Thurtell and Related Families    

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Notes for Benjamin THURTELL

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The family tree done by Harriet Thurtell about 1900, the 1963 Thurtell
family history, and the History of the Thurtell Family done by Susan
Persia Thurtell about 1968, all in the possession of Susan Persia
Thurtell Miller, show Benjamin was born at Hobland Hall, and he and his
wife, Anne Barber Thurtell, had all six of their children at Hobland
Hall. He came to America in 1834 and settled in Guelph Township, Canada,
on Lots 11, 12, 13, Con. 5, Div. D, with 200 acres. After the death of
his first wife, he married Sarah Ann Davie, who owned Lots 8, 9, 10, Con.
S, Div. D, Guelph Township.

Information received in 1997 from Charlotte Mackie shows that Benjamin
Thurtell and his six children came to America in 1834 or 1835, after the
death of his wife, Anne Barber Thurtell. On December 24, 1835, Benjamin
Thurtell Sr. received a Grant from the Canada Company for farm Lots 11 &
12, Concession 5, Division D, Guelph Township, Wellington County,
Ontario, Canada.

A book published in 1935 by the Guelph Publishing Company, Guelph,
Ontario, Canada, which was reprinted in 1983 called "The Beginning of
Things in Wellington and Waterloo Counties" by A. E. Byerly includes
several references to Benjamin Thurtell. It shows the chairman of Guelph
Township meetings in the 1830's was usually either Benjamin Thurtell,
John Inglis, or Geoffrey Lynch. When the Wellington District Council
came into operation in 1842, Benjamin Thurtell was among the first
councillors. A Commission of the Peace was created for the District of
Wellington in 1849, and Benjamin Thurtell was among the men appointed for
Guelph at that time.

A brochure prepared by Charlotte V. Mackie, of Guelph, Ontario, "Benjamin
Thurtell and Descendants" for the "Woodlawn Cemetery Self Guided Memorial
Walking Tour," Woodlawn Cemetery, 762 Woolwich Street, Guelph, Ontario,
Canada N1H 3Z1,shows that Benjamin Thurtell Sr., "a well educated man,
was prominent in Municipal affairs during the early formation of this
area, and served in Guelph Township as a Magistrate, Municipal
Councillor, Reeve and Warden. He was elected to the first council under
the Municipal Act of 1841, retiring from the District Council in 1848,
and was again elected in 1850 as "Town Reeve" of the Township of Guelph.
By the Municipal Act passed in 1849, the Town of Guelph was set apart as
a separate corporation from the Township. But, the Schedule in which
Guelph was entered having been omitted by the Clerk of the Legislature in
copying, the Town and Township remained one Municipality during 1850,
with Benjamin Thurtell as Town Reeve. In 1851 the separation took place
and Benjamin Thurtell the First Reeve of Guelph Township served until the
end of 1853, when he retired due to ill health."

The County of Wellington would like to include a photo of Benjamin
Thurtell, along with the other wardens of the county, on the wall in the
court room in the Wellington County Court House in Guelph. So far, no
picture of him has been located.

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