Thomas W McCargar (1783-1855)

Early Years

Thomas William McCargar was born in 1783 in the vicinity of Halifax, Vermont, the second child and oldest son of Thomas and Sarah (Thomas) McCargar. We don’t know the month or day of his birth, but based on his stated ages in the 1804, 1808, and 1810 South Gower, Ontario census records, it had to have been in early- to mid-1783. We have determined his birth location based on the known whereabouts of his parents at that time, and based on the fact that most of his children indicated Vermont as their father’s place of birth on census records.

One item we should note, however, is that we have yet to find any historical documents to confirm that Thomas’ second name was William. The first mention of William as his second name was in Fred S. McCargar’s newsletter of 1934. Since then it has become standard practice to refer to him as Thomas William (instead of Thomas Jr.). The South Gower census and land assessment records referred to him as “Thomas McCargar Jr.” when his father was alive, and as just “Thomas McCargar” afterward. Other documents we have found refer to him only as “Thomas McCargar”. Perhaps both Father and Son had the same second name. Given the proliferation of the name William in the family, it would certainly be reasonable.

After Thomas Sr. left Vermont for New York (late-1783 or early-1794), Sarah and children (Mollie and Thomas Jr.), probably lived with Sarah’s father, Samuel Thomas, in Halifax, Vermont. Sometime before 1790, Samuel Thomas moved his family (including Sarah and children) to Whitehall, New York – this is likely where the reunion between Thomas Sr. and Sarah took place.

Around 1800, Thomas Sr. moved his family (now consisting of Sarah and eight children: Mollie, Thomas Jr., Robert, Garner, Hugh, Philander, Milo and Barnabus) to Canada and settled in the South Gower, Ontario area.

Canada

In 1803 (probably in the early fall), Thomas Jr. married Phoebe Beach (Nov 4, 1788-Jan 2, 1881), daughter of David and Phoebe (Daniels) Beach. The McCargar family and the Beach family must have been quite close, as there were three marriages between them:

1. Thomas McCargar Jr. and Phoebe Beach in 1803.
2. Joseph Malvin (Joseph McCargar’s stepson) and Nancy Beach (David Beach’s youngest daughter) in 1812.
3. Benjamin Beach (David Beach’s youngest son) and Charlotte McCargar (Thomas Sr.’s second youngest daughter) in 1821.

Thomas McCargar, Jr. and David Beach were also listed among the first settlers of Kemptville, Ontario.

Thomas Jr. and family lived in South Gower until sometime between 1819 and 1821. Land assessment records for 1804 to 1810 show Thomas Jr. resided on 66 acres of land (owned by his father), and assessment records for 1812 to 1819 show him on his own 100 acre parcel.

Thomas Jr. and family then moved to Oxford-on-the-Rideau Township (now known as Kemptville), and appear on Oxford census records from 1821 to 1851. By 1827, Thomas Jr. owned 200 acres of land in the Kemptville area (lot 27 concession 4 and lot 27 concession 5–100 acres each). Around 1840, Thomas Jr. constructed a 1½ story stone house on the concession 4 lot. This building, today known as Leahurst House, still stands, and is currently being used as a Preschool and Learning Center for the North Grenville Co-Operative.

Grenville Militia

Thomas Jr. was a member of the Grenville Militia and actively recruited other members (mostly family), thereby earning himself an officer’s commission (at the time a commission was earned by recruitment, not purchased). The earliest militia record we have for Thomas Jr. is a 1st Regiment muster roll for September to December 1812, where he is listed as an Ensign (his younger brothers Gardner, Hugh, and Philander are listed as Privates in the same company).

By February 5, 1813, Thomas Jr. had been promoted to Lieutenant in the 1st Regiment, and is listed as such on the muster roll for September to December 1813 (only younger brothers Robert and Hugh show up, as Privates, on this roll).

While we do not have any other muster rolls, we do know that Thomas Jr. made Captain on May 9, 1835 (still in the 1st Regiment), became a Major on September 20, 1848 (now in the 4th Grenville Battalion), and reached his final rank of Lieutenant-Colonel on July 29, 1852 (commanding officer of the 4th Grenville Battalion). His Lieutenant-Colonel commission was eventually passed on to his brother-in-law William Beach on April 12, 1860, five years after Thomas Jr. died.

Thomas Jr. fought in the war of 1812 and commanded a company of 53 men at the Battle of the Windmill in November 1838.

Thomas Jr. was also active in his community. The Smith’s 1846 Canadian Gazetteer for the Johnstown District lists him as the magistrate for Oxford Township (his younger brother Milo was the magistrate for South Gower). He also acted as enumerator for several of the local census.

Thomas Jr. died in 1855, presumably in Kemptville, Ontario.