The American Revolution & War of 1812 ~ The Buchner Family Was There

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2024: Week 4 (WITNESS TO HISTORY)

 "It appears that the oldest brother John Buchner, father of the teenaged “younger group” although advanced in years and continuously resident in New Jersey was also active in the Loyalist cause. His son Jacob referred to him as “John Boughner, Sr., U.E. Loyalist,” in his land petition. Jacob joined the New Jersey Volunteers in 1780 and served for the rest of the war as a sergeant and guide with the army. He “piloted” several persons from the enemy line to New York, where his regiment was stationed." 1

John Boughner noted above is my husband's 5th great grandfather via his father's paternal line, and his 6th great grandfather via his father's maternal line.

Johannes Theis (John) Buchner
BIRTH 18 SEP 1729 • Unnau, Westerwald, Hessen, Germany
DEATH 11 SEP 1791 • Hardwick Twp, Sussex, New Jersey, USA

John's son Jacob noted above is my husband's 4th great grandfather via his father's paternal line, and his 5th great grandfather via his father's maternal line. The family references him as Jacob the 1st. 

Jacob Buchner
BIRTH 31 MAY 1763 • Hardwick Twp, Sussex County, New Jersey , USA
DEATH 11 AUG 1841 • Woodhouse, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada
married to
Catherine Schuyler (AKA: Shelar, Schuler, Shuler)
BIRTH 20 SEP 1767 • Sussex County, New Jersey, USA
DEATH 8 FEB 1855 • Woodhouse, Norfolk County, Ontario

X5 (X6) Great Grandpa John was a Loyalist during the American Revolution. He died before the War of 1812 started. Most of his brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews settled as loyalist in the southern Ontario regions. Many of the towns & roads carry their various names.

The battle of Lundy's lane took place on John's nephew's property. The Buchner House is a historic home that is still available to visit.

Future holiday plans?  

VRBO - Buchner House

Wouldn't it be exciting for a namesake to book the Buchner House via VRBO. 

When looking at the family's history we are left wondering how pride in the United Empire Loyalists' roots fits with Truth & Reconciliation!!! 

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Footnotes:

1  Buchner-Boughner Family Origins. The Niagara Settlers. R. Robert Mutrie. Retrieved January 17th 2024 from
https://sites.google.com/site/niagarasettlers/pioneer-lives-2/buchner-Boughner-Familty-Origins 

Sources:

Ancestor Roll. Jacob Buchner. Grand River Branch of the UELAC. Retrieved January 18th 2024 from 
http://www.grandriveruel.ca/Grand_River22.htm

Buchner-Boughner Family Origins. R. Robert Mutrie. Retrieved January 18th 2024 from https://sites.google.com/site/niagarasettlers/pioneer-lives-2/buchner-Boughner-Familty-Origins

Buchner family name embedded in Niagara Falls history. Jonathan Milner Niagara This Week. Originally published Monday, January 20, 2020. Retrieved January 18th 2024 from
https://www.niagarathisweek.com/opinion/buchner-family-name-embedded-in-niagara-falls-history/article_e54d0c17-dbdb-5737-84ae-02f3ea6ddcaf.html

Buchner House. Cozy-Rustic-Heritage property! VRBO. Retrieved January 18th 2024 from 
https://www.vrbo.com/9836782ha

Buchner House. Heritage Property Details. Niagara Falls. Retrieved January 18th 2024 from 
https://niagarafalls.ca/living/heritage/273204-buchner-house.hp

Buchner House. Guidetags. Explore.  Retrieved January 18th 2024 from
https://www.guidetags.com/guidetags/explore//308-buchner-house

Buchner House. Canada's Historic Places. Retrieved January 18th 2024 from
https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=9749

BUCHNER SCHOOL AS MUSEUM IS CROWLAND TWP. PROJECT. Welland History. Retrieved January 18th 2024 from 
https://tales.wellandhistory.ca/2021/08/30/buchner-school-as-museum-is-crowland-twp-project/

Drummond Hill. Niagara Falls History. Retrieved January 18th 2024 from
https://www.niagarafallsinfo.com/niagara-falls-history/niagara-falls-municipal-history/drummond-hill/

Drummond Hill Cemetery. City of Niagara Falls. Locations and Histories. Cemeteries.  Retrieved January 18th 2024 from
https://niagarafalls.ca/city-hall/municipal-works/cemetery/locations-and-histories/drummond-hill.aspx

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________

Family Legend ~ Buchner Family's United Empire Loyalists History

 

 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2021: Week 2 (FAMILY LEGEND)

I remember learning about the United Empire Loyalists (UEL), the Battle of 1812, and the Underground Railroad as a youngster in school. As a Canadian I was proud of the role my country played in bettering the lives of American people seeking a different way of life. 

When looking for someone who fit the prompt FAMILY LEGEND I decided to write about Sergeant Jacob Buchner who acted as a guide for the British Army during the War of 1812.

The events that took place during that time definitely fit the prompt for me because there is a FAMILY connection to the larger than life story passed down (definition of LEGEND).

Jacob Buchner
BIRTH 31 MAY 1763 • Hardwick Twp., Sussex, New Jersey, USA
DEATH 11 AUG 1841 • Woodhouse, Norfolk County, Ontario

Jacob was married to:
Catherine Shular
(alternative spellings include: Shelar, Sheelar, Schulyer)
BIRTH 20 SEP 1767 • Sussex County, New Jersey
DEATH 8 FEB 1855 • Woodhouse, Norfolk County, Ontario

Jacob & Catherine are my husband's 4th AND 5th great grandparents via two different family lines. 

Jacob's parents were:
Johannes Theis (John) Buchner
BIRTH 18 SEP 1729 • Unnau, Westerwald, Hessen, Germany
DEATH 11 SEP 1791 • Hardwick Twp, Sussex, New Jersey, USA
and
Catharine
BIRTH ABT. 1730 • Germany
DEATH UNKNOWN • Sussex, Sussex, New Jersey, United States
*** Catherine's maiden name may have been Mueller, but I have not yet finished a reasonable exhaustive search to confirm the surname. ***

~

Jacob's father John's UEL status has been proven. I haven't found proof that Jacob's has been proven. He did receive land grants as a Loyalist noting his father was a Loyalist, and Jacob was in his own right. 

It had been many years since I learned about the United Empire Loyalists so I decided I should research them. 

This has been an added side benefit of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - my desire to know more about the life & times of the people who make up our Bramble Bush. Every time I choose an ancestor to feature the ensuing research is informative.

This time was no exception. I discovered:
"... It was pressure from the UEL's that led to the Canada Act of 1791. They wanted to ensure that they had free title to their lands - the freehold system of land tenure ..." 1

I was wondering why it was that this obscure fact resonated with me while I was researching. I perseverated on it so much that I missed quite a bit of other information that was more relevant to our Bramble Bush folks' story. Then I realized it's because we are currently looking at real estate listings, and the first thing we check is if the property is FREEHOLD or LEASE.  

It is 100% true that we view through our own lens. The information we process first goes through a series of checks. What we currently have going on in our personal lives effects how we perceive the information we process. 

I wonder how many times I have skimmed over information about our ancestors, and missed the entire point that was being made. This was never more clearly observed than in today's fixation on the establishment of freehold while I missed so much more important information about the achievements on the United Empire Loyalists. 

With that in mind I think it's time to look back at X5 & X6 great grandmother Catherine to ensure her story can be told.

Looking back over previous research with fresh eyes!

This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
















***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***




Footnotes:

1 United Empire Loyalists, the Canada Act, Canada History Project. Retrieved January 10th 2021 from 
http://www.canadahistoryproject.ca/1791/1791-04-loyalists.html

Sources:

Buchner-Boughner Family Origins, The Niagara Settlers, by R. Robert Mutrie. Retrieved January 10th 2021 from 
https://sites.google.com/site/niagarasettlers/pioneer-lives-2/buchner-Boughner-Familty-Origins

Canada Immigration, United Empire Loyalists (National Institute), Family Search, Retrieved January 10th 2021 from 
https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Canada_Immigration,_United_Empire_Loyalists_(National_Institute)

Loyalists in Canada, The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 10th 2021 from
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/loyalists

Mutrie, R. Robert. The Long Point Settlers, Log Cabin Publishing,1992, P 33

Soldiers and Supporters "B", The Niagara Settlers, by R. Robert Mutrie. Retrieved January 10th 2021 from
https://sites.google.com/site/niagarasettlers/soldiers-and/soldiers-b

UNITED EMPIRE LOYALISTS VERSUS LATE LOYALISTS, Retrieved January 10th 2021 from 
https://grandriversaga.com/journal/the-american-parents-of-upper-canada/

Upper Canada Land Petitions, The Niagara Settlers, by R. Robert Mutrie. Retrieved January 10th 2021 from
 https://sites.google.com/site/niagarasettlers/upper-canada-land-petitions

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

________________________________________________________________

 

Jacob Buchner ~ A FRESH START in Canada

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2020 Week 1 (FRESH START)

This is my second 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge. When I first began the 2019 challenge I wasn't exactly sure what I would do for the whole year. As I begin the 2020 challenge I have more understanding.


My FRESH START begins with a focus on the other side of this Bramble Bush. 


When I first started researching I wanted to make sure that my children grew up knowing where they came from. For this to happen I needed to include both their maternal and paternal side. This is how MY BRAMBLE BUSH FAMILY TREE first got it's roots.


Last year's challenge I included a few weeks focused on my husband's side of the tree. This year I plan to have a more shared focus on both sides. It seems only fair since his side of the tree is more extensively researched. In the early days of research my side of the tree was full of brick walls. It's what happens when you come from a long line of black sheep. Whenever I was frustrated researching my line I would switch to my husband's and feel so successful.


I would like to introduce you to :
Jacob Buchner
Born: May 31st 1763 at Hardwick Township, New Jersey, USA
Died: August 11th 1841 at Woodhouse, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada 

Jacob is my husband's 4th great grandfather via his father's paternal line, AND his 5th great grandfather via his father's maternal line.


This was the first time in my research that I had two ancestral lines intersect. When I was adding my father-in-law's maternal line, and found a name that I was pretty sure I already had in my tree I was startled. In the years since I am no longer surprised when this happens. The moment I think a last name sounds familiar I immediately search my tree to see if I already have this newly found family member in the tree. It's only a matter of time until I find a common relative between my husband and I since we both have solid roots in Ontario.


I don't think you could find a better example of a FRESH START than Jacob Buchner and his wife Catherine Shelar ***
*** sometimes spelled Schular/Shular/Schelar - My chosen spelling is because that is how they spelled their second son's name.
I have not yet found a solid source for Catherine's family. The only facts I have for Catherine are on birth and death documents after marriage. 

 

Jacob's father, John,  left Germany for a FRESH START in the United States. He arrived in New Jersey in 1753. 
Johannes Theis (known as John) Buchner
BIRTH 18 SEP 1729 • Unnau, Westerwald, Hessen, Germany
DEATH 11 SEP 1791 • Hardwick Twp, Sussex, New Jersey, USA

source:  Pioneer Sketches of Long Point Settlement

source: Annals of the Forty, No. 9, Loyalist and Pioneer Families of West Lincoln,

Jacob and his father supported the British in the American Revolution. 

Bold, underlining and italics added below for clarity by the writer. 

"It appears that the oldest brother John Buchner, father of the teenaged “younger group” although advanced in years and continuously resident in New Jersey was also active in the Loyalist cause. His son Jacob referred to him as “John Boughner, Sr., U.E. Loyalist,” in his land petition." 1

"Jacob joined the New Jersey Volunteers in 1780 and served for the rest of the war as a sergeant and guide with the army. He “piloted” several persons from the enemy line to New York, where his regiment was stationed." 1

"Among the sons of the oldest brother John Buchner, the “younger group” Jacob (1762) arrived in 1787 and settled near his cousin Henry on a crown grant of Lot 13, Concession 7, Willoughby Twp., Welland Co. He also had grants of Lots 1 and 2, Concession 2 in neighbouring Crowland Twp. His brother Henry (1758) arrived with Jacob and settled on Lot 1, Concession 4, Crowland Twp., Welland County." 1


Jacob and his brother Henry took the British offer of a FRESH START, and headed to Upper Canada obtaining land grants in what would eventually be Southern Ontario where many Buchner/Boughner families still reside.


Their father chose to stay in the United States, but didn't lose his land. Although he and at least two of his sons were loyalists his son Franklin was a Patriot officer which may have been why John didn't lose his land. The American Revolution divided the Buchner family when some supported the loyalist, others the Patriots, and again when some left for free land in Canada. 

Jacob and his family were very involved with the Methodist Church in Ontario. I have not determined if they were involved with the Methodist Church before their arrival in Ontario.  


In 2018 I attended a Genealogy Conference, and discovered this treasure on a freebie table. There were many similar books on the table, but this one had Jacob Buchner in it.

1804, Jacob serves as a Jurer

Looking through this book I discovered that Jacob had served as a Jurer. 
Further research found that this was one of 14 times Jacob served between 1800 and 1818.


This is my 2020 FRESH START --- it's the the first of 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks.




A FRESH START - how parts of the Bramble Bush rooted in Canada!


This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!










***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Footnotes:

1 Buchner-Boughner Family Origins, Mutrie, R Robert, 
https://sites.google.com/site/niagarasettlers/pioneer-lives-2/buchner-Boughner-Familty-Origins

 


Sources:




The United Empire Loyalist Settlement at Long Point, Lake Erie, Ontario Historical Society
Papers and Records, VOL. II, Tasker, LH, William Briggs, Toronto, Ontario, 1900
Full text retrieved January 2nd 2020 from
https://ia600301.us.archive.org/0/items/taskunitedempireloya00rich/taskunitedempireloya00rich.pdf

The Woolverton Genealogy Site, The History of the Woolverton family in North America, Retrieved January 3rd 2020 from http://www.woolverton.ca/

Annals of the Forty, No. 9, Loyalist and Pioneer Families of West Lincoln, 1783 to 1833, Sources, Powell, R Janet, Grimsby Historical Society, 1958,
Retrieved January 3rd 2020 from
http://www.woolverton.ca/Sources/1713231.pdf

Pioneer Sketches of Long Point Settlement OR Norfolk's Foundation Builders and their family genealogies, Owen, Egbert Americus, William Briggs, Toronto, Ontario, 1898
Full text retrieved January 2nd 2020 from
https://archive.org/stream/pioneersketcheso00owen/pioneersketcheso00owen_djvu.txt





Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

___________________________________________________________