BUCHNER SCHOOL AS MUSEUM IS CROWLAND TWP. PROJECT

[Welland Tribune, 11 March 1968]

By Murray Hurst

Crowland Township Area School Board is making a strong effort to preserve the township’s first school, SS7, as an historical site. Although the board has maintained this one-room school, even though not in use for the past four years, it fears the advent of a county school board may result in the property being sold, unless some concerted effort is made to perpetuate its historical value to the area through some proper authority able to maintain it indefinitely.

The school, originally known as the Buchner School, is located in the green belt, established on both sides of Lyon Creek when Crowland Township endorsed its official plan in 1957. The property, located at Argyle Rd., and East Main St. comprises about one acre.

The board has remained steadfast in it decision that the school remain an historic site despite many chances to sell the property and the building.

BUCHNER NAME

The board feel the site to be truly appropriate to erect a plaque to preserve the Buchner name and that family’s history of the first white settlers of Crowland Township and to preserve the site of the first school in the township and the last one room school remaining.

The building is in a reasonable good state of repair and the grounds are a good size.

At least three Buchner woman, Victoria, Mary Sarah and Henrietta taught in this school.

The Buchners settled in this township 30 years before Calvin and Noah Cook built their first mills on Lyons creek.

A recent letter from George Pearson, James W. Morris and Robert Miller to Ellis Morningstar, MPP for Welland, outlined in detail the important role the Buchner family played in this area’s early history. Mr. Morris was chairman of the former historical committee of the now disbanded Crowland Centennial Committee of which Mr. Pearson was chairman. Mr. Miller is chairman of Crowland Area School Board.

EARLY RECORDS

The name Buchner has all but disappeared, but the history of this family stands prominently in early records.

Among the German people who sought refuge in the British Colonies were the Von Boughners .In the intervening years this name was corrupted to many different spellings with Buchner being the most commonly used.

At the time of the American Revolution John Von Boughner, his wife Catherine and 10 children lived near newton in the state of New Jersey. Among the children were Henry, Jacob, Christopher, Peter and John.

Henry joined the British forces at the age of 16 and fought under Lt. James Moody. He was made sergeant, and subsequently, in 1809, he was made Captain pf the 3^rd Lincoln Regiment.

While fighting in the revolutionary war he was wounded and sent to hospital on Staten Island. There he met Joanna Ainsley, daughter of Ensign Ozias Ainsley. She nursed him. They fell in love and eloped. They were married as soon as Captain Henry could travel.

FLED TO CROWLAND

Another Henry Boughner Sr. aided the British cause, and in doing so, put his life and that of his family in danger. For reasons of safety Captain Henry and Henry Sr., and families fled the country and after many hardships and privations, arrived in what became Crowland Township.

Captain Henry’s brothers, Jacob, Christopher and Peter, who were unmarried, joined the group. Accompanying Henry Sr., and his family of nine, were his brothers, John, Mathias and Martin.

When the group reached the Bay of Quinte area they made a stop of some duration and when they finally reached Fort Niagara they were faced with deplorable conditions.

The Buchners, being woodsmen, were adept with axe and gun and soon decided to quit the congestion of Fort Niagara.

They contacted a man named Lyons who told them of a beautiful stream he had explored which flowed southwest to enter the Chippawa River near the Niagara River. He reported game in it supper reaches to be plentiful and that the Indians were not hostile.

The Buchners travelled Indian trails, camping and exploring as they proceeded up the creek which was later to bear the name of their recent acquaintance, Lyons.

The spot they chose to build their cabins was located about a half mile east of an Indian village. This was in the year 1778, just a 190 years ago.

FIRST WHITES

They were the first white residents of Crowland, Captain Henry and Peter remained at Lyon’s., Creek. Christopher settled at Lundy’s Lane and Jacob moved on to Long Point. Henry Sr., stayed at Lyons Creek. Matthias, his brother, settled in Willoughby while John and Martin moved on later to Beamsville and Norfolk.

In 1779 the first white child Ozias was born in Crowland, the son of Henry and Joanna.

Captain Henry and Joanna lie in Lyons Creek cemetery, directly south of the huge oak tree which still stands.

On March 7, 1803, when Crowland was first admissible to a town meeting and came into being officially Captain Henry was appointed warden and Christopher, Pathmaster. From that day forward the Buchner name was prominent in any type of organization attempted both political and religious.

Prominently prominent among the descendants is Ellis Morningstar whose mother was a Buchner.

Crowland’s first church, first white cemetery, first school and first bridge over Lyon’s Creek were all Buchner property.

Mrs. Gertrude Smith (nee Buchner) still lives on the site where her great-great-grandfather built his cabin 190 years ago

Directly south was Buchner’s Bridge, west of Argyle rd. The school stood on the site of the present building, which, until it was closed four years ago, was known as SS 7 Crowland. The adjoining cemetery was located on the property of Captain Henry Buchner.

FIRST BRICK KILN

Later, the first brick kiln in the area was operated by Reuben Buchner, who sold brick at $5.50 per thousand. Many buildings still standing in Crowland are made of brick supplied by Reuben.

George Neal, a former major of cavalry became a Wesleyan minister and with, Captain Henry, started the first Methodist meetings in the Niagara Area at Lyons Creek. The first meetings were held in houses and barns. Later the meetings were held in enclosures of logs and brush. Neal’s converts built the first church in Crowland township.

During the 1812-1814 War wirh the United States, at least 10 Buchner’s  fought under Captain Henry Buchner in the 3^rd Regiment of the Lincoln Militia. Seven Buchners fought in the Battle of Cook’s Mills in Crowland.

The history of the Buchner family is unique in that unlike other settlers, they made no attempt to remain close to other white people. Instead, they entered deep into the wilderness to live off it with Indians for neighbors.

References and data are from early Crowland records, Crowland Township office, Case of Carroll,; pub. 1869; History of Welland County, Pub. 1869; Harriet Hagar, Welland Historian; United Church of Canada; Archives, Toronto; Dominion Archives, Ottawa; Mrs. Henrietta Sherk (nee Buchner), 1860 -1942; and Mrs. Gertrude Smith, (nee Buchner) born 1887.