were born to Leonard and Mary. The two oldest children were Ann born 1929 and John born 1832. The registers of Rev. Adam Elliott, who was an Anglican missionary and founder of St. George's Church in Pickering, Ontario County, Ontario, contain the baptisms of the next three children: Mary born 1833, George Thompson born 1835 and Esther Shewfelt born 1837. Leonard's name is found in "Walton's City of Toronto and Home District commercial Directory for 1837" in the township of Brock as Leonard Shoefitt. The "Brown's Toronto City and Home District Directory for 1846-7" has Leonard Shoefelt listed in the township of Brock. Three more children were born - Joseph 1840, Peter, 1841 and Leonard 1843. On 2nd July 1842 Leonard Shewfelt of Brock township sold the west half of lot 9, concession 5, containing 100 acres. The West Brock Church of England registers contains the baptism of two of Leonard and Mary's children. The ninth child William who was born 1846 was baptised 30 January 1848. His older sister Ann who was born 1 Nov. 1829 was baptised 2 Nov. 1846. Leonard's residence on these two baptismal records was Mariposa which is located in Victoria County, Ontario. Leonard and Mary were likely in Mariposa township until 1854 when they took up land in Kincardine township, Bruce county, Ontario. They were not on the 1851 census for Brock township or Kincardine township and the 1851 census for Mariposa township is, unfortunately, missing. In 1854 Leonard took up Concession 8 Lot 25 in Kincardine township, and his son, his son John obtained Concession 6, Lot 21, his son George obtained Concession 6 Lot 20 and son, Leonard obtained Concession 6, Lot 19. The 1861 census for District No. 4, Kincardine, Bruce page 50 lists Leonard Shewfelt, Farmer born Canada W age 57; Mary born Ireland, age 54; Joseph, born Canada W, age 21; Ester, born Canade West, age 22; Leonard, born Canada W., age 16; and William born Canada W, age 14. All showed religion as English Church. Next door were John Shewfelt and his family. George and his family were on page 51 of the census. Leonard and Mary were listed on the 1871 census of Kincardine township, District 27, E3, page 27. William was the only child left at home. Mary Thompson Shewfelt died on 8 July 1877 and is buried in the Armow Methodist Cemetery. The inscription on the stone reads: Mary wife of Leonard Shewfelt died July 8 1877 aged 72 years. Leonard was still living in Kincardine in 1881. He was listed twice on the census - once at Kincardine, Bruce South, Ontario, District 176 E Division 2 page 45 with his son Joseph and family and once in the same district page 29 with his granddaughter, Hanna Ewing. On the latter, he was listed as Castor Shewfelt and his granddaughter was listed as Hannah Ewen. By 1891 Leonard was living in the Archibald district of Manitoba with his daughter, Mary and her husband, Austin Wilson. For some reason he is listed on the 1891 census (Manitoba, Selkirk, Lorne page 50) as Henry Shewfelt. The information about him is male age 90, widow, father, born Ontario, parents born USA. He died 3rd Oct 1894 and is buried in the Manitou Cemetery in the Wilson plot. He is the only one buried under the impressive Wilson stone as the Wilson family moved on to Saskatchewan a few years after Leonard's death. Children Leonard Kester Shewfelt and Mary Ann Thompson
Ann Shewfelt John Shewfelt Mary Shewfelt George Thompson Shewfelt Esther Shewfelt Joseph Shewfelt Peter Shewfelt Leonard Shewfelt William Shewfelt |