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JOHN HOSSACK
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THIS IS A LITTLE HISTORY: Of all that is known about the Hossacks who came from Scotland to Canada, in days that seem a long while ago, when the Hossacks carried on a fishing business on the sea coast of Scotland, from the middle of 1700 to the early 1800, but later became farmers. It is supposed that a great many years ago the Hossacks came from Denmark, although there is nothing authentic about this statement and that the name was spelled with only one s (Hosack). It is not known when the spelling was changed or why. We are not able to trace the name very far back; not farther than our great-grandfather, so we will start with him, who was
He came from Morayshire, Scotland, of the Parish of Duffis, four miles from Elgin, and he was a farmer. He married a widow Mrs. Colley. We know nothing of the date of the birth or death of either, but know there were two sons named John and William, and two daughters; they all went to Quebec, Canada.
John Hossack, 2nd, Born 1806 and died 1891, age 85, married Martha Lens. William Hossack 2nd, born 1808 and died 1889, age 81 married Martha Bates. Agnes Hossack, born 1811 and died 1897, age 86 married Robert Geggie. James Hossack 2nd, born 1812 and died 1889, age 77 married Barbara McKinsie. Margaret Hossack, born 1815 and died 1901, age 86 married Joseph Wilson. Alexander Hossack, born 1819 and died 1908, age 89 married Martha Bates. (Daughter of Martha Bates above) George Hossack, born 1820 and died 1840, age 20. Archibald Hossack, born 1822 and died 1832, age 10. Henry Hossack, born 1824 and died 1832, age 8. Both Archibald and Henry died of ship fever) after arrival in Quebec John Hossack, 2nd, at the early age of 12 years, and his brother William, only ten years old, came across the ocean to Quebec in 1818 and lived with their Uncle William, a brother of John Hossack, 1st. They went to school, and as they grew older helped in their Uncle’s confectionery store. In 1829 James and Alexander came over from Scotland, and in 1832, the father, mother and the five younger children crossed in a packet, a small sailing vessel. It took six weeks to cross the ocean. They settled on a farm near Quebec City, on the Little River Road on the banks of the St. Charles River which flows into the St. Lawrence River at Quebec City. Farming was carried on until John Hossack, 1st, was taken sick and went into the City for treatment and lived with his son James until his death, Sept 9, 1855. His wife, Margaret Forsyth Hossack also made her home with her son James until her death, June 10, 1868, at the age of 86.
On Sept. 4, 1859, he, with others, rescued a Negro held in slavery under the Fugitive Slave Law. From U. S. Marshals at Ottawa, and sent him on his way to Canada and freedom. John Hossack was fined by Judge Drummond of the U. S. District Court under the Fugitive Slave Law. Before sentence was passed he was asked if he had anything to say why sentence should not be pronounced against him and he delivered a speech only equaled by Lincoln’s Gettysburg speech, and excelled in eloquence and pathos by none. The citizens of Chicago were aroused and since they were opposed to slavery they paid his fine and that of the others. There was talk of having him run for Governor of Illinois on an Abolition ticket. About the year 1873 he began to lose his sight and later went blind. He died at the age of 85 at Ottawa, Illinois, Nov. 8, 1891, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Milo Putney. His sons and sons-in-law carried his remains to the last resting place in Ottawa, Illinois.
Martha Lens, his wife, was an ideal wife and mother. She was born Nov. 28, 1813 in Greenock, Scotland. She was the daughter of Cord Lens and Ann Gilley. Cord Lens was born in Hanover, Germany. He went to Scotland to avoid military training. We have heard that Ann Gilley’s mother’s family were from Wales. Martha Lens died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John E. Scott at Evanston, Illinois, Aug. 30, 1899 at the age of 86 years, and buried at Ottawa, Illinois. John and Martha Hossack celebrated their golden wedding April 25, 1883, and all of their eleven children were present. They lived together for 58 years and six months until the passing of John Hossack. There was not a death in the family for 54 years.
Considerable important information and much detail that has been written was gathered some years ago by Mr. Robert Lindsay Scott of Evanston, Illinois, a grandson of John Hossack, 2nd., and we have taken the liberty of using it in this write up. Besides Mr. Robert Lindsay Scott, we are indebted to Miss Jean Forsyth Grant of Ottawa, Canada, a grand-daughter of Agnes Hossack, who was a daughter of John Hossack, 1st. Miss Grant spent much time delving into the past for dates, etc., and passing this information through correspondence to Miss Isabella Barbara Hossack of Pasadena, California, a daughter of James Hossack, 2nd. Miss Hossack was born in Quebec, spending her girlhood there. Those who are, or may be later on, interested in their ancestors, will, I am sure, appreciate their trouble, so that any of the descendants of John Hossack, 2nd., may follow their line down adding thereon their own family tree. That our children and other descendants of John Hossack may have a fairly complete record is my reason for submitting this genealogy. Frederick Newton Hossack The last of the eleven children Pasadena, California June 1st, 1939 |
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Was the son of William, as mentioned above. He was born in the year
1778 and died February 9, 1855 - 77 years of age. He married Margaret Forsyth,--> who
was born in the year 1782 and died in 1868 - 86 years of age. They lived on a farm in
Scotland. They had nine children, as follows:
From Left,
Infant Fannie Martha Richardson, Annie Hossack Richardson Price, Martha Lens Hossack, and
Ann Gilley Lens, circa 1859 -->
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