The Garel Family

William Garel was born in Virginia in 1816.  In the 1830’s, he left Virginia and came to Canada. He settled in St. Thomas, Upper Canada.  He married Louisa Moore in 1840. Louisa was born in 1823. They had five children who were born in St. Thomas (William Henry, Elizabeth, Mary, Robert and Joseph). They learned about a new settlement, where they would have a chance to buy land and send their children to school.  In 1849, before the settlement had even opened, they packed up their belongings and moved to Buxton.  On December 4, 1849, William put a down payment on 50 acres.  He changed his mind and decided to buy two small lots instead of one big farm.  He bought ten acres at Lot 9 on Concession 10 and ten acres across the road at Lot 10 on Concession 10.  In 1867, William made his final payment and received his land deeds.  In 1875, he sold both lots to his son William Henry. 

William and Louisa had two more children, Delia Ann and James Luther. In 1861, Louisa died.  In 1871, Joseph, Delia Ann, and James were still living at home with William.  Both, Robert and Mary had died.  In 1872, William remarried a widow, Margaret Elizabeth Johnson.  They had one son, Edward.

Son, William Henry married Margaret Geals.  They had ten children.  Daughter, Elizabeth married Bryant Freeman, a widower with six children. They had five more children and moved to Ann Arbor in Michigan.  Son, James married Olive Rouse.  They had seven children.

In 1907, William Garel died. At the time of his death, he was living in a home for the aged in Dover Township. Many descendants of the Garel’s still live in the Buxton area.