*  A man like Colonel John PRINCE, needs his own page, as opposed to being a footnote in a family history. His relationship to the Dwyer Laye family seems unimportant to this larger than life figure which steps out of history. Prince would be ideal for the silver screen or for a novel. It seems appropriate that he even has a legend attached to him as being of royal blood, adding to his mythicalness (if that is a word). 

      He seems a natural hero for Canadians. He also appears to me as bold, intelligent, strong, skillful, dangerous and a little bit crazy. He is not a man you want to offend or be on opposite sides against. 

Connected by second marriage of Emily LAYE-DWYER to John PRINCE,(grandson of Col John PRINCE, and by the marriage of Emily's daughter, Mary Ann Sinclair DWYER to Charles PRINCE, son of Col PRINCE.

       Honourable Colonel John PRINCE  b  12 March 1796 Hereford, England  

d 1870 Canada, married Mary Anne Millington Children:  Arabella PRINCE b about 1841 Octavius PRINCE about 1841 Septimus PRINCE  Henry PRINCE b 1835 Unknown PRINCE    Charles PRINCE b 1831 England    Albert PRINCE  1825

Colonel John Prince  

 

 

**Helpful information from the 'Sneakers Site': http://www3.sympatico.ca/sneakers/narrative.htm

Quotes from above website: 

 “. . . Col. Prince was a hale and hearty old country gentleman originating from the country of Hereford and settled under the old regime (Family Compact), near the town of Sandwich where he farmed his estate and where his family lived and Mrs. Prince died, leaving her daughter Bella and her son Charles in residence. Septimus (a Prov. And Dominion Land Surveyor), lived here with his father. Albert was in Law in Sandwich and Windsor. One son was a captain of Police in Toronto. Another Henry I think committed suicide in Chicago. Octavius I lost sight of . . .”

 

**  http://www.library.elgin-county.on.ca/~frank/ESTATE6.TXT

 “ . . .- petition asked that the Oath of Administration be administered by Albert Prince, Town of Sandwich, Essex County, Esquire, - petition dated May 11, 1853 . . .”

 

** http://www.mnsi.net/~masonic/colonel.htm Quoting: Colonel John Prince & the Patriot War of 1838 Colonel John Prince & the Patriot War of 1838
    Col. John Prince (1796-1870) of Prince Grove (now the city-owned Prince Road Park) was possibly the first man of fortune to settle in the Sandwich district. He was a gentleman farmer, a soldier and a member of the Legislature. At the outbreak of the “Patriot” uprising he was placed in command of the Sandwich garrison which consisted of two companies of Col. Prince’s own volunteer battalion. Vigilance was the order of the day and almost every inhabitant along the expected points of attack who were not posted with the garrison acted as night patrol. Help from the regular forces to repel a serious invasion was asked for but never did materialize. The enemy were not called anything but “pirates” on the Canadian side and it was decided that they would be treated as such.

    The “Patriots” first attempt at invasion was at Amherstburg. They seized ships and barges in Detroit and with reckless enthusiasm sailed down to Amherstburg. But the loyal Canadians were waiting for them and with their first volley cut the halyards of the leading schooner “Ann” so that she drifted aground at Elliott’s Point, where all on board were captured or killed. Col. Prince’s men took part in the rout.

   During the winter the “Pirates” marched in strength over the ice to Fighting Island and camped on the Island over night. But at daybreak they were assaulted by infantry and artillery and driven back to the mainland in confusion leaving behind an unknown number of dead and wounded. Col. Prince and his men were again in the thick of the fray.

    The next and final assault was commanded by an American, Lucius Versus Bierce, of Akron, Ohio. In this attempt the steamboat “Champlain” was captured from the foot of Rivard Street in Detroit and used to land troops near the present site of Walkerville after midnight on December 4, 1838. This force marched quickly on Windsor and set fire to the military barracks which was located on what is now the City Hall Square. Those who were not burned to death were shot as they escaped from the burning building. Next the steamer “Thames”, which was at the dock, was sent on fire.

   News of this marauding expedition from the American side was soon carried to Sandwich, but before Col. Prince and his militia reached Windsor, surgeon, John J. Hume mounted his horse and rode forward to render what aid he could to the wounded. He was immediately shot dead. The militia encountered the patriots in Francois Baby’s orchard near what is now the foot of Dougall Avenue. They attacked from two sides and one volley took all the fight out of the patriots, who broke and fled towards the site of Walkerville closely persued by the militia.

    All “Pirates” captured bearing arms were ordered to be shot by Col. Prince. His summary shooting of the prisoners caused considerable comment but it has been generally agreed that it did more to end invasion attempts by the anti-British rabble than anything done by the government or the regular troops.

     The patriot rebellion was in itself a puny affair, merely political filibustering. But when it became inflamed by Irish “hot heads” and aided by misinformed Americans who were intent upon freeing the Canadian people from the hated “Red-Coats and Indians”, they were long on oratory but sadly lacking in organization and field tactics. The affair did, however, serve a useful purpose - the home government of England sent over to Canada, the Earl of Durham as Lord High Commissioner and Governor General, and gradually reforms were introduced which paved the way for the establishment of a government which would be truly responsible to the people of Canada. Some eleven years later Col. Prince as admitted to membership of both Thistle Lodge, Amherstburg and Rose Lodge, Sandwich. Many others who played an active part in the battle of Windsor were later identified with Canadian Masonry.           Doran, V.W.B. William, P.G.S., A Masonic Story of Old Sandwich and Windsor, Ontario, 1962, p . 7 – 9

 

** “In the Independence Manifesto Prince pointedly paraphrased Proverbs XXIV, 15 (‘He that is surety for a stranger shall smart by it’), possibly referring to his father. Ironically, he had ignored this precept as recentlly as 30 January, when he guaranteed the honesty of County Treasurer George Bullock. Perhaps he did so on the tenuous ground that Bullock was also proprietor of the Amherstburg hotel where the Masonic Lodge, which Prince had recently joined, held its meetings.”           Douglas, Alan, John Prince 1796 – 1870, University of Toronto Press, Toronto, 1980.

**“What really troubled Prince was the news that George Bullock, the Essex County Treasurer, for whom he had gone surety, was in default to the amount of £1,800, Prince, of course, paid his share immediatley, but in consequence, for some months he suffered severe financial embarassment.”   Douglas, Alan, John Prince 1796 – 1870, University of Toronto Press, Toronto, 1980. 

Application: September 25, 1849 “A Petition from Col. John Prince was presented praying initiation & was referred to Bro. not filled in and a petition for Prideaux Girty”                      Initiated: September 27, 1849
Passed: November 24, 1849
Raised: December 26, 1849

 

**  http://www3.sympatico.ca/sneakers/narrative.htm   Following from above website:  Narrative of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario  By F.J. Falkner  June 20, 1921

   ". . .Here the Hon. Col. Prince, Judge of the District boarded before he built the house in the point, which he called “Bellevue”. Judge Prince was what you may call a grass widower and when his house “Bellevue” was finished, Mrs. Hetherington became his housekeeper. Col. Prince was a hale and hearty old country gentleman originating from the country of Hereford and settled under the old regime (Family Compact), near the town of Sandwich where he farmed his estate and where his family lived and Mrs. Prince died, leaving her daughter Bella and her son Charles in residence. Septimus (a Prov. And Dominion Land Surveyor), lived here with his father. Albert was in Law in Sandwich and Windsor. One son was a c captain of Police in Toronto. Another Henry I think committed suicide in Chicago. Octavius I lost sight of. But hold as I am going altogether too fast. The next house in sight was the old Stone house then occupied by Sheriff R. Carney, our first Sheriff who before was stipendiary Magistrate before the appointment of Judge Prince . . . .    Judge Prince was the beau ideal of an old country squire of the old regime. Time George 4th. Great on their wine and whiskey as the case maybe. Great at hunting and shooting. Which reminds me of what Colonel Prince told me personally. He said, “When I got my appointment I was told that in Algoma there was lots of game and I came prepared.” And he showed me what I shall call a perfect arsenal of shotguns and rifles. Single barreled fowling pieces, double barreled gun, deer guns, duck guns, guns galore. Swords and pistols amongst which he showed me the sword taken from Gen. ?  Sullivan of the Army of Liberation from the U.S. Army at Sandwich when the redoubtable Col. Had some American prisoners shot without trial. Some 7 prisoners. I was acquainted with the brother of one of them by the name Tom Stafford. I once asked him if he did not feel sore at the Col. He said, “No. My brother ought to have had more sense then to have been there. He only got what he was looking for.” Tom Stafford was the butcher on the American side. 

 

 ** Quoted from:  Michigan Pioneer Society Collections Report, Vol. 12
   " Col. John Prince came from England in 1832 with his wife and four children. He was a man of means, as he brought with him 75,000 gold guineas or $ 300,000. He purchased the Park farm at Sandwich, Canada. He was a very conspicuous character in the Patriot war. Dr. Hume, a British regimental surgeon, was killed near Col. Prince's home, a dozen bullets piercing his body.     In the fifties, Col. Prince went to the Canadian Sault as the first judge of Algoma district. He died Nov. 30, 1870, and was buried on an island opposite Bellevue, where he lived. This island now is familiarly known as Deadman's Island. His son, Albert, resides at Sandwich, and is a distinguished jurist and member of parliament.--Early Days in Detroit, Friend Palmer.

 

**Quoted from: "John R. St. John, Lake Superior Country, 1840s"

5[p.50] into the production of metals, and that government has granted permits to individuals for examining and locating twenty miles square to be held twenty-one years upon payment of a per centage of products. This is open to British subjects only, but several citizens of Detroit are said to be partners with John Prince in a location; and a company of explorers with a geologist set out from the Sault on an exploring expedition upon that side, early in November las

 

** From: Michigan Medical History, Vol. 1 (below)

"Early next morning, Colonel John Prince of the Essex County Militia entered the building where the prisoners, some thirty in number, were confined.

"‘Where is Theller?’ he asked. He was pointed to where the doctor lay sleeping on the ground with a billet of wood for a pillow. Prince strode up and kicked him on the ribs.

Theller, thus rudely awakened, sat up and recognized an old enemy. Prince once had difficulty with an Irish servant at Sandwich where he resided because, the servant alleged, he had demanded his wages. He came to Detroit and told his tale to Dr. Theller. On the next visit of Prince to Detroit, he [p.309] was arrested and compelled to pay the debt. Theller says that Prince at that time vowed vengeance.

"The doctor, bewildered and indignant at the treatment, turned to Lieutenant Baby and said, ‘I surrendered to you and claim your protection.’

"‘The Colonel is my superior officer,’ answered Baby, ‘and I have nothing further to say.’"

The prisoners, including Theller, were then tied to a long rope, the end fastened to a cart. Thus in the depth of ignominy from the Englishman's viewpoint, "tied to a cart's tail," they were marched to the guard house at Amherstburg.31

Dr. Theller, rather than be sent to England to "await her Majesty's pleasure," which translated meant deportation to Van Dieman's Land, planned with another, escape from their dungeon at a Quebec, and osculated the fortress "good bye." On the dark night of October 16, 1838, they cut the bars and escaped to the edge of the fortification, dropped over the battlement, a distance of twenty-five feet, Theller spraining his foot in the enterprise. He found refuge with French Canadian sympathizers and evaded those who searched the town, including the Ursuline Convent. After partial recovery from the injury and part of the time disguised as a priest, he made his way by carriage and on horseback to Maine, a distance of ninety miles, thence to New York, Philadelphia and Washington. In the latter place, a "Hunters’ Lodge" was organized of which four-fifths of the members were government clerks and officers.

 

** http://www.ekscot.com/history/history2.htm   

The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment    “ . . ..In 1837/8, the Mackenzie Rebellion occurred in Upper Canada (Ontario). During this time, several bands of sympathizers crossed from the United States, murdering and looting. Then occurred an event which almost caused war with the US In December 1838, a band of 450 of these bandits, many from Detroit, crossed the river, marched upon Windsor, captured a few militiamen guarding it, murdered a man, proceeded to Sandwich, brutally murdering Surgeon Hume of the British Regular Army who happened to meet them and mutilated his body in a shocking manner. (Surgeon Hume was buried in the cemetery of St. John's Church in Sandwich.) On December 4th. They were attacked by Colonel John Prince (great grandfather of Colonel Alan Prince, who formed the Essex Scottish in 1927) with 170 men of the Essex regiment, who routed them, killing 21 and capturing 5, whom Colonel Prince had summarily shot. This provoked great outcry in the US and particularly in Detroit, against Col. Prince, where an $800 bounty was offered for his body, dead or alive. Col. Prince, however, seems to have been of the old bulldog breed, for he did not back down an inch and was eventually exonerated by his peers.”  [My boldface –P Pask.]     Quoted from "A Regimental History of the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment" by LCol (Ret'd) A.J. Hodges, MC, CD Commanding Officer of the Essex Scottish 1951-1954 and the Essex and Kent Scottish 1954-1956.

 

**http://webhome.idirect.com/~wtcook/tribute.html   In 1927 the name and the uniform of the Unit was changed and it became the Essex Scottish, under command of Lieut.-Colonel Alan Prince, great-grandson of Colonel John Prince, who commanded the 3rd Regiment Essex Militia ninety years previous.

 

 ** http://members.nbci.com/lairdcap/ch10.html 

 

 **  ** http://www.edunetconnect.com/cat/rebellions/1837f04.html  The Battle of Windsor results when a force of rebels and Americans crossed the Detroit River, attacking Windsor, killing four militiamen and burning the steamer Thames, before retreating. The Loyalist defenders numbered about 300 men. Reports of the number of rebels and Americans vary wildly from 100 to 400 men. Twenty Five rebels are killed in the fight and many prisoners are captured including Joshua Doan of Sparta (a village near London), who was later hanged for treason. Colonel John Prince ordered that four rebel prisoners be shot.

 

 **  http://www.chrs.ca/Rivers/StMarys/StMarys-F_f.htm    L’importance des événements qui ont eu lieu sur les rives de la Sainte-Marie et des personnes qui y ont vécu a été reconnue à l’échelle nationale par des plaques de la Commission des lieux et monuments historiques du Canada.  . . le colonel John Prince et Anna Jamieson (milieu du XIX^e siècle) . .  .”   [Is this plaque there in reference to them as a married couple? -Pat P]. 

 

**http://members.nbci.com/lairdcap/ch10.html    Thomas Lapish had come to Sault Ste. Marie, as early as 1865. His aunt, Maria Lapish Hetherington, was house keeper to Colonel John Prince . . .

 

**http://twp.prince.on.ca/history/html/prince.htm   The grave of Col John Prince - and nice article- rumor of him being illegitimate son of King George IV.  The Colonel was continuously reelected as Member of Parliament for Windsor for the next twenty years. As a friend and supporter of John A. MacDonald, in 1860 he was rewarded with the appointment as the first Judge of the District of Algoma. He lived for ten years at his estate now known as Bellevue Park in Sault Ste. Marie, died and was buried there March 12, 1996, was the 200th anniversary of his birth.

 

** http://www.lsol.com/visitkingsville/history.htm  During the Upper Canada Rebellion the Militia were called in and     were billeted in houses in Windsor. Col. Prince was in charge of the     regiment - Prideaux Girty, son of Simon Girty, was the major, Thomas     Girty, the lieutenant. Captain John Malotte was captain of the Gosfield boys. Among the Gosfield "boys" were Solomon Wigle, Theodore Wigle, Henry R. Scratch, Leonard Scratch. The Mary Burch books tells many anecdotes of this era.

 

 ** http://www3.sympatico.ca/sneakers/1861census.htm

1861 Census - Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

#397 - Prince, John        65  Eng.  CE   law/Judge

               Octavus     20  Can.  CE   law stud.

 

h** ttp://www.indigenous.bc.ca/v2/Vol2Ch4s4.3.asp

During the legislative debate on the 1857 Fishing Act of the Province of Canada, m.l.a. John Prince attacked the use of spears and other Aboriginal techniques: 

                     “ here was no skill requisite to use the spear; it was a dastardly and mean thing to hold a torch at he surface of the water, waiting until the fish came up, and then to stick it with a fork. It was as bad to do this as to follow the practice of some individuals who go out into the woods with hounds, and hunt the poor deer into the lake, and then take a canoe, paddle over to the poor animal, and shoot it. No sportsman would follow such discreditable sport. He himself would rather take deer on the bound, or cast a fly at the fish he wished to capture.155

             Such techniques were not offensive to rural settlers, who learned how to spear and net from their Aboriginal  neighbours.156 In fact, spearing can be much more efficient than angling as a means of selecting fish by size and age class.157 What John Prince’s comments indicate is a continuing conflict between the goals of those who take fish and game for food and those who do so for sport. Prince was an affluent English emigrant steeped in the literary lore of the rod and the chase. As the first judge in northern Ontario (in the 1860s), he  tried to persuade the Indian department to ban Aboriginal  hunting and fishing altogether on the grounds that such activities were better left to sportsmen like himself.158   

**http://www.lightinfantry.org/dcli/pele.htm Pele Island: The British Colonist Thursday, March 22, 1838  [Fleeting reference only].   

** http://globalgenealogy.com/LCGS/mostly/M-1846-1.HTM  SMITH'S 1846 CANADIAN GAZETTEER : PREFACE   A bill was lately brought into parliament by Colonel Prince (himself a keen sportsman), the enactments of which are as follows:    "That no person or persons shall, within this province, from and after the passing of this act, hunt, shoot, take, kill or destroy any wild swan, wild goose, wild duck, teal, widgeon or snipe, between the tenth day of May, and the fifteenth day of August, in any year. . . “ [lengthy].  

 

** http://www.waynecook.com/aessex.html   THE BATTLE OF WINDSOR - 1838 (A Plaque)

Early on December 4, 1838 a force of about 140
American and Canadian supporters of William Lyon
MacKenzie crossed the river from Detroit and landed
about one mile east of here. After capturing and burning
a nearby militia barracks, they took possession of
Windsor. In this vicinity they were met and routed by a
force of some 130 militiamen commanded by Colonel
John Prince. Five of the invaders taken prisoner were
executed summarily by order of Colonel Prince. This
action caused violent controversy in both Canada and
the United States. The remaining captives were tried
and sentenced at London, Upper Canada. Six were
executed, Eighteen transported to a penal colony in
Tasmania, and sixteen deported.

 

**http://globalgazette.net/List001/list43.htm  1838.... The Battle of Windsor December 4, 1838. A force of Rebels and Americans crossed        the Detroit River, attacking Windsor, killing four militiamen and burning the steamer THAMES. The Loyalist defenders numbered about 300 men. Reports of the number of Rebels and Americans vary wildly from 100 to 400 men. Twenty Five Rebels were killed in battle and later Colonel John Prince ordered that four prisoners be shot.  

**  http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/AHR/convict/narratives/marsh5.htm   "SEVEN YEARS OF MY LIFE OR NARRATIVE OF A PATRIOT EXILE WHO TOGETHER WITH EIGHTY-TWO AMERICAN CITIZENS WERE ILLEGALLY TRIED FOR  REBELLION IN UPPER CANADA IN 1838, AND TRANSPORTED TO VAN DIEMANS LAND. COMPRISING A TRUE ACCOUNT . . .[T]hey ought to liberate us at once, and handsomely reward us for being the means of doing so much good, instead of
knighting and lavishing great salaries on men guilty of such disgraceful and cowardly acts as the burning of the Caroline, and such men as Col. John Prince, Sir Allen McNab, and a host of others who would be a disgrace to any nation;yet they reward them for evil acts, and punish us for good acts. England is noted for such conduct, yet would be considered a humane and Christian nation.. . ."              [Colonel Prince does seem to have the habit of rubbing US Americans, the wrong way]. -PP.

***Ross, Robert Budd, Landmarks of Detroit; a history of the city, by Robert B. Ross and George B. Catlín. Rev. by Clarence W. [!] Burton: 1898. see p 403.

Palmer, Friend, Early days in Detroit; papers written by General Friend Palmer, of Detroit, being his personal reminiscences of important events and descriptions of the city for over eighty years. [c1906] See pp 587 and 1006.

Catlin, George B., The story of Detroit 1857-1934. pp 340-2.

Wing, Talcott Enoch, ed. History of Monroe County, Michigan ...Publication date: 1890. See pp 207, 210, 211

NOTE:  Some material and images may be taken from websites which do not mention material on that page being copyrighted material. If there is anything in this site which  I have assumed to be free to use but is in fact copyrighted material, please  inform me and I will immediately either remove or obtain permission to exhibit the material in question. I wish to respect the rights of  others. You may freely print and replicate these pages for your own private genealogical use, or the genealogical use of your family. Permission to reprint or reuse any material contained on these pages, including but not limited to: text, graphics, backgrounds, photos, and all other items, must be obtained from the submitter or webmaster; reprinting includes replication of this material on other web pages and  genealogical compilations (printed and non-printed) and all forms of printed matter. Commercial use of any kind is strictly and expressly prohibited.   PS: No guaranteed is implied in anyway as to the accuracy of this data. Everything happened before I was born how would I know. I think I fulfilled my cowardly legalistic weasel clauses here. 

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