Week 8 2026 - A Big Decision

 John Conner and Rebecca Qweck were married in the Hudson Valley area of New York ca1755. They were the parents of seven children: William, Thomas, Eli, Hannah, Joseph, Rebecca and Francesca. They have been identified by records of the Dutch Reformed Church. 

Rebecca married Johannes Terwilliger and stayed in New York.

Joseph died in 1813, age 24 while in New York leaving a widow Catherine (Lemon). His will states that 1/4 of his estate is left to his wife (sic) Cateran Conner and 1/4 to his brother William Conner and 1/4 to his nephew Charles Conner (son of Thomas Conner) and 1/4 to his nephew Joseph Lemon (son of Michael Lemon and his sister Hannah)

Francesca married Roeloff Ettenge and stayed in New York.

Eli married unknown and had died by 1813 and had a son Joseph Conner.

Thomas, I haven't found enough on him to comment other than he had a son Charles Conner.

Hannah married Michael Lemon and had a son Joseph Lemon.

William, who is Dan's 4th great Grandfather was born in Ulster, NY.

U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989
Marbletown, Ulster, New York

He married Rachel (Lemon) ca 1786 and traveled to Northumberland County, Pennsylvania by 1787. Their children were all born in Pennsylvania between 1786 - 1825. They had seven children: Edward, John, Conrad, William Jr, Elizabeth, Rachel and Mary.  By 1830 the family made a big decision to leave the United States and head for Upper Canada.

There were a number of reasons why they would do that. DNA and paper records have shown that they were not of Irish origins. There is some Scottish, but mainly they are German and Northeastern European. Being able to worship as they pleased (Pennsylvania Dutch/Mennonite/German), go somewhere that they would be more welcome and not have to fight in any wars was a big draw. The other was cheap land to be had for a fair price. 

The travel would have been long and treacherous. Maybe they headed back to the Hudson Valley to visit family before continuing on to their final destination in Canada. That route would have taken 2-4 weeks best case scenario. A lot depended upon roads and weather. Or they could have traveled overland and then on the Erie Canal to Lake Huron and then north into Canada. Their destination of Stouffville, Ontario, Canada would have found them facing no established towns and having to fell trees and clear land in order to build housing. But there were many of their religion and nationality also settling there.

William's great-grandson, also named William would be one of the first in the family to immigrate back in the United States and he settled in Lapeer County, Michigan in 1902.  

William John Conner 1864-1948

A big decision seventy-two years before brought our branch of the Conner's full circle back into the United States. And I am very grateful that William made that choice.

Barbie





Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 19, 2026 at 9:48 AM

    Very glad also, don’t know what we would do without our Daniel!

    ReplyDelete

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