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Lake Ontario from Oswego to Presque Ile harbour and then went 15 miles through the woods to the township of perry in Northumberland and setld on a bush farm about 20 miles from a post of or store or Mill and they had to goe that distance with an ox team when they wanted a little grain ground, or a little tea, or the mail, and it was a big job, and they had many hardships to undergoe. They would pound their corn in a morter made by heating a stone and burning a hole in the top of a stump, then they would sift it, and make porrige of the coarse part and corn bread of the finer and thus save going to mill and there was plnty of game in the bush bear and der Patridge hares etc, which they could Kill and have plnty of Meat, and thus lived, and hope Kept the hart whole.
Buth the hardships of the new Country and loss of wealth preyd on grandfather mind until it gave way and he refused to pertake of food suffisant to heep him alive and he literaily starved to Death about the year 1802 and he left his wif a widow and it was the second time for fhe was a widow when grandfather maried her, and with her family she strugeld for a few years, then she sold the farm married to a man by name of Sherwood and left the township of Perry and went to live in the township of Murey and lived ther until sh Died in the year 1828 after being maried three times, her first husban's name was Justus Johnson, James Merriam that came with John to the country married and lived in the township of Perry and raised a large family 7 boys and 6 girls and lived to be nearly 100 years old.
Johnson, the son of John Merriam was born in Wallingsbord, St., of Conneticut in the year 1788, and came with his parents to Canada, and after his father Died and his mother got married again he left home and worked out and taught school until the year 1810 when he got married to Elizabeth Massey the daughter of Daniel and Rebecka Massey in the township of Haldimand and she lived to be 33 years old and she Died and left 6 children, 3 boys, and 3 girls, the youngest 9 months old, and he Johnson Merriam lived a widower for 13 years and then Maried again to thankful, daughter of Samuel Towons. they had 1 boy his name is Zimron he went to york state near watertown with his Mother after his father Died.
It was hard times in Canada when my father was first married when war broke out in 1812 between England and the United States and it made it stil harder in the first part of the year 1814 nearly all the able men of Upper Canada (that is Ontario now) war Drafted and taken from their home to be soldiers to proteck the Country, and my Father with the rest and he was taken
to Kinston to lern the art of war, and he did not like it vary wel, in the fall he with a company ware sent with a bregade of Boats loaded with suplies for York fort now (Toronto) and they war 6 weeks making the trip sometime they sailed other times they rowd, they got to York Dec 24th pretty well used up.
Wal the war closed in 1815, and my father returned home but tims ware very bad and the next 2 years the sumers ware vary Cold and the Crops did not mature and there was great want if not starvation but the third year was good crops and and after that the country prospered until 1837 and then the rebellion broke out and there was bad times. The people ready to destroy each other and many sufford wrongfully but it got seteld and we got Responsible government we are prospering and should be thankful.
my father Johnson Merriam Died in Haldimand in the year 1853 aged 65 yrs and 5 months the famely Almira Merriam daughter of Johnson Merriam was born in the year 1813 and was married to Goldsmith Richarson in the year 1822 and he Died in the year 1835 and she married the second time in the year 1837 to Levi Blaget and he died in the year 1871 and Almira Blaget Died in the year 1889 aged 76 yers and left 9 children 5 girls and 4 boys.
Susana second daughter born in the year 1816 and Married to Jermih Lap in 1844 and Died in the year 1889 and left 3 children 1 girl and 2 boys.
Lucy S third daughter of Johnson Merriam born in year 1822 and was Maried to Albert Adams in the state of new york in the year 1848 and her husband Died in 1894 and left 2 children 1 girl 1 boy and she is living in Bellevue state of Michigan.
Justus J. Merriam first son of Johnson Merriam was born in the year 1818 was married to Caroline E. Honeywell daughter of Amos Homeywell in 1842 and are still living and have 9 children living 2 girls and 7 boys and 38 grand children and 6 great grand children.
John Merriam second son of Johnson Merriam born in the year 1825 and was Maried to Lysitta Allen in the year 1846 and they have 7 children.
Samuel S Merriam third son of Johnson Merriam was born in the year 1828 and married to Clarisa Allen daughter of Ira Allen in the year 1850 and his wife died in the year 1856 and left 4 children and he maried the second time to Alvira Winters daugther of Henry Winters and they have 6 children and he lives in the state of Michigan.
I want to write a little about myself Justus Merriam. I was 10 years old when my mother Died and my father put me to live with my uncle and I lived there a few years and then left and worked wherever I could get a job and when the rebellion broke out in 1837 I was working in a Brewery. I was 19 years old and I volentered in a company at the village of Grafton under Captain Williams and we drilled 2 days in the week and we found our own arms and Clothing and boarded ourselves for 3 months and got no pay and with the advise of my friends I left Canada and went to the States ner Watertown whare I had relativs and worked in a grocery and provision store and was getting along
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