Clathan, Elgin County, Ontario

Clathan has been mentioned several times before. It was here that John Hillman and Isabella(May) Hillman eventually settled in 1859 from Mosa Township.
Clathan is located at the junction of the counties of Elgin, Middlesex, and Kent. Apparently its name comes from the Gaelic meaning a strong or rocky place. Some of the original families to settle around Clathan were Gibbs, McKillops, Scotts, and Campbells.
The first school was built in 1852, and then moved in 1891 between the 2nd. And 3rd. Concessions amongst a grove of oak trees thus the name “Oak Grove school”. It was a bustling little community up to the 2nd. World War with two general stores, a post office(1858-1914), a wagon maker and blacksmith, a machine shop and pump factory, and the Clathan Community Hall(built 1914). The Aldborough Plains Baptist Church was built in 1872, and then moved (and renovated) to Clathan in 1948.

A Pioneering History : Elgin County 1896,1971.
Aldborough: The Township with a Past, Harley Lashbrook.
Map: The Canadian Atlas Digital Project: McGill University 2001.

Happy 89th. Jack

John Arnold Hillman turned 89 today. Happy Birthday Dad.

William James Hillman 1848-1922

William James Hillman was born 25June, 1948 to John Hillman and Isabella May in Euphemia Township. He died on 12 June, 1922 in Mosa Township. He married Margaret Patterson on the 24th May, 1870.
Their children were:
John Henry Hillman(20 Dec. 1870-1962). He married Annie Rogers 8 Jan. 1900 in Manitoba.
Bella May Hillman(2 June 1873-27 Oct. 1879).
Duncan P. Hillman(26 Mar. 1875-?). I am still researching Duncan Hillman. I suspect that he settled in Manitoba sometime before 1900.
Daniel Hillman (11 June 1877-1975). I have mentioned Daniel earlier. He served overseas in World War1 as a railroad engineer. He married Bertha Jean Smith on 9 Aug. 1920.
Nancy Hillman(30 Sept. 1879-?).
Annie Hillman(1880-?). She married Joseph D. Randall on 2 Aug. 1899.
Mary Belle Hillman(15 June 1881-?).
Margaret Martha Hillman(19 Oct. 1885-?). she married Percy Gosnell 14 June 1905.
William Angus Hillman(16 Feb. 1889-?). He married Grace Ruth Sillette 21 April 1914.

Nathaniel Hillman 1840-1935

W. Nathaniel Hillman was born 6 January 1840 to George Hillman and Susanna Browne in Euphemia Township. He died in 1935 in Middlesex County. He married Margaret Sinclair 9 February 1869 in Middlesex County. Margaret Sinclair died on 29 September 1922 in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
Their children were:
1.Elizabeth(Lizzy) Hillman 1870-?
2.George S. Hillman in Mosa Township, Middlesex County 1872-?
3.James Hillman in Alvinston, Brooke Township, Lambton County 1875-?
4.Lena S. Hillman 13March 1885-?
5.Susan Helena Hillman in Lambton County 13March 1886-?
6.Charles B. Hillman 7March 1889-?
7.Thomas Francis Hillman in Aldborough Township, Elgin County 10June 1909-?

My Rant for now

Well here I go with a rant on several topics. Being a Canadian usually I have little to say and stew inside instead.
The first is a mistake made by Ancestry.ca in an advertisement for Remembrance Day. They mistakenly put a German soldier rather than a Canadian one in the ad. They apologized for the mistake and mistakes can happen.
While organizing my father’s service medals I found that he was (I thought) missing one. Apparently not. It appears that the European campaign medal is only issued for six months active service. A year and four months spent on your butt in a POW camp does not count. Apparently in the British and American cases it does. It would appear that Veteran Affairs has a double standard. One on hand there is a considerable effort in remembering the sacrifices of the veterans, and on the other Veteran Affairs nit picks over the issue of medals that these vets deserve.
Lastly, Library and Archives Canada entered into an agreement with Ancestry.ca to digitalize the Quebec City immigration records, Canadian immigration lists from 1865 to 1935, and other records held by Archives Canada. All of these records were to appear on the free LAC website. Where are they?
I understand that it is a non cash agreement; however, there should be more clarification as to what the agreement involves.

Reuban Hillman

Reuban Hillman was born to George Hillman and Susannah Browne in Westbury,Wiltshire,England on October 20, 1828 and died August 1899 in Lambton County, Ontario. He married Flora McLeish who was born in Scotland in 1838 and died May 13, 1876 in Middlesex County, Ontario.I do not have the date of their marriage. Their children were Neil Hillman(1856-1946), George Hillman(1859-1912), Daniel Hillman(1863-?), Nathaniel Hillman(1867-?), Alexander Hillman(1873-?).
Neil Hillman married Elizabeth Chisholm on 22 Feb., 1881. George Hillman married Catherine(Kate)Macdonald on 15 June, 1899. Nathaniel Hillman married Martha Johnston on 28 Nov., 1888.

Veterans of World War 1

I have found records for two Hillmans who served in the First World War. Their attestation papers can be found at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca
The first is Daniel Hillman(Nov.6, 1877-1975). He was the son of William James Hillman and Margaret(Patterson) Hillman. He joined the Canadian Corps March 1915 in Montreal with the rank of Lieutenant. He was a civil engineer who specialized in railroad construction. On the Western Front he worked with the railroad engineers constructing narrow gauge track to the front lines. He came out of the war with the rank of Lt. Colonel.
The second is John Alexander William Hillman(21 Nov.1893-?). He was the son of Neil Hillman and Elizabeth(Chisholm) Hillman. He joined the Canadian Corps Jan. 5, 1918 in Brantford, Ontario. He joined with the rank of Corporal. I am still researching to find his unit and thus where he served in the last year of the war.
One thing that strikes home as you read their attestation papers is the size of both men. They are both 5’4” tall. Interesting as most of the male Hillmans I know now are 6 footers.