Since I omitted it from my post on the first day of our roadtrip, this is the tombstone of Captain Harry Alison, patriarch of the Alison family and the unofficially named Captain’s Alison’s Settlement which sprung up around his lots in Warwick Township of Lambton Co, Ontario in the 183os.
Harry was born in Perth in 1775 and when his father died young he was sponsored by an uncle who sent him to St. Andrews with plans for him to become a solicitor. But, unhappy with the profession, he left service at the end of his requisite period and relocated to London with plans to join the Army. With the aid of a well-placed relative he was given and ensigncy in the 93rd Highlanders. When the 90th Highlanders were reformed under, Major Rowland Hill, Harry came on as Paymaster and served for near 30 years.
In that time he married Francis Sinclair and had a family of nine born all over the world, including Ireland, the West Indies, France, and the Ionian Islands.
He bought out around 1830 and petitioned the Crown for land in Upper Canada (Ontario), and eventually established the family in Warwick Township.
His children were:
- Jane Alison who married Lieutenant Hugh Massy of the 90th and 33rd Regiments (my 4th Great Grandparents)
- Rowland Hill Alison who moved his family to Detroit and then ultimately settled in Chicago
- Charles Alison who served as “Her Majesty’s Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Shah of Persia”
- Brisbain—who became a sailor in Ontario despite likely deserting the British Navy
- Frances Mary who married Thomas Wade Rothwell, the son of Brevet Major Wade Rothwell.
- Jullia Dixon who married Robert Armon Hill retired from the 5th Regiment
- Ann McNair who married William W. Nichols
- Mary H. who married William R. MacDonald
- Peter John Alison who married Frances Delia Travers
Harry served as a Justice of the Peace for nearly 25 years. He died in North Duoro where he spent the last few years of his life as part of the household of his son-in-law William W. Nichols. He was buried in St. Paul’s Cemetery.
The marker reads:
In Memory of Captain Harry Alison, late of H. M. 90th Light infantry. Died January 11, 1866 ae 92 years. Also his wife Francis Sinclair died December 16, 1867 ae 80 years.
Happy hunting!
Jess
A long obituary on Harry posted in The Volunteer Review and Military and Naval Gazette (Ottawa, Canada, Monday, 11 Feb 1867) and in the The Peterborough Review around the same time. Also, the Crown Land Petitions and British Regimental Histories add more information on Harry’s military career.
Genie Road Trip 
May 9, 2016 at 5:16 pm
Just reading my great great grandfathers bio (Stephen E Radcliff, 1844 – 1919) and found this little excerpt regarding your Captain Alison. Thought you might find it interesting “…the Captain was kind enough to allow Divine Service to be held in one of the rooms till the church of England people were able to erect a place of worship. Captain Alison had been in almost every part of the world that the British flag was flying in at that time, and when he settled down on Warwick Hill he had a large family of lively sons and beautiful daughters. So as many of them got married and settled around him, that neighbourhood was aptly named The Colony. P.J. Alison late of Strathroy was the youngest of the Captain’s family. I might say here, that Mr. Rowland Alison, which I believe was the oldest of the boys, was a Poet of more than ordinary talent. He used to write many an amusing verse about all the hard work that had to be done in the backwoods by himself and his brothers, but he did not forget to recount the happy times they all had when the work was done. “… There is more if you’re interested, but I didn’t want to clutter your page. Email be if you would like the rest. I’m happy to send it.
May 10, 2016 at 11:46 pm
Wow… Thanks for sharing! I would love to know what else it says.