Joseph Reid

Joseph Reid was my grandfather's maternal grandfather. The following chart shows where he fits into the family tree. Note - Joseph's wife's first name has been recorded as both Isabella and Bell Ann: 

From Landmarks of Toronto, Page 185, Volume unknown:

In May of 2006, I located an obituary for Isabella (née HARRISON) REID, which appeared in the Sarnia Observer on January 19, 1900. Isabella was living with the family of her daughter Josephine and her son-in-law, Francis James CLEMENT in Point Edward, Ontario:

"In Sarnia, January 17th 1900 Isabella A. Reid, relict of the late Joseph Reid, Col. Sergt. of H.M. 77th Regiment at the age of 77 years."

There was a military reference to Joseph; it kindled my interest in his background, which suddenly became more interesting with the new information.

The following item came from the National Archives (of the United Kingdom) at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk: Item details: WO 97/883/78

JOSEPH REED Born DRUMACOZA, Londonderry Served in 56th Foot Regiment; 68th Foot Regiment; 77th Foot Regiment; 81st Foot Regiment; 11th Foot Regiment Discharged aged 45. 1827-1848

The dates seem to fit with those of my great-great-grandfather. An 1871 census entry supports a year of birth of about 1803. If Joseph was discharged at age 45 in 1848, then the estimated year of birth would indeed be 1803. The LDS copy of the above microfilm is as follows: v. 883 77th Rgmnt. of Foot: Nash-Ryan 1760-1854, FHL BRITISH Film: 904387. I ordered this film and, rather than copying Joseph Reid's information verbatim, I have summarized it below.

Birth

Joseph Reid was born at Newtown Limavady (now just "Limavady"), Drumachose Parish, County Londonderry in Ulster province, Ireland around January of 1803.

Attestation

At the age of 24, he gave up his occupation as a weaver to join the 11th Regiment. He crossed the Irish sea to Glasgow, Lanark County to enlist on 24 January 1827.

Military Career

Joseph Reid served in the military for 22 years and 100 days. Within that time frame, he spent 19 years and 4 months overseas: 9 years and 4 months in the Mediterranean, and 10 years in North America.

 

	Promotions		Period of Service
Regiment	Reductions,etc.	Rank	in each Rank		Amount of Service
			From	To	Years	Days
11th		Private	23 Jan 1827	24 Sep 1827		245
"	Promoted	Corporal	25 Sep 1827	31 Dec 1828	1	98
"	Total Service	to be reckoned to	31 Dec 1828	is	1	343
"	One Year,	Three hundred and	forty three days
"		Corporal	1 Jan 1829	16 Mar 1830	1	75
"	Promoted	Sergeant	17 Mar 1830	31 May 1840	10	76
"	Volunteered to Serve permanently in North America
"	Per Authority dated 30 April 1840
56th	Transferred	Sergeant	1 June 1840	30 April 1841	"	334
"	Appointed	Colr Sergeant	1 May 1841	30 June 1842	1	61
68th	Transferred	- do -	1 July 1842	30 April 1844	1	305
81st	- do -	- do -	1 May 1844	31 May 1847	3	31
"	Allowed to ? for serving permanently in North America				1	"
77th	Transferred	Colr Sergeant	1 June 1847	30 April 1848	"	335
	Total of the foregoing Statement				22	100

Discharge

At the time of his discharge on 27 June 1848 in Montreal, Canada East, his intended place of residence was given as "Toronto, Canada West". He was 45 years and 3 months old; his height was given as 5', 10", his hair and eyes were both described as gray and his complexion "sallow". He was discharged as unfit for duty due to chronic rheumatism. His general character was assessed as "exemplary".

One Web site indicates that Joseph's first regiment (the 11th) was in Halifax, Annapolis at Windsor at various times in 1838 and 1839.
 

I've also located some information about Joseph Reid's last regiment (the 77th):

"On November 21st, 1837, the 77th embarked at the Cove of Cork for Malta, where it was stationed till February 1842. In 1840 it was reported to be very efficient, the greatest attention being paid by Colonel Bradshawe and his officers to every point of discipline. After barely a year at Corfu the 77th went again to Jamaica, where it arrived in April 1843 and remained till January 1846. The next move was to Canada, where the stations were Halifax, St. Johns (Canada East) and Montreal. On May 19th, 1848, the regiment left Montreal on a steam vessel, and next day embarked for England at Quebec. During these eleven years the reserve companies were again stationed usually in Ireland. Sir John Macleod succeeded Campbell as Colonel in March 1840."

Source: www.prole.demon.co.uk/middlesex/fyop.htm

Life in Toronto

The following note is excerpted from "History of Toronto and County of York Ontario, Volume 1". C. Blackett Robinson, Publisher, 1885:

"R. H. REID, proprietor of the "City Hotel," is the eldest son of Joseph Reid, who came to Toronto in 1837. He was colour-sergeant in the 66th Regiment, and was in the hotel business from 1854 to 1870. He died in 1873. R- H., his son, has been engaged in the hotel business for the past five years. His hotel is situate at the corner of Front and Simcoe Streets, has a frontage of 40 x 75 feet, and is three storeys in height."

As indicated, Robert Reid's hotel was "situate" at Front and Simcoe, not far west of the current Royal York hotel. Robert owned or ran other hotels, including one on Front Street East near the current St. Lawrence Market. The photo below was taken in 2004.

Lower Jarvis St - Google Maps

I now know that Joseph Reid must have visited or lived in Toronto (but probably not at Fort York) since he married his wife, Isabella (or Bell Ann) HARRISON, there in 1847. The only other alternatives are that the marriage was arranged, or that they had met earlier at some other location. I've managed to scrounge entries from "Landmarks of Toronto" that document Joseph's wedding and the births of most of his children:

Joseph and Isabella's daughter, Margaret ("Maggie"), married my great-grandfather, George Porteous, in Toronto in August, 1874. Rev. S.J. Hunter was a Wesleyan Methodist minister; his church was Elm Street Methodist Church in the area once known as "The Ward".

MarriageGeorgePorteousToMaggieReid.1874.jpg