Hodgeson

(submitted by Joanne Pelkman and Lew McGregor)

James S. Hodgson arrived in New York in 1847. He met and married Mary Lancaster (1820–1921) there. She had arrived from Leeds, England in 1840, at age 18, on the ship Scotland. Together, James and Mary came to Canada, settling first at Duffin’s Creek, now Pickering, where James abandoned his former profession of cheese maker and went into the tanning and harness business.

In 1872 they rented a farm in Adelaide Twp. from James’ older brother Dennis. They resided here for six years before moving to Warwick Village, where James re-established his harness shop in 1878. James and Mary had four children: Ann (1850–1878), Albert (1852–), Amelia (1853–1935) and Albert (1858–). By 1881 James had reverted back to his cheese making profession and converted to Swedenborgianism, while Mary remained a devout Methodist.

Their daughter Ann, born in Pickering Twp., married John S. Clark in 1875. John was born in Cornwall, England and also made his living as a cheese maker. After Ann Clark died in Adelaide Twp., John Clark married Ann’s sister Amelia in Pickering in 1883. The family lived in Warwick at this time and they had four children, Russell George (1883–), Reeta Blanche (1886–), Herman (1888–) and Ivah (1893–). Russell worked as a druggist in Petrolia for a short while, later moving to Toronto. Herman was also a cheese maker who married in Warwick and later moved to Glencoe, Ont. Reeta married a Doman, Ivah a Grary.

James Hodgson died in Warwick in 1894 at the home of John and Amelia Clark. Mary then boarded with Amelia and John, following them to Strathroy, Ont. where she passed away at the age of 101. John and Amelia both died in Strathroy.

Chapter 24 of 25 - Hodgeson Family

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