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Note: N8 J. C. DEVINS, lot 20, Con 6, born in 1809 on the farm, a portion of which he still resides upon, is the son of the late Isaac Devins, who with his people, who were U.E. Loyalists, came to York County with Governor Simcoe. The grandfather was Abraham Devins; he & 4 sons settled in the southern portion of York Township. One of the sons died in military serviceunder General Brock in 1813.
Isaac bought & settled upon a farm located in the north-west portion of York Township as above. He married Miss Polly Chapman, of Genesee, N.Y., a native of New England, before he came to Canada. The sister of the subject of this sketch Elizabeth Devins, is thought to be the first white child born in Toronto.
Isaac & his brother-in-law, Nicholas Miller, erected the mill at Lambton.
John C. Devins received from his father 100 acres of land, which he cleared & brought into a flourishing state of cultivation & which he yet resides upon. He married in 1832 Jeanette Rodger, a native of Scotland, the issue of their union being 11 children; 8 sons & 1 daughter are still living, Mr. Devins in 1837 set off to join Mackenzie' s forces, but was intercepted & taken prisoner, the Loyalists being aware of his sympathy with the Reform Party. Mr. Devins father, although a U.E.
Loyalist, never received the land from the Crown to which he was entitled.
. UCLPetition, Graned 176 Acres Aug 24, 1796.
Devins Famille in the USA, (c± 2006):
. About the same time, William Berczy, who was an agent for the the English Land Company & leader of a group of German immigrants & their family, brought the group to Upper Canada from New York State, as they were having problems settling there. Berczy hired Isaac & Levi Devins to help his group & the Simcoe Rangers from the to time. [Feb 1795] For their labors, the Devins received payments in flour, salt & other goods as in a barter system, money noting being plentiful & supplies were more necessary for the settlers.
Ref: History of Vaughan Township, G Elmore Reaman.
. There is a story, recounted by James I H Devins an incident, which happened in the United States. We do no know the location, however, it must have happened when Isaac & Abram were young children.
"Abraham, the father, had built the little log house in a clearing & was in the bush cutting down trees & cleaning up the brush. This day, he was late coming home, so his wife went out to serif she could find him. When she called him, he answered & said he would be right in. The twins had followed her from the cabin. She heard a noise & a little way off in the bush she saw a panther. She had a big apron on, so she gathered up the twins in it & struck out for the house. When they reached the cabin, she shut the door with the panther right behind her. The animal put his big feet on the door. Abraham arrived on the double, & shot the panther with his rifle, which he always carried. The cat measured 9 feet from tip to tip. He was a pretty big animal."
. 1790 Census town of Genesee, Ontario Co., New York
Abraham, 3 males over 16, 2 males under 16, Females 2.
It is noteworthy that also in Genesse Town with the Devins are listed the family of Nathan Chapman & Nicholas Miller, who became interlaced through marriage before arriving in Canada.
. 1795 Jan, Isaac Debits participated with the group hauling supplies to the settlers in Markham by sleigh & oxen.
. 1795 Mar 16 - Wm. Berry sent to Burlington Bay, Mr. Beasley's boar with Swift, Morrison, Miller, Devins & Sutton to fetch flour & other provisions & to transport remaining trunks, boxes & tools from Queenstown to York (Toronto).
Isaac is reported to have be killed in the Wyoming Massacre at Beaver, Pennsylvania. - - -
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