Re: Lavall fam. Pennsylvania to Canada 1700s-1800s
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In reply to:
Lavall fam. Pennsylvania to Canada 1700s-1800s
Nick Sheedy 12/09/04
Nick;
This much I know with regard to the Lavalle family from (Hicks) family records. John Edward Hicks (1808-1847) married Lizette Minaker (1809-1867) in 1831 at Prince Edward County (near Belleville, Ontario, Canada). The interesting point is that Lizetta Minaker's parents were Frederick Minaker and Margaret Lavalle. Most of the families in this region were Loyalists that settled after the 1776 Independence Events. The Hicks themselves had first settled in Long Island NY as part of original colonists to the Americas, before moving to Philadelphia. By 1776 they were second generation born colonists. During the 1776 revolt, they were members of Butlers Rangers (Loyalists) that aided the Queens Rangers, and afterward settled at North Marysburg and South Marysburg in Prince Edward County (mentioned above).
So far as Metis origins go, I recall my grandmother (Dorothy Abigail Hicks (1890-1963) telling me as a youngster that this lady Margaret Lavalle was of Metis (French/Aboriginal) stock. I remember it well, however never realized the signifance of this until recently. I hope this helps a little with knowing where at least some of the Lavalle family moved to in Upper Canada (Ontario). Perhaps cemetary records from this area around Prince Edward County or other family records from Minakers' and Lavalles', Hicks, etc will assist in your pursuit of history. Should you learn more in this regard, I sure would appreciate an update too. Other family names I see in the Hicks family tree, that were also likely other Loyalist families of that time were: Harrison, Hill, Stark, Hineman, Miller, Dulmage, Bath, Bongard, Collier, Canon, Emprey, McQuoid, Love, Lacey, Richardson, Smiley, Hudgin, Ovens, Pier, Hallowel, Palen, Bloomfield, McIntosh, Irvine, Whattan, Spafford, Palamatier, Ostrander, Wood, Thomas, Porte, Martin, Valleau, Whiting, Farrington, Cook, Brown, Monck, Ruttan, Seers, Thibault, Maston, Gallapher, Whiting, Raymus, Cannon, Davis, Ketcheson, Reid, Chamberlain, Buchancon, Rowland, Austin, McDonnell to name a few from this immediate area surrounding Prince Edward County, Upper Canada.
Andrew Paul