The Longstanding Farm Hand at the Breckon home

 John and I did a ghost tour at the Breckon House in Bronte Creek Provincial Park last year and were speaking with some volunteers.  One of the people they discussed on the tour was Dolly, a home child who worked for the family at the turn of the century.  I offered to do some research on Dolly but they have enough already from her descendants.   Who they didn't have a lot of information about was Bateson Glasby, the farm hand who worked for 2 generations of the Breckons on the farm.  

 Bateson Glasby(Photo credit: User glazzers on Ancestry.com 1 May 2020)

Intrigued I started the research but didn't refocus until this year.  

Bateson Glasby was born 28 Apr 18301 and christened in South Cave, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom on 23 May 1830.2  His parents William Glasby and Elizabeth Ingram were married 23 November 1805.  William was from Ellerker parish (South Cave).3 One of the witnesses at their marriage was a gentleman named John Baitson 4, perhaps Bateson Glasby was named after John. 

While I haven’t traced all of William and Elizabeth’s children, their son George was christened 1 April 1825 in Brantingham and Ellerker, Yorkshire, England.5    His significance becomes apparent later. 

Bateson appears with his parents in the 1841 census in Ellerker with siblings William (aged 6) and Robert (aged 4).  An additional child, John Wright (aged 8) appears with the family.  His father’s occupation is a labourer.6 His brothers George and John (born 1815) do not appear in the 1841 census with the family but George is in nearby Brantingham7 and John appears to be in Hull, where on July 17 he was charged with being drunk and disorderly.8 

Three of the Glasby boys moved out of England after 1841.  After marrying Maria Ellerby in Hull on 28 Nov 18439, John and his family boarded the Parsee and left England in 1853 to settle in Australia10. Bateson immigrated to Canada in 185011, the ship and location where he initially settled has yet to be determined.  In 1851 George [Glaspe] appears in Nelson Township, Halton County, Ontario in the household of John and Isabella Breckon.12   Ten years later, he appears with his wife Mary and children W[illiam].R[obson] (aged 5), James (aged 3), and George (aged 1) in North Cayuga, Haldimand County, Ontario.13 George and Mary consistently appear in the Canadian censuses in North Cayuga, Haldimand through to the 1901 census.  Unfortunately, his immigration year is not specified in the 1901 census.14 I was hoping it might also be 1850 and we could assume that Bateson and George travelled together. 

In 1871, Bateson resides in Trafalgar Township, Halton County, with Ralph and Martha Breckon and their family, where his occupation is referred to as a labourer.15  Two years later in 1873 in Oakville, Ontario (likely at or near the Breckon farm), Bateson visits with a college friend Thomas Lyman Nicols.16 I haven’t yet been able to determine where Bateson went and when to college. 

In 1881, it appears that the head of the household has changed to the Breckon’s 23 year old son John T.  John’s wife Hannah and his siblings, as well as his widowed mother Martha reside in the household in addition to Bateson, whose occupation is listed as a farmer.17 

In 1891, the head of the household changed again, this time to John’s brother Henry.  Also in the household are Henry’s wife Margaret, their children Christine (aged 5), Bertha (aged 3), and Gordon (aged 6 months).  The household also has 3 domestics in their employment.  Bateson, Alice Burns (aged 17), and John Andrews (aged 16).18  Over the years, Bateson seems to have become an important member of the Breckon household. Henry and Margaret gave Gordon the middle name Glasby.19    

In 1898 tragedy struck on January 6th when his 40 year old nephew James died at his own hand.  He slit his throat with a large kitchen knife at his parent’s house.20 

In 1901, 70 year old Bateson, continues to reside with the Henry Breckon family.  Bateson is employed by the family as a farm labourer for 10 months per year and receives a wage of $100. He can read and write in English and his religion is Church of England.21 At some point prior to September of that year, it looks like Bateson finally retires from a long life of farm labour, moves, and turns to a more spiritual calling. On 10 September, Bateson is living in Merriton (near present day St Catharines) and is visiting friends in Canfield (North Cayuga).22  

The Selkirk Star documented some of Bateson’s travels.  On 11 August 1909, paper reported that Bateson had returned from visiting friends in Hamilton, Bronte and Burlington. On 23 September of the same year, it was reported that Bateson was spending a few days in Welland.  On 11 August 1910, he was visiting friends in Bronte and Oakville. Reported in Welland Telegraph on 8 July 1910, Bateson is living at Canfield Junction and stationed there are a circuit minister.  He went back to the Niagara region to visit his old college chum Thomas Lyman Nichols in Welland, Ontario.23 

In 1911 Bateson lived with his niece Mary Elizabeth Badgley and her husband Jesse when he lived in Canfield.24  

On 16 Oct 1916 Bateson died in Canfield, his immediate cause of death was exhaustion and direct cause was senility.25 He is buried in St Jude’s Cemetery in present day Oakville, Ontario.26 

1. 1901 Canadian Census. Census Place: Trafalgar, Halton, Ontario; Page: 7; Family No: 66. Accessed on Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/8826/records/11323485) 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond.  
2. "England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NBDY-NG3 : 5 February 2023), Bateson Glasby, 1830.  Accessed 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
3. Yorkshire, England, Bishops' Transcripts of Church of England Baptism, Marriage and Burial Registers, 1558-1912. Accessed on Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/62231/records/93870573?tid=205766491&pid=312701786963&ssrc=pt) 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
4. East Riding Archives; Beverley, East Riding, England; Parish Registers relating to East Riding; Book: South Cave. Marriages and Banns 1783-1812; Reference: PE145/8.  Accessed on Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/62231/records/93870573?tid=205766491&pid=312701786963&ssrc=pt) 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
5. East Riding, Yorkshire, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1925. Accessed on Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/62140/records/603098?tid=205766491&pid=312789522882&ssrc=pt) 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
6. 1841 England Census. Class: HO107; Piece: 1226; Book: 4; Civil Parish: Brantingham; County: Yorkshire; Enumeration District: 8; Page: 1; Line: 3; GSU roll: 464222.  Accessed on Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/8978/records/11673186?tid=205766491&pid=312701786501&ssrc=pt) 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
7. 1841 England Census. Class: HO107; Piece: 1216; Book: 15; Civil Parish: Brantingham; County: Yorkshire; Enumeration District: 4; Line: 10; GSU roll: 464218. Accessed on Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/8978/records/14746604) 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond.   
8. The Hull Packet and East Riding Times, Friday 24 July 1840, page 6. Accessed on Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/390211229/?article=4d87ff71-c7a3-4079-8e00-4703dd3b4b5b&xid=5907&) 22 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
9. The Hull Packet and East Riding Times 1 Dec 1843, page 3. Accessed on Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/390211229/?article=4d87ff71-c7a3-4079-8e00-4703dd3b4b5b&xid=5907) 22 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
10. The Courier-Mail Monday 4 December 1916, page 11.  Accessed on Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/1014788524/) 22 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
11. 1871 Canadian Census. Census Place: Trafalgar, Halton, Ontario; Roll: C-9955; Page: 7. Accessed on Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/1578/records/1195030) 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
12. 1851 Canadian Census.  Accessed on Family Search (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99L5-TPM?view=explore&cc=1325192&lang=en&groupId=TH-1951-46646-662-52) 23 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
13. 1861 Canadian Census. Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Census Returns For 1861; Roll: C-1029-1030. Accessed on Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/1570/records/784649275) 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
14. 1901 Canadian Census. Library and Archives Canada. Census of Canada, 1901. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada, 2004. http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1901/Pages/about-census.aspxl. Series RG31-C-1. Statistics Canada Fonds. Microfilm reels: T-6428 to T-6556. Accessed on Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/8826/records/13754479) 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
15. 1871 Canadian Census. Census Place: Trafalgar, Halton, Ontario; Roll: C-9955; Page: 7. Accessed on Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/1578/records/1195030) 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
16. Welland Telegraph, 8 July 1910, Page 4. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/welland-telegraph-bateson-visits-friend/179288235/). Accessed 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
17. 1881 Canadian Census. Census Place: Trafalgar, Halton, Ontario; Roll: C_13257; Page: 3; Family No: 12. Accessed on Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/1577/records/3477211) 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
18. The Globe and Mail. Friday 7 Jan 1898, page 2 via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/1220866189). Accessed 22 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
19. 1891 Canadian Census. Census Place: Trafalgar, Halton, Ontario, Canada; Roll: T-6341; Family No: 27. Accessed on Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/1274/records/142985) 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
20. 1901 Canadian Census. Census Place: Trafalgar, Halton,Ontario; Page: 7; Family No: 66. Accessed on Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/8826/records/11323485) 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
21. The Hamilton Spectator, September 10, 1901, Page  5. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hamilton-spectator-bateson-living-i/179287816/). Accessed 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
22. Welland Telegraph, July 8, 1910, Page 4. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/welland-telegraph-bateson-visits-friend/179288235/). Accessed 21 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond.  
23. Birth Registration for Gordon Glasby Breckon. Archives of Ontario; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Series: Registrations of Births and Stillbirths, 1869-1913; Reel: 99; Record Group: RG 80-2.  Accessed on Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/8838/records/1313554) 24 June 2026. 
24. 1911 Canadian census. Census Place: 6 - Cayuga North, Haldimand, Ontario; Page: 5; Family No: 51.  Accessed on Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/8947/records/4794073) 24 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
25. Archives of Ontario; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Registrations of Deaths, 1916; Series: 220 via Ancestry.com ().  Accessed 23 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond. 
26. Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/240805858/ Accessed 23 June 2026 by Debbie Redmond.