Robert Eady Sr. is my Great-great-great-grandfather.
The following was received by me from Clarence Eady, March 22, 1993. Clarence was an avid Eady genealogist before the time of the internet.
Robert Eady Sr. was the third child born to John (Ady) Eady and his wife Elizabeth Hibbert or Hibbard. He was born in East Woodhay, Hampshire, England in early Mary 1785. He was baptized May 8, 1785. Nothing much is known about his childhood. We do know he had none or very little schooling as he could only sign his name with an “X”.
1805 – Age of 22, in Gosport, Hampshire, Robert joined the British Army.
1806 – Sent to the East or West Indies. He served there for 1 year and 159 days.
1807 – Returned to England
1807 – August 24, Gosport, Hampshire, age 23, enlisted in the 37th Regiment of Foot for unlimited service
1807 – 37th Regiment of Foot is sent to Jamaica
1808 January 17 to March – Private Robert Eady is on pay list of 37th Regiment of Foot in Trinidad
1809 September 24 – returned to Derby, Derbyshire, England
1810 January 16 – Robert Eady and Mary Hust (Hearst) were married St. Peters Church, Derby, Derbyshire
1811 March – regiment was in Cork, Ireland where daughter Elizabeth was born.
1812 April – stationed with 37th Regiment in Gibralter
1813 September-October – yellow fever takes the lives of 70 soldiers in Gibralter
1813 December – son George is born in Gibralter (my Great-great-grandfather)
1814 February 10 – regiment leaves Gibralter for France by way of Spain
1814 April-June – regiment is in France, Napoleanic Wars are ending in Europe around this time.
1814 July 5 – regiment leaves Bordeaux, France for Montreal, Upper Canada. War of 1812 between Britain and the USA is still on
1814 October-December – 37th Regiment of Foot is on duty in Burlington, Upper Canada on the Niagara Peninsula along Lake Erie and Fort York (Toronto) areas.
1814 May 25 – Five companies from the 37th are moved west to Amherstburg in the west end of Lake Erie. Four companies are at Queenston near Niagara. One company was sent to Michelimackinac on Lake Huron.
Remember the Americans attacked and destroyed Fort York (now Toronto) and in return for this little favour the British attacked Washington and burned a few buildings. One of the buildings is now painted white.
1814 Christmas Eve – the USA and Britain sign a peace treaty and the War of 1812 is over. The whole war had lasted only 42 months with the English winning 38 of the 57 recorded engagements.
1815 – There are over 770 men in the 37th Regiment of Foot by the end of the year.
1816 September – 37th Regiment is moved east to Fort Henry at Kingston, Upper Canada
You must now consider what has been happening to our Mary Eady and the two young children every time the 37th Regiment moved. In those good old days the British Army never moved the families of the soldier from place to place or country to country.
Robert Eady’s wife Mary and the children were what was known in those days as “camp followers”. They would follow the Regiment from camp to amp. The wife would literally have to make her own way for herself and her children each time if they wished to be with father and husband. It could well have taken her over a year to get to Canada in those days. Talk about having a tough life.
1816 – 100 men are discharge from the 37th
1817 March – 37th Regiment of Foot on duty in Fort Henry near Kingston, Upper Canada. Fort Henry was a hastily constructed fort built during 1813 and 1814. It was mostly constructed of timber and earth. The present, well planned stone fort was not constructed until 1832. In 1949 the fort was restored to it’s present condition. A plaque in Fort Henry lists the 37th Regiment of Foot. It mentions that the 37th Regiment of Foot had its name changed since being stationed in Old Fort Henry.
37th Regiment of Foot is now the Royal Hampshire Regiment.
1817 October 19 – Robert Eady Jr. is born in Montreal, Lower Canada. The first Eady born in Canada. Remember Fort Henry and Kingston is the frontier. Its was a very rough place in those days. No real place to raise a family.
1818 June – All ranks of the 37th Regiment are moved to Montreal, Lower Canada
1819 April 5 – Mary Eady is born in Kingston, Upper Canada
1819 May – A detachment of soldiers from the 37th Regiment of Foot is discharged. The pay list of the 37th Regiment of Foot shows this detachment of surplus soldiers. Each of the soldier was given one month’s severance pay and were discharged as settlers in accordance with general order or authority being VOUCHER NO. 23.
1819 May 18 – Robert Eady Sr. is seventh on page 2 of Voucher No. 23 pay list for the discharged soldiers.
The photocopy of his discharge papers describe him as being 34 years of age, 5′ 4″ in height, with brown hair, grey eyes and dark complexion, having a trade as labourer.
It lists his conduct while a soldier as being good. Reason for discharge being a reduction of the peace establishment and being supernumerary (meaning exceeding a necessary or usual number).
Robert Eady Sr. had served 11 years, 208 days with the 37th Regiment of Foot plus he had served 1 year, 159 days in the East or West Indies.
1819 – after being discharged, he went to Goulbourne Township, Carleton County, Upper Canada. There he joined the Richmond Military Land Settlement.
1820 February – daughter Jane Eady is born
1821 February – Canada Census shows Robert Eady Sr. with spouse Mary and family in Goulbourne Township, Carlton County
1821 October – John Archibald Eady is born
1822 April 20 – Canada Census shows Robert Eady Sr. and family still in the settlement.
1822 June 5 – Residence is Goulbourn Township, W1/2 Lot #15, Concession #7, 100 acres (per census)
1822 December 24 – Robert Eady is #768 on the Richmond Military Settlement list of returned persons and discharged soldiers entitled to patent land grants. When they joined the Richmond Land Settlement and were given property to live on, they had to make certain improvements to the land. Having completed the required improvements they were then entitled to claim ownership of that land. This is what is called patent land grants. They were all claiming patent land title deeds to land they settled on.
1924 February 4 – Robert Eady gets his Patent land title for the 100 acres in Goulbourn Township, Carleton County. The property is now his.
1824 – Thomas Eady is born
1826 – Anne Eady is born
1828 – Richard Eady is born
1832 April 26 – William Eady is born
1834 May – James Eady is born
1836 – Margaret Johanna Eady is born.
1837 April 18 – Robert Eady Jr. and Anne Burwell are married
1837 – Jane Eady and John H. Richardson are married. (Wendy’s NOTE: Leah Eady’s first illegitimate son is John Richardson Jr. born December 1869, died 2 months later. Jane had 15 children with John and died age 85.)
1837 – Robert Jr. with wife Anne, John Richardson with wife Jane along with Anne’s parents William and Elizabeth Burwell all move to Horton Township, Renfrew County
1838 – Robert Sr. with wife Mary and most of the family move to Horton Township, Renfrew County
Much more data available. Story shall continued …. (Wendy’s NOTE: But that’s all I have from Clarence. I never received the continued story.)