JOSEPH REAVELY

A VETERAN OF THE MACKENZIE REBELLION AND FENIAN RAID

[Welland Tribune, 12 March 1897]

Joseph Reavely, who departed this life at his residence in Stamford township on Monday last, was one of the oldest and best known residents of the county of Welland. He was born in the house where the late Thomas C. Street (for many years M.P. for his county) first saw light, opposite Street’s mills, near Niagara Falls, on the 13^th day of March, 1816, and was therefore within five days of his 81^st birthday at the time of his demise. His father, Thomas Reavely, was a native of Northumberland, England, who came to Canada in 1811; he erected a carding mill at Niagara Falls, the second establishment of the kind in the country.

Joseph Reavely was noted for his intense loyalty to Britain and British institutions. He was one of the yeomen militia who assisted in quelling the Mackenzie rebellion in 1837-8, serving with the Government forces at Chippawa, opposite Navy Island, when but a little over 20 years of age. In 1861, when there was a probability of war between England and the United States, he was one of the first to offer his services in defence of the Crown; at that time he was a lieutenant in the militia. As a member of the Welland canal field battery he went to the front in 1866 to assist in repelling the Fenian invaders. He was one of those who by ill-advised generalship was led into the trap at Fort Erie and were made prisoners by the Fenians at that place. He was a staunch Episcopalian, a member of St. Paul’s church, Port Robinson, for which he had repeatedly held the offices of warden and delegate to synod. He was also a prominent Orangeman, having held the office of county master; at the time of his death he was chaplain of the county lodge. He was one of the oldest justices of the peace in the county; a staunch temperance advocate, and in polities a lifelong Conservative.

At a very early age with the family he moved to the lot in the extreme southwest corner of the township of Stamford, which had been originally settled by his mother’s parents (Heaslip) in 1788. Here he lived all his life. He married Charlotte, daughter of Crowell Willson, one of the U.E. Loyalists who settled in this county. Of this union eight children were born, of whom six-four sons and two daughters-survive. Albert, the eldest son, who is a high school teacher; was in the service with this father at the time of the Fenian raid and won promotion. The other sons, Thomas S., of Thorold township; Edgar, of Marshville; and Ethelbert, of British Columbia. One of the daughters married Thos. Willson of Wainfleet, and the other married James Spencer of Elgin county. The widowed life-partner of deceased also survives to mourn.

The funeral on Thursday was very generally attended by the local community, as well as by many from a distance. The impressive ritual of the church which deceased loved so well was rendered by Rev. P.L. Spencer at St. Paul’s, Port Robinson, Rev. Dr. Johnstone acting as chaplain for the County of Orange lodge, the brethren attending in great numbers from all over the county. Interment took place in the burial grounds opposite. The funeral was one of the largest ever held in the county. One of the many lovable characteristics of Joseph Reavely was an inherent modesty that disclaimed all praise or laudation, in deference to which we withhold words that otherwise might most fitly and appropriately be said. His life speaks for itself in language more eloquent than words of ours could convey.