Subject: Re: John Bodine Thank you for the prompt reply. This is better than a mystery story! The individual I contacted at the Elgin Co. Genealogy Society, that does some lookups at cost, not only found the cemetery records for James Best and wife Amy Bodine but got me in contact with the last Best of this line living in Elgin Co. [By the way, there are other, unrelated Bests in Elgin Co. Our Best line lived in Southold Twp. at Watson Corners.] I wrote to these Bests who finally wrote back. They descended from James and Amy's son Elisha and had lived continuously on the original homestead until about two years ago when the property was sold. They had James and Amy's Bible and sent me a photo copy. It says:
First page: Opposite page: Anna Best his wife was born the 27th of February AD 1757 Third page (left of center) Births Opposite page to Birth page: Marriages The information from MaryAnn on down is in different handwriting.
About May 11th 1919 the following obituary appeared:
On Saturday there entered into rest one of the noblest and best beloved pioneer women of Elgin County, Mrs. Amy Force Williams, widow of the late John Williams, of Watson's Corners, two and one-half miles west of Fengal.
Mrs. Williams was born on the "Best" farm, one mile from the residence she had occupied during the last 70- years. She celebrated her 97th birthday anniversary on January 8, 1918, and at that time it appeared quite probable that she might live to round out the century, so well was she bearing the rigorous winter. Her physical and mental strength had been preserved in a very remarkable degree, and up to a month before her death she was able to get about the house and even assist in kitchen work. Her mental clearness and vigor continued until the end.
She was a centre of interest in the community and a vital factor in the lives and characters of a large number of people young and old. She had the clam, steady courage, the strong, unwavering faith and purpose, and the broad kindly sympathy of the true pioneer. She was, moreover, a woman of exceptionally sound, practical judgment so that her consul was frequently sought. especially by those intimately acquainted with her. She had recently received some beautiful souvenirs, accompanied by messages of the most tender regard, from Canadian soldiers in the British trenches upon whose lives and characters she had made so strong an impression for good during their boyhood.
The Last Survivor. Mrs. Williams's parents were James Best and Amy Bodine. They were natives of Pennsylvania, where they were married, and came from Jersey Town in that state, about ten miles from the city of Bloomsburg.
With them came the Bodines, Barbours, Watsons, Swishers and Robinsons, in 1811. Mrs. Williams was the last survivors of the older members of all those families. She had three brothers Michael, Elisha and John, and three sisters, Nancy, Mary and Jane. She was the mother of seven children, of whom three survive her: Samuel C. of Rochester, NY, Mrs. W.E. Williams of Castor, Alberta and Mrs. Harry A. Horton, of Watson's Corners. She is also survived by six grandchildren. Her paternal great grandfather was Michael Best, a teacher in England, who wore knew breeches and was reputed to have been a very excellent teacher. Four of her children and grandchildren chose the teaching profession.
Forced to Flee. Two years after the coming of the Watson's Corners families, the raid of Generally McArthur's army caused them to take their young children and their effects and flee in haste for refuge to Long Point, where they stayed for several months until the danger was over. Then they returned to resume the hard work of clearing away the forest and transforming the section into a condition of fertility and fruitfulness.
In all these early pioneer struggles Mrs. Williams bore her full share of the toil and hardships. There was little opportunity for schooling and great necessity for manual labor and skill. Among her accomplishments in this respect it is worthy of mention that she personally sowed the seed grew, pulled, broke, and spun and finally wove the flax into table covers bed spreads, etc., with a beauty, delicacy and complexity of design and color that excite the wonder of the present generation.
She leaves to posterity a heritage right indeed in nobility, fidelity and true worth.
The funeral services will be held at the residence on Tuesday, May 14, at 2:30 p.m. Interment in the family plot in Fingal cemetery.
The letter from Lyla Best states: The Watsons, Best, Bodines and Kitchens and Barbers came to the Talbot settlement.
I think of James Best, aged 22 and his sister Mary, 21 setting out with what high hopes for Canada. Mary's dream was so short she married John Robbins of the Ling Point settlement (see Amy's account of fleeing General McArthur's army) and died 6 months later.
It was in 1811 that James and Mary came--having been born in New Jersey settled in Jerseytown PA. (notice the similar naming) and ended up in Canada. The land had lovely sandy loam, walnut trees, a natural spring and was inland 2 miles from Lake Erie's north shore.
The American invasion in 1812--not over until 1814 would cause these young Americans to keep their heads down and their mouths shut., wouldn't it? It was on 4 Jan. 1828, 17 years after arrival and 3 years after his youngest child John was born that James received his hard fought-for deed (on sheepskin with the seal of King George IV} in the Col. Thomas Talbot settlement. We still have this deed.
And we have a small chair --people were lighter and shorter then---and a pewter water pitcher.
There was an unbroken line of Bests on that farm from 1811 until 1988 when Mac and I moved to St. Thomas. [They go on to say they are 81 and more information about their own family. They also provided descent tree for their branch.)
With your information about Nicholas in Ontario it may be that more Bodines than Abraham and Amy came on this trek. Something to look into. I do not know anything about the "death certificate in the records of the Best family" I will write to Lyda and see if she does. I don't know how much of the descent of Amy Bodine you want. I can provide more.
Thanks again for your help.
Date: Wed, 27 Dec 2000
From: "Joan best"
James Bests Bible May 25th 18 (rest of date cut off on my copy)
price 4$ bought of Eld E Smith 1836
Michael Best:enr: was born the 2nd of May AD 1764
(concerning the word between "Best" and "was" the first letter could be "c", the second letter could be "u", the last letter is definitely "r", maybe you know what this stands for)
The names & ages of their posterity
Jain Best was born the 2nd of July AD 1785
James Best was born the 6th of July AD 1789
Mary Best was born the 2nd of December AD 1790
Henry Best was born the 15th of January AD 1793
James Best was born the 6th of January AD 1789 [Dave: I think this is July.]
Amy Best (his wife) was Born the 18th of October AD 1786 [Dave: I think this is the 15th.]
(married the 29th of September AD 1809)
the names and ages of their posterity----
Michael Best was born the 8 of January AD 1812
Nancy Best was born the 15 of March AD 1814
Elisha Best was born the 27th of June AD 1816
Mary Best was born the 28th of January AD 1819
Amy Best was born the 8th of January AD 1821
Jane Best was born the 13th of April AD 1823
John Best was born the 30th of July AD 1825
Michael Best was Married to Hannah Ellison the 24th of September AD 1840
Nancy Best was Married to Hugh Watson the 28th of January AD 1841
Mary Ann Best was married to George McMichael the 4 September AD 1842
Elisha Best was married to Dorcas Philpot the 27 March 1843
John Best was married to Sarah Sutton
Jerseytown, PA was settled by traffic on the stage coach roads by the pioneers left because of Indian raids.
Joan Best