THOMAS ALLISON

HISTORICAL SKETCH

THOROLD TOWNSHIP

First White Male Child Born at St. Davids

[People’s Press, 21 August 1900]

The death of Mr. John Allison of Thorold township a few days ago, severs a link connecting the present with the rich historical past of this section. In this connection the People’s Press has been favored with the following biological and historical sketch of Thomas Allison, the father of John Allison now deceased. Thomas Allison died some twelve years ago, the following sketch being his own relation as taken down in the winter of 1886-7.

THOMAS ALLISON was born at St. David’s, county of Lincoln, on Sept. 4, 1799 the first white male child born in that place. His parents were John Allison and Rebecca Bertrand. His father was a native of Yorkshire, England, came to the Niagara in 1790, and died in December, 1812. He (John Allison, the father of Thomas), it was who, on October 13, 1812, guided the British forces to the top of the mountain, near where the quarries now are. At a later hour in the day, he assisted in driving the Americans from the Queenston Heights and in taking many of them prisoners.

We return now to our present subject-Thomas Allison, son of John Allison the elder and father of John Allison who died last week. Thomas, at the time a lad of about thirteen years of age, had seen the flash and heard the sound of the guns at the famous battle of Queenston Heights, and with young, Rich Secord, went to view the battle field. They saw the dead and wounded and the piles of arms surrendered by the Americans. Of this, Mr. Allison had a most vivid recollection at the time of this relations to the writer, he being then 87 years of age.

He also recollects that in the year 1813, some forty American soldiers lay upon his father’s floor one night, being en route for Burlington.

Later on he was sent with a message to the British at the Beaverdams, and arrived there in time to see the eight men buried who fell there. He remembered the laughable devices that about 40 British regulars and some Indians had to prevent the 500 Americans captured at the Beaverdams from recovering their arms and wiping out their captors. The battle took place near the tollgate and the American camp was on a knoll near what was afterward known as Shriner’s Pond.

He remembers quite distinctly hearing at the time of the clever way in which Col. Chapin of the U.S. army captured at the Beaverdams, passed himself off as a doctor and when with other prisoners in a small boat on Lake Ontario, turned the tables on his captors and took them to the American side.

As might be expected, Mr. Allison was often at Niagara and was familiar with the stirring events at that place.

Lundy’s Lane

He was at Lundy’s Lane at the opening of the battle on July 25, 1814. He was there taken from the ranks and employed to drive a team which carried eleven of the wounded to Niagara. In those heroic days young and old alike, with such arms as they could secure, rushed forward to meet the foe. Our subject was also at the battle ground after the battle, and saw the dead buried and burned.

When Lewiston was burned by the British he saw the flames. All the frontier was on the qui vive, and there was not much going on in the vicinity that as enterprising frontier lad of 14 or 15 did not.see.

Mr. Allison remembered Gen Isaac Brock. He was a stout man, and held his head to one side in consequence of a wound in the neck.

The year after the war closed Mr. Allison visited the site of what is now the city of Hamilton, which then consisted of one tavern. A block house and earth works at Burlington Heights were then conspicuous. The Ackman farm to the east of Hamilton was also occupied at the time.

In the year 1822 Mr. Allison bought a farm in Thorold township on the Stamford line, where he lived until he died. He married Elizabeth Smoke who predeceased him. Stamford and Thorold townships were partially settled, but there was not much money nor style in those days, with wheat at 37!/2 c per bushel, roads between the stumps, no carriages, railways or canal-style was secondary.

The Rebellion

The rebellion made lively times on the frontier again. Mr. Allison was at Port Colborne, Fort Erie, Chippawa and other points as needed. He teamed the mortar from Queenston to Chippawa which was used to dislodge William Lyon Mackenzie’s forces from Navy Island. He was a Conservative then, and always remained one. Speaking in his 87^th year, Mr. Allison said he recognized the kindness of the Master who had permitted him to live so long, and enjoy so abundantly the fruits of his industry. He was a member of the Church of England and until an advanced age attended church at Port Robinson and his children followed in this footsteps.

Thomas Allison died 10 June 1887 and is buried at Drummond Hill Cemetery, Niagara Falls.