John Clarkson of Susworth
John Clarkson of Susworth was the father of Thomas Clarkson of Toronto.
The first known mention of John is his marriage to Elizabeth Smith at the parish church in Scotton.1 Susworth is located in the parish of Scotter, and Scotton is a neighbouring parish in northern Lincolnshire.
John and Elizabeth were married on April 30, 1801.2 Their first son, Thomas, was born nine months later, on January 29, 1802.3
Information about John and his family can be gleaned from the record of christenings of John's children. John and Elizabeth had the following children:
Child's Name Christening Date Christening Location Father's Occupation Thomas Clarkson January 29, 1802 Scotter - John Clarkson ("John Jr.")4 January 25, 1804 East Ferry - Ann Clarkson5 October 26, 1806 Butterwick - Mary Clarkson6 February 18, 1810 Butterwick - Elizabeth Clarkson7 October 27, 1812 Butterwick - Smith Clarkson8 March 9, 1815 Butterwick Maltster Margaret Clarkson9 June 10, 1817 Susworth Victualler
The locations of the christenings are a tour around the Susworth area: from Scotter to East Ferry, which is the next hamlet south from Susworth along the river, to Butterwick, which is the next village north along the river, and finally to Susworth itself. It is not clear why John and Elizabeth had their children christened in different locations. It may be that the family took advantage of closer chapels opening, or they may have been moving within the region. John's death notice, discussed below, makes it sound like he was located in Susworth throughout the period.
Based on the information in the christening records, John was a victualler and a maltster. One of the witnesses to John's marriage, Christopher Frankland, was also in maltster in Susworth.10 Given the small size of Susworth, it seems likely that they worked together.
The marriages of John's children reveal more information about the movements of the family. Thomas married Elizabeth Faram in 1823.11 In his marriage record, it shows that Thomas's home parish was in Kingston-upon-Hull, also known as Hull. Thomas's brother John Jr. married Mary Ann Kirkus in Cottingham, Yorkshire, which is near Hull, in 1827.12 Ann married Thomas Read in Hull in 1831,13 Mary married Thomas Guy in Hull in 1829,14 Elizabeth married Henry Wilson in Hull in 1843,15 and Margaret married Thomas Allison in Hull in 1844.16 So it seems that sometime between 1817 and 1823 the family made a permanent move to Hull.
Both Elizabeth and Margaret's marriage registers included the name and occupation of their father. Elizabeth's gave John's occupation as "Maltster" in 1843.17 The next year, Margaret's gave his occupation as "Gentleman".18
John was listed in the 1841 census of England, which showed that John Clarkson and his wife Elizabeth Clarkson lived on North Street in Myton, with occupation of both given as "Ind.", independent.19 They lived with Edwin Kirkus, surely a relative of John Jr.'s wife Mary Ann Kirkus.
Their daughter Elizabeth's residence is given as Porter St. on her marriage register,20 while Margaret's is given as William St. on hers.21 The two streets intersect each other and are located in Myton as well.
John's death was reported in the Hull Packet on July 7, 1848, under the heading Deaths:22
June 29, aged 75, Mr. John Clarkson, formerly maltster at Susworth, Lincolnshire; who, for half a century, was a most exemplary Christian member of the Wesleyan connexion.
This notice confirms that John's main occupation was a maltster, and that his primary residence was Susworth. He had evidently converted to Methodism, though the idea that he had done so fifty years prior should be taken with a grain of salt—all of his children were baptised in the Church of England.
Elizabeth Smith of Susworth
Very little is known about Thomas's mother, who was born Elizabeth Smith.
Elizabeth appears to have been christened on January 12, 1779 in Scotter, the parish in which Susworth is located.23 Her parents were John and Mary Smith.
Elizabeth's marriage to John Clarkson took place in the neighbouring parish of Scotton in 1801, as noted, suggesting that the Smith family remained in the vicinity of Susworth between her christening and her marriage.
As noted above, Elizabeth was reported in the 1841 census, living in Myton, a neighbourhood of Hull.
Elizabeth's date of death is not known.
Children
It is interesting to note that six of John and Elizabeth's seven known children came to North America, with all but one settling in the Toronto area.
Thomas was the first-born and appears to have led his siblings to the New World. More about Thomas's life can be found here.
John Jr. was a merchant in Hull. Please see more information about John Jr.'s activities in England here. Like Thomas, John Jr. also immigrated to Toronto. He does not appear in the 1843 directory of Toronto,24 but he does appear in Brown's 1846-47 directory, living on Ontario Street, with no profession mentioned.25 In Roswell's 1850-51 directory, he appears living at 28 Stanley, having moved from March Street, and is described as a carpenter.26 When he died in 1851 at the relatively young age of about 47, he was buried in Potter's Field, Toronto's first public cemetery.27
Those interested in the Clarkson family often ask if there is any connection between these Clarksons and Clarkson village in the City of Mississauga, Ontario. The answer is that while there is no known blood connection between the family of John and Elizabeth and the family that gave their name to Clarkson village,28 there is a strange connection through marriage. After John Jr. died in 1851, his widow Mary Ann (Kirkus) Clarkson went to live with Matthew Teefy and Betsy Faram (Clarkson) Teefy in Richmond Hill.29 Betsy Faram Teefy was the eldest daughter of Thomas, and thus Mary Ann's niece. Then later, Mary Ann met Warren Clarkson (no relation) of the Clarkson village family, through one of Warren Clarkson's relatives in Richmond Hill. They were married in a ceremony that took place at Matthew Teefy's residence.30, 31 It is fair to conclude that the two Clarkson families met each other on at least this one occasion. Warren and Mary Ann lived for many years on his farm near Clarkson village. Some time after Warren Clarkson died, Mary Ann moved back in with the Teefys,32 so the families must have kept in touch during Mary Ann's second marriage.
Ann with her husband Thomas Read settled in Victoria Square, in the Township of Markham.33 In fact, prior to gaining a post office, this village was known as Read's Corner.34 Today, this former village is located at Elgin Mills Rd. and Victoria Square Blvd. in the City of Markham. A public park, shown above right, pays tribute to Thomas Read.35
Thomas Read was a farmer, and owned several plots of land in Markham, including at the northeast corner of the intersection.36 In the 1878 atlas of York County, which gives farmer's names, these lands are shown to be in Ann's name ("Mrs. Read").37 The picture at right shows Ann's grave on the land she and Thomas Read farmed.38
Mary was the only one of the seven siblings to stay in England. She married Thomas Guy, who was an officer of His Majesty's Customs in Hull.39 Thomas and Mary Guy lived their lives in England. Two of their children were given the middle name "Clarkson",40 just as Thomas's son Robert was given the middle name "Guy". Mary died some time between 1851 and 1861,41, 42 while Thomas Guy retired and moved with his grown children to Newcastle-upon-Tyne.43
Elizabeth married Henry Wilson, a gardener, the son of John Wilson, who was also a gardener.44 Henry and Elizabeth Wilson also immigrated to the Township of Markham.45 Their date of immigration was 184646, according to family information. Henry began working as an agricultural labourer, and later farmed near Victoria Square.47, 48, 49 Henry and Elizabeth later moved northwest to Sunnidale Township in Simcoe County.50
Smith is likely to have immigrated to Michigan.51 Based on family information, he is said to have moved to Chicago.52 It is not clear whether he ever married.
Margaret with her husband Thomas Allison settled in Victoria Square, nearby her sisters Ann and Elizabeth, as shown in the 1861 Census of Canada.53 The census shows that Thomas Allison was a storekeeper. As noted below, Thomas and Margaret Allison continued to be involved with their Clarkson family members.
Proximity and Interaction
The 1866 directory of Toronto lists farmers of the surrounding townships, including Markham Township, and the locations of their farms.54 Victoria Square was located at the intersection of the boundary of concessions 3 and 4, with the boundary lots 25 and 26.55 In the 1866 directory, "Mrs. Read" (i.e., Ann) occupied concession 4 lot 26 (as well as concession 5 lot 12),56 while Thomas Allison was located in concession 4 lot 25,57 so both were clearly in Victoria Square. Henry Wilson was located in concession 2 lot 27,58 which was just one concession and two lots away, so a short drive from Victoria Square. Thus all three sisters lived in close proximity in 1866.
The Clarkson, Read, Wilson, and Allison families continued to depend on each other in Canada. For example, Thomas Allison helped Ann rent some of her property, as can be seen from the following newspaper advertisement that appeared in The York Herald in 1868:59
FARM TO RENT!
BELONGING to the estate of the late Thos Reid, being the East-half of lot No. 27, in the 2nd Csn. of the Township of Markham.
CONTAINING 100 ACRES, about 83 cleared. There is A GOOD SUGAR BUSH!
Good Orchard, Rough-cast House, Frame Barn and Stables; it is also well watered.
Apply to THOMAS ALLISON, Victoria Square, March 2, 1868.
This is the same location that was previously occupied by Henry Wilson as described above. Prior to that, it was shown in the possession of Thomas Read in an 1860 map.60 This advertisement suggests that Henry Wilson's move to Sunnidale Township happened in about 1868, and that Thomas Read, then Ann Read, owned the land that Henry Wilson was farming.
Another sign of an ongoing connection among the families is the use of "Read" and "Guy" as middle names in the names of Thomas's sons.61 Thomas Read even once used Thomas Clarkson's premises to run an auction.62
It is clear that the move to Canada was a family affair.
Footnotes
1Marriage record for John Clarkson and Elizabeth Smith, Parish of St. Genewys, Scotton, April 30, 1801, no. 147.
2Ibid.
3International Genealogical Index Individual Record for the Christening of Thomas Clarkson, accessed November 26, 2005.
4International Genealogical Index Individual Record for the Christening of John Clarkson, accessed July 20, 2006.
5International Genealogical Index Individual Record for the Christening of Ann Clarkson, accessed May 15, 2007.
6International Genealogical Index Individual Record for the Christening of Mary Clarkson, accessed July 20, 2006.
7International Genealogical Index Individual Record for the Christening of Elizabeth Clarkson, accessed July 20, 2006.
8International Genealogical Index Individual Record for the Christening of Smith Clarkson, accessed July 10, 2006.
9International Genealogical Index Individual Record for the Christening of Margaret Clarkson, accessed July 10, 2006.
10London Gazette, May 26, 1835, no. 19273, p. 1005.
11Marriage record of Thomas Clarkson and Elizabeth Faram, England Marriages, 1578-1973, Index, familysearch.org, reference p190 569, FHL microfilm 1,450,407, accessed February 7, 2015.
12Marriage record for John Clarkson and Mary Ann Kirkus, England Marriages, 1578-1973, Index, familysearch.org, FHL microfilm 919,478, accessed November 10, 2019.
13Marriage record for Thomas Read and Ann Clarkson, England Marriages, 1578-1973, Index, familysearch.org, reference p392 cn1176 im431, FHL microfilm 1,730,080, accessed November 9, 2019.
14"Marriages", The Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette, September 11, 1829, p. 3.
15Marriage record for Henry Wilson and Elizabeth Clarkson, Parish of Holy Trinity, Hull, October 2, 1843.
16Marriage record for Thomas Allison and Margaret Clarkson, England Marriages, 1578-1973, Index, familysearch.org, FHL microfilm 1,470,406, accessed November 9, 2019.
17Marriage record for Henry Wilson and Elizabeth Clarkson, Parish of Holy Trinity, Hull, October 2, 1843.
18Marriage record for Thomas Allison and Margaret Clarkson, England Marriages, 1578-1973, Index, familysearch.org, FHL microfilm 1,470,406, accessed November 9, 2019.
191841 England and Wales Census record for John Clarkson and family, Holy Trinity, Kingston-upon-Hull, Yorkshire (North St.), PRO HO 107, p. 12.
20Marriage record for Henry Wilson and Elizabeth Clarkson, Parish of Holy Trinity, Hull, October 2, 1843, no. 2.
21Marriage record for Thomas Allison and Margaret Clarkson, Parish of Holy Trinity, Hull, July 20, 1844, no. 359.
22"Deaths", Hull Packet and East Riding Times, July 7, 1848, p. 5.
23International Genealogical Index Individual Record for the Christening of Elizabeth Smith, accessed November 27, 2005.
24Francis Lewis, The Toronto Directory and Street Guide, for 1843-4, Toronto: H. & W. Roswell, 1843, p. 28.
25Brown's Toronto City and Home District Directory, 1846-47, Toronto: George Brown, 1846, "The Home District Directory", pp. 46, 90.
26Roswell's City of Toronto and County of York Directory, for 1850-51, Toronto: Henry Roswell, 1850, p. 25.
27Potter's Field Cemetery, page entitled "Inscriptions from Some of the Tombstones Removed from Potter's Field to Mount Pleasant Cemetery", page unnumbered.
28Matthew Teefy, The Diary of Matthew Teefy (including a transcription of the family information in the Teefy family bible), Ontario Archives, transcribed by Sue Mulcahy, Richmond Hill: Sue Mulcahy, no date, p. 3.
291851 Province of Canada Census record for Matthew Teefy and family, Township of Markham, Enumeration District No. 2, p. 87.
30"Married", The Globe, November 22, 1855, p. 1113.
31Matthew Teefy, The Diary of Matthew Teefy (including a transcription of the family information in the Teefy family bible), transcribed by Sue Mulcahy, Richmond Hill: Sue Mulcahy, no date, p. 3.
32"Death", The York Herald, August 26, 1890, p. 2.
33"Thomas Reid Rd." on The Town Crier of Markham Historic Building Information webpage, http://www.historictours.ca/HT1.asp?strID=280, accessed September 8, 2019.
34Golder Associates, "Heritage Impact Assessment: Victoria Square Boulevard Class Environmental Assessment, Between North & South Connections to Woodbine By-Pass, p. 25.
35Read's Corner Park, Andrew G. Clarkson (photographer), March 20, 2020.
36"Thomas Reid Rd." on The Town Crier of Markham Historic Building Information webpage, http://www.historictours.ca/HT1.asp?strID=280, accessed September 8, 2019.
37Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of York, Toronto: Miles & Co., 1878, p. 43.
38Ann Clarkson's Grave, Andrew G. Clarkson (photographer), March 20, 2020.
39"Marriages", The Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette, September 11, 1829, p. 3.
40Gravestone of Thomas Guy, Alexandrina Victoria Guy, John Clarkson Guy, and Mary Clarkson Craig, Old Jesmond General Cemetery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
411851 England and Wales Census record for Thomas Guy and family, Holy Trinity, Hull, Yorkshire (Ocean Place), PRO HO 107, p. 23.
421861 England and Wales Census record for Thomas Guy and family, All Saints, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, PRO RG 9.
43Ibid.
44Marriage record for Henry Wilson and Elizabeth Clarkson, Parish of Holy Trinity, Hull, October 2, 1843.
451851 Province of Canada Census record for Henry Wilson and family, Markham Township, York County, pp. 107-110.
46Ron Wilson, Thomas Clarkson Wilson Sr. (abt. 1842-1932), www.wikitree.com/wiki/Wilson-47131, October 21, 2017, accessed April 29, 2020.
471851 Province of Canada Census record for Henry Wilson and family, Markham Township, York County, pp. 107-110.
481861 Province of Canada Census record for Henry Wilson and family, Markham Township, York County, p. 68.
49Mitchell & Co.'s General Directory for the City of Toronto and Gazetteer of the Counties of York and Peel for 1866, Toronto: Mitchell & Co., 1866, p. 322.
501871 Canadian Census record for Henry Wilson and family, Sunnidale, North Simcoe, Province of Ontario, p. 2.
511870 US Census record for Smith Clarkson, cooper, Crystal Lake Township, Benzie County, State of Michigan, p. 2.
52Matthew Teefy, Duplicate of Family Register as Contained in the Teefy Family Bible, as annotated by Sue Mulcahy, Archives of Ontario, MU2113-F775 1856 #16, 1856, third page.
531861 Province of Canada Census record for Thomas Allison and family, Markham Township, York County, Division 6, p. 54.
54Mitchell & Co.'s General Directory for the City of Toronto and Gazetteer of the Counties of York and Peel for 1866, Toronto: Mitchell & Co., 1866.
55Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of York and the Township of West Gwillimbury & Town of Bradford in the County of Simcoe Ont., Toronto: Miles & Co., 1878, p. 42.
56Mitchell & Co.'s General Directory for the City of Toronto and Gazetteer of the Counties of York and Peel for 1866, Toronto: Mitchell & Co., 1866, p. 320.
57Ibid, p. 313.
58Ibid, p. 322.
59"Farm to Rent!" in The York Herald, March 13, 1868, p. 2.
60George R. Tremaine, Tremaine's Map of the County of York, Toronto: George C. Tremaine, 1860.
61Clarkson Family Tree, c1947, said to have been prepared by Elsie Clarkson and Gladys (Anderson) Clarkson, with additions from Edith (Clarkson) Wilkes, filed by George Wilkes in the National Archives of Canada.
62"Auction Sale of Dry Goods, Cloths, Woollens &C.", The Globe, November 7, 1854, p. 3.
