Gasaway and Milinda Ross

Gasaway was born Abt. 1807 in Maryland, USA - death date unknown

Milinda Thomas was born Abt. 1827 in Maryland, USA - death date unknown

Farm: Concession 2, Lot 59, Holland Township, Grey County, Ontario

Gasaway married his wife Milinda(?) Thomas on 11 Nov 1843 in Middlesex, Ontario.

We presume that the family arrived in the Holland Township area sometime around 1846-47 while the township was till being surveyed. According to the Gazetteeer and directory of the county of Grey on page 127; “…and though the “Garafraxa Road” on its Western boundary was laid out as early as 1840, the survey of the township at large was not taken in hand till 1849. Charles Rankin, P.L.S., made the survey in 1849 and 1850.” 

The image of the Holland Township map dated 29 Dec 1851 shows the 100-acre on Conc 2, Lot 59 is void of any settlers’ name with the east half of Lot 60 being settled on by Alfred J. Wilkes

By the time that the enumerator arrived to take the 1851 Canada Census in January 1852, Gasaway and Milinda,  and their two small children; William Henry age 6, and Emily Ann age two had settled on a 200-acre double lot farm located at Concession 2, Lots 59 and 60. He had built a one-story log house for himself and his family and was also housing the local schoolteacher, an Irishman named William White age sixty-seven, his wife Mary, and their adult son William Jr age twenty-five who was working as a labourer.

The Agricultural Schedule of the 1851 census, shows that Gasaway had been toiling hard on his farm. He had a total of twenty-eight acres cultivated with twelve acres under a pasture and the rest under crops; 7 acres of wheat producing 40 bushels, 1 acre of peas producing 10 bushels, 7 acres of oats producing 60 bushels, 1 acre of potatoes that produced 10 bushels, 10 tons of hay. He also had livestock; 2 bulls/oxen/steers, 1 milking cow, 1 calf/heifer, and 1 pig. Although his farm was producing well, he still had one hundred and seventy-two acres of woodland that had not been cultivated.

We know Gasaway was not granted a patent for these two plots of land. Most likely because he did not hold British citizenship, which was the main criterion in order to qualify for a crown patent. We believe that he was squatting on these two 100-acre lots.

A Crown patent was granted to Thomas White on 16 Dec 1858 for the east part of Lot 59 consisting of 50 acres. White sold the land to Richard Green one month later on 18 Jan 1858, who then sold it to Gasaway. (We are not certain of the exact date that Green sold the 50 acres to him as there seems to be missing information in the registry books). However, it is noted on 31 Mar 1863 that Gasaway sold the same piece of land back to Richard Green

The Letter signed by Gasaway Ross for his friend Henry Miller - 17 August 1859

Note: The 50-acre crown patent had been granted to Wm. F. Mindell for the east part of Lot 60 on 26 Aug 1856 (see footnote v), and for the 50-acre west part of the lot a crown patent was given to Alfred J. Wilkes, or Mills on 18 Aug 1877

In 1859, Gasaway signed a letter on behalf of his old friend Henry Miller’s (of Sullivan Township), petitioned request to buy the 50-acre lot on Con 1, Lot 22, in Holland Township which his son Thomas Henry had received the original location ticket on 22 Apr 1844 for a fair price.

By the time the 1861 census was taken the family had expanded to four children. In addition to William Henry and Emilia, there was now Anna aged 8, and John W age 3, and had moved to the Algoma Region in northern Ontario where they made their home.

Gasaway and Milinda had a least eight children together by the time the 1871 census was taken. He remained a farmer in the Sault Ste Marie area of Algoma Centre in northern Ontario. Gasaway, Milinda and their large family were still living on their farm in the Algoma region of northern Ontario as of the 1891 Canada Census.

I have not found any historical documentation for Milinda before her marriage to Gasaway and she is only mentioned by her name and questions asked by the enumerator for the census.

We know that Milinda and Gasaway and their large family were still residing in Sault Ste Marie area of northern Ontario as of the 1891 census.

We have not found an exact date for either Gasaway’s and Milinda’s deaths to date. Research is ongoing

Written and researched by: Nancy M. Lee