William Mounteer, also known as "Father Mounteer", was born in Ledsham, Yorkshire. He was a devout man since his conversion at the age of 19. He would marry Frances Ogley and they would come to Canada in 1842, arriving in New York on April 27 on the ship B. Aymar. The couple would initially settle at Lot 34, Concession 1 in Hope Township. However, their start to a new life began with tragedy. While enroute to New York, their one year old son, Wesley Mounteer, died.

 

William would become a farmer and local preacher, being very involved with the Wesleyville Church while the family lived in the area. It is interesting that this family was Wesleyan Methodist prior to coming to Wesleyville, unlike many of the other members of the congregation. This was part of a large migration of four familes (Tyndal, Ogley, Huntington, and Mounteer) from Yorkshire, England between 1842 and 1849 to Wesleyville. In addition, William's sister, Sarah Mounteer (1811-1890) would also come over in 1849.

 

Sarah was married to George Huntington. She was interred at Wesleyville cemetery.

​

Huntington family members include Sarah, George, and their children, Martha, Henry, and Thomas.

 

Some of this information was obtained from the document "Early Port Hope Families" with updated information and images from Mark Mounteer and Bill Mounteer from publically available trees on Ancestry.ca.

 

When the Tyndal Family arrived in Wesleyville, they would reside at the the north half of lot 34, concession 1.

​

Tyndal (or Tindall) family members include parents Richard and Alice, and their children, Thomas, Mary, William, Ann, and John.

 

The Ogley Family would live on the road between Lot 28 and 29. The 1846 Hope Township assessments lists a William Ogely at Lot 29 Concession 1 (Mid) and has a note referencing a William Ogilvy from 1845, noted at Lot 20 Concession 1.

 

The Huntington Family lived on the road between the south half of lot 30 and 31. Frances Ogley's brother lived on the road between the north lots of 28 and 29. He was in charge of the Sunday school in the first church, which was south on that road in the 1840s. Thomas Tendo and Isaac Brock Ostrom, whose wife was the sister of Charles Mounteer's wife, were the trustees of that first church. In 1850, William and his family moved to Chatham but his son Charles stayed on the farm at the north east half of lot 28 and is supposed to fill out the Brickhouse, which burned in the 1930s. Charles was also a local preacher and one of his sons, Hadley, became an ordained Methodist minister when his body was returned for burial in Wesleyville. The quartiles didn't arrive until after dark, so his casket was lowered by the use of car lights.

​