Person:Bowley Arnold (3)

Bowley Arnold was the son of a Loyalist, John Arnold, who lived at different times in Piscataway and Bonhampton, New Jersey. He had family of at least eight children, possibly more who died when quite young. It would appear that John wished to keep faithful to the Loyalist cause, but thought it best to keep a low profile so as not to prejudice the lives of his wife and children.

His brother-in-law, John Willson, was more forceful and was involved in transporting provisions to the British troops stationed on Staten Island, and in obtaining the supplies needed from Loyalist farmers like John Arnold who lived nearby in Jersey. Eventually, John Willson was obliged to flee to New Brunswick in 1783 in an expedition known as the May Fleet. Amongst the party who went to New Brunswick were two sons of John Arnold. John Willson and his family left New Brunswick for Upper Canada in the 1790s.

Little is known of Bowley himself.

There are some reports that this Bowley Arnold (Born in NJ) is in the 1800 Federal Census in Rensslaer County, New York, however this is in error. A different Bowley and Eunice Arnold, and their children, had removed from Bellingham, MA to Rensselaer County between 1765 and 1790. Bowley and Eunice from Bellingham, MA remained in Rensselaer until his death in 1805, proven by Rensslaer County probate records.

By 19 August of that year he is in York, Upper Canada (now Toronto, Ontario) petitioning for a grant of land on Yonge Street. Yonge Street was a road leading north out of York up to Lake Simcoe and beyond. Yonge Street, named by Sir John Graves Simcoe in 1796, was the principal road leading north out of the town of York (now Toronto). It was also the dividing line between the townships of Markham and Vaughan and then between the townships of Whitchurch and King further north. It is still in existence today.

A description of the early layout of Upper Canada can be found in Wikipedia. [] The land granted to settlers was completely unimproved. Settlers were obliged to erect a dwelling, clear a certain number of acres of woodland annually, and raise crops at least sufficient to support their families. Those who could not fulfill these commitments were forced to return their grant to the government.

Bowley Arnold stated in his petition that he had a wife and two children. His petition had a supporting letter from John Willson which stated that his father, John Arnold, "attested to have served with the British Army when it lay in the Jersey". John Willson's letter also states that Bowley's father had eight children, and that he was obliged to remain in the United States "and suffer many insults".

He officially received his grant in 1805, but he had been farming the property since 1802. The grant was one which had been reverted back to the government, the original grantee having been convicted of murder. The land was titled Lot 44 in the First Concession of Markham [Township]. Its western boundary was Yonge Street and it was not far south of the town of Richmond Hill.

Bowley Arnold wrote his will in 1826. He left his property equally to his four children, named as Isaac, John Willson, Eliza and Robert. Very little is known of John Willson Arnold and this is the only reference to Eliza that I have found. Isaac and Robert continued to farm the property by dividing the farm between them, Isaac taking the south half and Robert taking the north. In 1840 when it was sold and they each bought property elsewhere.

Bowley's death, therefore, occurred between 1826 and 1840. No documentation of the death has been found, nor of where he was buried. However, the oldest cemetery in Richmond Hill is not far from his property and his grave may be there, unmarked.

Reference has also been found to a property held by Bowley Arnold in Melancthon Township, Dufferin County which was received as a grant in June 1805. This land was farmed at a later date by a grandson and namesake of Bowley Arnold. The reference comes from a set of Family Histories accumulated by Helen Schwab and located in Richmond Hill Library, Richmond Hill, Ontario. These histories have been found not to be 100% accuarate.

The Willson Memorandum (with Bowley Arnold Family Tree in appendix) is a volume that has been consulted in Richmond Hill Library. The data obtained is not to hand.

1.   United States. Census Office. 2nd census, 1800. Census schedules, 1800. (Washington [District of Columbia]: National Archives. Central Plains Region, 1949, 1958-1960).

   Data obtained from FamilySearch.
   Page Number: 54, NARA Publication Number: M32, NARA Roll Number: 26.
   (FHS Film Number 193714, Image Number 00056. Image exists on Ancestry.com but not viewed.)

2. ↑ Volume 3, Bundle A5, Petition 19, in Upper Canada. Executive Council. Petitions for land grants and leases, 1791-1867. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1992)
   Microfilm C-1609, 19 Aug 1800.

   To Peter Hunter Esquire Lieutenant Governor in and over this province of Upper Canada and Lieutenant General commanding his Magesty's Forces in Upper and Lower Canada [illegible decorations inc. KC?] - the petition of Bowley Arnold most humbely [sic] begs to inform your Excellencey that he is now arrived in this province with a wife and two children and my property and am desirous of becoming a settler and to commence farming emeatitly [sic] therefore preys your exalencey in council would of his good [illegible] be pleased to grant your petitioner a lot of land on yonge street and your petitioneer as in duty bound shall ever prey. Bowley Arnold, Yonge Street 18 August 1800/Upper Canada Land Petitions "A" Bundle 5 1798-1802, RG1, L3, Vol. 3
   
   Docket #239, dated 24 Aug, 1800 accompanies this petition and reads "___________ [illegible] for 200 a"

3. ↑ Goldenoldie:Property Owners in Markham Township, 1802 (map).

   The name B Arnold was found at Lot 44, Yonge Street, on this map, located at Markham Museum, Markham, Ontario, in 2005.

4. ↑ Land Grant Approved
   1805.

   Bowley Arnold was listed as holding 190 acres at Lot 44, Concession 1, Markham Township in 1805 [response to a query to Archives of Ontario made on 3 Aug 1999]

5. ↑ Source of baptism information to be obtained.