A Call to Arms:
Historic Mississauga
& the War of 1812
2012 marks the Bicentennial of the War of 1812. Although peace was concluded in late 1814, the war lasted until early 1815, and as such events commemorating the anniversary of the war, including re-enactments and rededications, will stretch over several years.
While the City of Mississauga (formerly Toronto Township) has some connections to the War of 1812 in the form of past residents who served as militiamen in the conflict, largely along the Niagara frontier, no battles or events of note took place within the modern boundaries of the City of Mississauga. To the east, in York (now the City of Toronto), Fort York was a military bastion during the war, and was captured and destroyed in 1813. Fort York was rebuilt in 1814 and stands today as a National Historic Site in Canada. To our west conflict neared our borders as invading American forces were repelled at various battles ranging from Stoney Creek to Burlington Bay.
Volunteer militiamen from Toronto Township (now the City of Mississauga), serving at first in the Flank Companies of the 2nd Regiment of the York Militia, were present at and participated in many of the battles in the War of 1812 along the Niagara frontier, including Chippawa, Burlington Heights, Fort Detroit, Fort Erie, Fort George, Fort York, Lundy’s Lane, Queenston Heights, St. David’s, Stoney Creek, and many others.
In commemoration and observance of the Bicentennial, many dedicated cultural heritage organizations, museums, historic sites and volunteer groups are focusing energies on significant events and research projects connected to the conflict.
A Call to Arms: Historic Mississauga and the War of 1812 Research Project
Heritage Mississauga, in partnership with the University of Toronto Mississauga Historical Studies Department, has undertaken a research project aimed at documenting the residents of Toronto Township (historic Mississauga) who served during the War of 1812. This research project in ongoing. Thank you to UTM students Milan Gocmanac and Suzanna Elmazi. Also thank you to many individuals who have shared their research, knowledge, information and passion regarding the War of 1812 and its local connections with us: notably Fred Blair and Lois McKinney, amongst many others.
The Militiamen of Toronto Township
The list of names below are the individuals we believe lived in historic Mississauga and served in a militia during the War of 1812. Heritage Mississauga is in the process of assembling further information on each of these individuals in the hopes of developing more biographical and service documentation. Our primary aim is to identify the service records and burial locations of War of 1812 militia veterans who either lived in our owned land in what is today the City of Mississauga during the War of 1812, militia veterans who lived elsewhere in 1812 but are buried within what is now the City of Mississauga, and militia veterans who relocated to what is now the City of Mississauga between 1815 and 1825. Research and documentation is ongoing. Future research will delve into the connections of the Native Mississaugas from the Credit River and their involvement in the war. If you have information on any of these individuals or Mississauga’s connections to the War of 1812, please contact Heritage Mississauga.
This list will be expanded and biographical information on individual militiamen will be added as the research project progresses.
Lived in or owned land within Toronto Township (Mississauga) in 1812
Private William Barber (1785-?), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private John Belcher Sr. (?-c1834). 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Adjutant Lewis Bradley (1771-1843), 2nd Regiment, York Militia (Retired, Dec. 1812)
Private James Chambers (Unknown), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Ensign Philip Cody (1770-1850), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Robert Copeland (1793-1869), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Thomas Copeland (1748-1822), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Peter Covenhoven (c1777-1828), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Henry Gable Sr. (1765-1836), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Henry Gable Jr. (1788-1866), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private John Gable (c1795-1880), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Daniel Greeniaus (1793-1863), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Sebastian Greeniaus (1761-1847), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Daniel Harris (1771-1831), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Daniel Hendershot (1790-1888), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Isaac Hendershot (1773-1859), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Alexander Hemphill (1786-1858), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Alpheus Hemphill (1796-1838), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Peter Hess (1779-1855), 5th Regiment, Lincoln Militia
Private Thomas Ingersoll (1790-1847), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Lieutenant Frederick Starr Jarvis (1787-1852), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Peter Jones (unknown), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Ensign David Kribbs, 5th Regiment, Lincoln Militia
Private William Lewis (c1793-c1854), 2nd Regiment, York Militia, Deserted
Private Aaron London (c1785-?), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Abraham Markle (1790-?), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private John Marlatt (1777-1865), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Sergeant James McNabb (1787-1866), 1st Regiment, Lincoln Militia
Private Amos Merigold (1797-?), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Sergeant Daniel Merigold (1795-1863), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Captain Thomas Merigold Sr. (1761-1826), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Sergeant Thomas Merigold Jr. (1791-1871), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Benjamin Monger (1769-1863), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Patrick Murphy (unknown), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Lynus Peck, 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Ensign Jonathan Pettit (1786-1852), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Joshua Pollard Sr. (1772-1850), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Ryer Reynolds (c1791-1877), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private William Robertson (unknown), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Sergeant Allen Robinett, 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Thomas Robinett (1797-?), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private John (likely Johann) Schiller (?-1816), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Michael Schiller (?-1828), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Conrad Shain (c1755-1840), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Sergeant Aaron Silverthorn (1790-1872), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Joseph Silverthorn (1785-1879), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Thomas Silverthorn (1788-1834), 2nd Regiment, York Militia, wounded in action
Lieutenant Styles Stevens (c1775-1834), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Moses Teeter (1781-1852), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Augustus Thompson (1788-?), 1st Regiment, Lincoln Militia
Private Cornelius Oliver Thompson (1797-1813), 1st Regiment, Lincoln Militia, casualty
Private Frederick Thompson (1790-?), 1st Regiment, Lincoln Militia, wounded in action
Captain William Thompson (1784-1860), 2nd Regiment, York Militia, Car Brigade
Private John Utter, 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Cornelius Van Valkenburg (1774-1874), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private John Vanzante, 1st York Rifle Company
Private Daniel Wilcox (1793-1872), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Peter Wolfe (1773-1846), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Historically lived in Trafalgar Township, geographically now within the City of Mississauga
Sergeant George Marlatt (1782-1814), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Joseph Marlatt Jr. (c1776-1845), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private William Shain (1795-1872), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Historically lived in Trafalgar Township, buired within the City of Mississauga
Private David Albertson (1764-1842), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private William Albertson (1794-1877), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Sergeant David Snyder (1784-1863), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Lived elsewhere but after the War of 1812 moved to Toronto Township or are buried within the City of Mississauga
Sergeant Charles Cameron (1783-1867), 3rd Regiment, York Militia
Private Henry Carpenter (1773-1843), 3rd Regiment, York Militia
Private Warren Clarkson (1793-1882), 1st Regiment, York Militia
Private James Davidson (1787-1864), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private David Hill (1784-1833), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Samuel Mercer (1779-1830), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Aron Oliphant (1788-1868), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Jacob Peer (1796-1885), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private John Peer (1790-1888), 5th Regiment, Lincoln Militia
Private Philip Peer (1766-1819), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Christopher Row (1787-1871), 5th Regiment, Lincoln Militia
Private Timothy Street (1777-1848), 5th Regiment, Lincoln Militia
Private Amos Willcox (1793-1886), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Historical Connections to the City of Mississauga
Joseph Cawthra (1759-1842), 3rd Regiment, York Militia
Oliver Grace Jr. (unknown)
Captain Stephen Jarvis (1756-1840), Assistant Adjutant General, Militia
Captain Thomas Racey (1791-1881), 5th Regiment, Lincoln Militia
Captain John Beverley Robinson (1791-1863), 3rd Regiment, York Militia
From Trafalgar Township but with historical family connections to Historic Mississauga
Private Garret Conover/Covenhoven (1780-1866), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
Private Samuel Gable (1796-1862), 2nd Regiment, York Militia
British Regular Soldier buried within the City of Mississauga
Major Thomas Bradford Whetham (1782-1830), Royal Artillery, British Army
American Militiaman buried within the City of Mississauga
Richard Caslor (1774-1870), Herkimer County Militia, New York
The Mississaugas and the War of 1812
Native Mississaugas from the Credit River (within what is today the City of Mississauga) were also involved in the War of 1812. Oral traditions suggest that many served as messengers, carrying communications over long distances, while other participated in several of the conflicts, both individually, and as part of larger groups. We have very little information on individuals who lived at the Credit River who served in the war, in part because individual names were often not recorded. Some petitions and pension lists include some names of Native Mississaugas in the years following the conflict, while other traditions, local history resourcesm and historic publications list other individuals. In cross-referencing these names with historic census records, we can confirm that several of these individuals were of the right age to have participated in the war. This is not a complete or authenticated list at this time as research is ongoing, and we look forward to hearing from anyone who might have more information to share.
James Ajetance / “Captain Jim” (Ajetance)
John Cameron (Wageezhegome)
James Chechok (Manoonooding)
George Henry (Pemiskishigon)
Lawrence Herkimer (Negahnub)
William Herkimer (Minowargewon)
James Johnson
Joseph Sawyer (Nawahjegezhegwaby)
John Secord
Thomas Smith (Pahoombwawinndung)
John Sunday
John Tobeco (Tobecoo)
White John – died at Fort York, 1813
Kish-ki-wabik
For More Information on the War of 1812
There are many resources, in print and online, regarding the upcoming War of 1812 Bicentennial, as well as historical information on the War of 1812. For more information please visit your local library, contact Heritage Mississauga, or visit:
The 1812 Heritage Gazette
Heritage Mississauga has begun producing a small publication, dubbed The 1812 Heritage Gazette, aimed at sharing our ongoing research findings and connecting the City of Mississauga to the War of 1812.
The 1812 Heritage Gazette - Volume One - October 2011
The 1812 Heritage Gazette - Volume Two - February 2012