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- http://archive.org/stream/pioneerpapers00scphuoft/pioneerpapers00scphuoft_djvu.txt
Capt. William Hoar, R.N-, was born in Devonshire, Eng., 1809, entered the Navy as midshipman at 16 and served 20 years on board H.M. Brigs "Helicon," "Royalist, "Talavera" and "Thunderer respectively, on the latter of which he was for a time quartermaster. He received his discharge and came to Penetanguishene in 1844 and served on the govern ment steamer "Mohawk" while stationed here. He visited all the British naval stations on the globe on H.M.S. "Brittania," 124 guns, was honored with three medals with clasps for bravery in various actions, among them the capture of Ste. Jean d Acre under Admiral Napier in 1841 during the Syrian War. At a critical period during the action some officers were proceeding to the Battleship, when it was discovered some article had been forgotten on shore. Capt. Hoar leaped overboard and swam back, returning safely with the prize amid a hail of bullets. He visited many of the Biblical scenes in the Holy Land and was with the expedition which trans ferred Napoleon s remains from St. Helena to France in 1840, saw Napoleon s grave and drank from the cup he had used. At Malta he joined the order of Free Masons of the Knights of St. John. He was appointed light-keeper at Christian Island through the influence of Hon. W. B. Robinson, which position he held for 18 years, and was thus in Government service nearly 40 years. On coming to Canada he invested in considerable real estate and at one time owned the block embracing the railway freight sheds, round-house and station, his residence being the little log house near where the foun tain now stands and which is still recalled by many residents, but which was all expropriated by the railway authorities, very much against his will. He spent a small fortune con testing the case at law. He also purchased an estate across the bay, where he afterwards built his private residence, call ing it after the scene of the historic battle in which he had been engaged, St. Jean d Acre, now the property of Mr. Lynn, his son-in-law. Near his residence he built a private Free Massons Hall, on each side of which was placed a vault for the remains of himself and wife. Methodical to the last, he had his coffin prepared several years previous to his death. We are informed one or two sessions of the local Masonic lodge were held in his Lodge in deference to the. wish of the old veteran, and his remains deposited in the vault according to his will, but after a season they were transferred to St. James Cemetery. He died in 1888, aged 79 years. His wife was Miss Jane Spetigue, a native of Plymouth, who died in 1904 at the advanced age of 94 years. He left as heir-looms to his descendants a number of naval relics and foreign curios, among them, the tattered remnants of an old flag (a British Standard), once presented, according to the written legend attached to it, by King George III. to Chief Thayenda- nagea, and now in possession of the Lynn family of St. Jean d Acre. Mr. John Hoar who succeeded him as light-keeper at Christian Island, and Mr. Thos. Hoar, manager at Sans Souci, are sons. A daughter married Capt. Geo. Huff who was Commander of the steamer "Georgina" here in 1881 and who afterwards went to the Pacific Coast and became, in 1895-7, a member of the seventh B.C. Legislature for Cowichan. His daughter became the wife of Thos. Patterson, light-keeper and operator at Cape Beale on the west coast of Vancouver Isl., B.C. Mrs. Patterson will be remembered as the heroine in connection with the wreck of the steamer "Colona in 1906. She walked five miles in a hurricane over rock and through muskeg and notified the authorities, who were thereby enabl ed to go to the rescue of the wrecked crew in time. The crew had clung to the wreck for 20 hours. The owners of Seattle presented her with a cheque for $150 which was increased by others interested to over $200 and the Local Council of Wo men presented her with a valuable service of silver plate as a Christmas gift. Mrs. Patterson was twice a heroine, for she had previously been the means of saving many of the passengers and crew of the steamer "Valencia" wrecked on the same coast by remaining an entire day and night at her post as telegraph operator and giving aid to sufferers from the wreck in various ways, Mrs. Patterson, whose name is cherished on the Pacific Coast as a second Grace Darling, was born in Penetanguishene and was a granddaughter of the late Capt. Wm. Hoar.
Cemetery:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=hoar&GSiman=1&GScid=2436719&GRid=99377794&
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The H600 Project Genealogy DB
Abt 1808 - 1888 (80 years)