ABOUT MY ANCESTORS

In the Doan family, it all started with Jonathan Doan and Jane Thompson...

Jonathan had fled Pennsylvania, United States after the American Revolution and ended up settling in the Niagara area in 1812. When Jonathan thought, he was going to lose his property in Niagara when attacks begun in the area, he purchased 100 acres (now the Quaker Cemetery) in Sparta. Jonathan Doan was the first settler of Sparta Ontario in 1813. Jonathan had travelled to Sparta with his grandson Jonathan Steele (9 years), they stayed in Sparta for a year before returning to Niagara. In Niagara he convinced other Quakers to relocate to the Sparta area. He was a Quaker, which means that his beliefs were different than others. Quakers believed that God’s presence exists in everyone, they also believed that men and women should have the same spiritual equality.

Once Jonathan’s family relocated to Sparta, he set up a grist mill (grinds grains into flour), tannery (produces leather), and a sawmill (logs are cut into lumber). On Jonathan’s land he created space for a cemetery and a meeting house for Quakers. Jonathan and Jane had a total of 11 children. One of their children was Joshua Gwillen Doan, he was born in 1811 in Sugar Loft, Canada. Joshua is the youngest son of Jonathan. Joshua joined his brother (Joel P.) tannery in 1832 after taking up farming. Joshua married in 1836 and had a son the next year.

In 1837 Joshua attended a meeting that was to further the creation of political unions held by William Lyon Mackenzie. A few months later Mackenzie had organized a revolt in Toronto, his call for men had reached Joshua and his brother Joel. Joshua was elected lieutenant of the group on December 9, 1837. After Joshua was elected, he motivated men to join. These men were called ‘rebels’ and there were about 50 of them. The rebels took off to Scotland (close to Brantford, Ontario). Joshua and Joel ended up fleeing to the United States while the government had a reward of £100 for imprisonment. When Joshua was in the U.S., he involved himself with Patriots who wanted to invade the government. Joshua was told that 600 Windsor residents were intent on joining him. Joshua crossed back into Canada from Detroit in 1838 December. Joshua and the Patriots raided on December 4th; they burned the steamer Thames that killed many inhabitants. Colonel John Prince dispersed the Patriots, there ended up being 25 invaders losing their lives, while 44 others were captured and taken to London, Ontario for a trial. In January, Joshua Doan was trialed for treason and was found guilty even though he declared innocence. Joshua was sentenced to death and later he eventually admitted to being involved in the raid. Joshua ended up making an announcement to deter people from invading and upthrowing the government.

A week before Joshua was sentenced to death, he wrote his wife a letter;

“Think as little of my unhappy fate as you can, as from the love you bore to me and have ever evidenced. I know too well how it must affect you. I wish you to inform my father and brother of my sentence as soon as possible. I must say goodbye for the night and may God protect you and my dear child and give you fortitude to meet the coming event with that Christian grace and fortitude.” (Elgin County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society).

Joshua Gwillen Doan was hung in London Ontario at the courthouse off Ridout St N, currently called the ‘Old Court House’. Apparently, when Joshua’s wife saw him for the last time she had to be torn from his arms by jail guards as she was acting hysterically. Joshua was hung from a tree on February 6, 1839. After he was hung, along with Amos Perley, the population's mood turned to anger. The people were fed up with all the hangings that the other 12 people that were to be executed had their sentences cancelled.