George Blinco (16 Jul 1822, Mixbury, Oxfordshire) → New York, New York. Arrived: 16 May 1844.
Mixbury before 1844
When George Blinco was born is not known, it’s estimated about 1816, his parents John Blinco and Ann Cole got married in July 1818 in Preston Bisset, Buckinghamshire and maybe Ann was with child or had already had George, but his birthdate is not known, and the place is also unknown. he of his siblings unique in not also having a Christening recorded. Note: despite being in another county Preston Bisset was 1.5 hours walk from Mixbury
In the years George Blinco and siblings were growing up, Mixbury in Oxfordshire, was a small, strictly agricultural parish. The population was about 400 people. It was not a growing town; it was a static village where almost every male head of household was an “Agricultural Labourer.”
Most families lived in stone-and-thatched cottages owned by the landed gentry. Social life revolved entirely around the Church of All Saints and the seasonal cycles of the farm. “The parish continued poor and neglected and in 1854 the children were still leaving school at eight or nine years of age to work in the fields or to make lace” William Wilberforce visit.
The Reverend William Jocelyn Palmer dominated life in Mixbury and nearby Finmere, he was compassionate but stern and did not tolerate any bad behaviour especially amongst his tenants for he owned 18 cottages (in either Finmere or Mixbury) and was then rector and landlord at the same time. He was generous with his tenants that paid on time. Its telling, that he had knowledge of Canada, his son died coming back from Quebec on a trip there. The next quote from him may indicate, he was instrumental in convincing John Blinco, to take his family to Canada. “The rector, W. J. Palmer, also complained that although the squire owned the whole village and half the parish he never did anything for it. Palmer could only remedy the effects of the landlord’s neglect and the continued agricultural depression by encouraging emigration. “ Blomfield, History of Mixbury, page 39
Mixbury was largely owned by a single landlord, the Duke of Buckingham. If there was no work on the local farms, there was no place for a growing family to go. The continued migration from that part of Oxfordshire, would have been not only a fascination but stimulated actual movement for families willing to ‘take a chance’. The Blinco’s were not the only ones to go at this time. Thomas Beale and his wife Mary Hannah Clifford and children from Mixbury travelled out to Pilkington Township, Ontario in 1848 and in fact, his family took land adjacent to George and William Blinco in 1851.
George’s father John Blinco obviously weighed all this all up and at 50 years of age it was agreat risk, so he thought of a way to make the move and reduce some risk. John decided his three older children George, Mary and Henry led by George age 24 years should first emigrate and report back as to how they found things. Communications would be by mail post, and it was going to be a long wait before he and his wife Ann knew how the children were faring. A letter had a long transit time in the 1840s (about 3-4 weeks from America).
A letter from America was expensive, that typically the receiver paid. So, a letter from George to his father would have cost 1/- (shilling) a day’s wages for a labourer like John.
As with all emigrants to America the fare to USA had to paid by the Blinco’s and ongoing travel/living costs and until they were in work. Just how this was initally funded is a mystery.
In retrospect, the idea to send the older children on first was very smart they were able to be flexible and get by in circumstances, that the older John and Ann Blinco would not.
The Voyage 1844 – Arriving 16 May 1844 New York
The passengers included several family groups from Oxfordshire, and their shared backgrounds — as well as the closeness of their home villages — meant they spent much of the voyage reflecting on where they had come from and what lay ahead. The Stockford’s of Stoke Lyne lived only a few miles from the Blinco siblings of Mixbury, and the similarity in ages quickly drew the two families together on board. From that proximity came two shipboard romances: George Blinco with Elizabeth Stockford, and Mary Blinco with Richard Stockford.
The two travelling parties are shown below.
| Name | Birth Year |
|---|---|
| Wm Stockford | abt 1789 |
| Mary Stockford | abt 1790 |
| Richard Stockford | abt 1819 |
| Joseph Stockford | abt 1823 |
| Elizabeth Stockford | abt 1825 |
| Jonathan Stockford | abt 1827 |
| David Stockford | abt 1829 |
| Thomas Stockforth | abt 1824 |
| George Blinco | abt 1819 |
| Henry Blinco | abt 1825 |
| Mary Blinco | abt 1822 |
The romantic relationship between George and Elizabeth Stockford continued after they arrived in New York. the two families most likely travelled together to Buffalo, Erie area in New York state with Canada as an intended destination. They travelled mostly by water on horse drawn canal boat. This stook some time from New York to Albany travelling on the Hudson River and then the Erie Canal to the Erie Canal terminus in the middle of Buffalo. Four months after arriving in the USA, Elizabeth was pregnant and the couple married on 10 October 1844 in Buffalo. The families in the travel party paused their trip and did not travel to Canada until spring of 1845. Maybe the coming baby held up the travel, but more than likely the Lake Erie crossing (part of the journey to Pilkington Ontario) could not be completed in winter, because of ice. As a consequence of this stay, they then had to spend the winter months in New York state and this is why the first child of George Blinco and Elizabeth Stockford was born 27 March 1845 in Buffalo, Erie, New York. he was christened George G Blinco the first American of the family.
One year after the three siblings emigrated Father and Mother John and Ann and the other 4 siblings emigrated to USA to join then.
Buffalo-Erie USA
We can judge by the location that the Blinco’s and for that matter the Stockford’s made their way to the natural transit point to Wellington County, Ontario via Lake Erie.
Arriving there in the summer of 1844, they stayed in the area for the balance of the year and the winter of 1845.
The move into Canada had to be prepared for and Buffalo-Erie was the staging for the last leg of the trip., But plans were to be changed.
The closeness of the Stockford’s and the three Blinco siblings was becoming more evident with the romantic attachment of George Blinco and Elizabeth Stockford. There was also a romantic attachment beginning between Richard Stockford and Mary Blinco. Elizabeth Stockford became pregnant and perhaps the baby and a urgent need to marry was the reason for the longer than planned stay in Buffalo-Erie area for the two families.
However, we do know that this area was booming at the time, with lots of labouring work. All three siblings would have found some short-term work and an opportunity to save American dollars. George being the oldest and more experienced, probably had more opportunity than his two younger siblings to earn and save money, that could be used for Land purchase when then eventually travelled.
The marriage took place in October 1844 in Buffalo-Erie and the Stockford’s and Blinco’s were now officially joined as family.
By November winter arrives in force in that part of the world, and they couldn’t travel anyway as the Lake would begin freezing over, very soon and would not free up for ships until spring of 1845.
They did travel to Canada in spring 1845. it is evidenced by Mary Blinco and Richard Stockford marrying in Elora Ontario in July 1845.
Harry had yet to meet his future wife and so he travelled alone When Father and Mother and family joined the 3 siblings, is not known exactly they arrived in 1845 in New York but it was probably sometime in 1845.
We have no evidence and the Blencowe Book offers no explanation about how long the Blinco siblings were in Buffalo-Erie, the only definite marketr is George and Elizabeth second son was born in Pilkington Township in
Pilkington Township, Ontario
George and Elizabeth Blinco and baby George arrived in Ontario late summer 1845. This means they all had approx, six years to work and save for the land purchases they could only have made in 1851, when the Pilkington Lots were available.
The land issue
The Blinco’s and the other Mixbury emigrants may have purchased land in a private sale from a General Robert Pilkington estate or they alternatively could have been granted some land when they were in Mixbury. I have no proof yet but the Pilkington files refer vaguely to the initial move to settle the land in Canada involved Land grants, and to me this seems the most likely way John Blinco and his sons obtained land in Canada before they emigrated. Timing is a key factor in how the land lots were aquired in Pilkington Township. We do know they were made available in 1851 and so the Blincos listed on this lots in Jan 1852 tell us at least they were some of the first setllers. Some reseacrh by AI says thsi
Early settlers often occupied land before they formally purchased it.
This was common in Wellington County:
- squatters
- leaseholders
- location tickets
- settlement duties before patenting
So the Blincoes may have been:
- occupying the land in 1851, but
- not formally patented until 1852–1855.
This is extremely common.
If they purchased privately, the land was sold on a deposit basis and so the time that George spent in the relatively prosperous port of Buffalo may have been how saved the initial deposit sum.
- Property Details: According to the 1877 Wellington County Atlas, George Blinco (listed as “G. Blinco”) owned 65 acres on Lot 6, Concession 3 (South) in Pilkington.
- Family Holdings: His brother, William Blinco, also held a significant portion of land nearby, specifically 100 acres on Lot 7, Concession 2 (South).
Note : This ties in with the 1851 Census enumerators route according to AI so my guess they saty on the same plots from the beginning.
Below is a 1871 map showing a view of the farm lots of Pilkington Block. Coloured on the map is a cluster containing George and brother William but also two sisters whose families they had married into. George (hatched Blue) is in the middle of the cluster and brother William is adjacent, sister Mary is also adjacent married to William Beal and another sister Emma just a block away married to John Arris.
Timeline
| Event | Date/Location | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | George Blinco | |
| Birth Place | Mixbury | |
| Birth Date | Abt 1816 | |
| Census UK 1841 (6 Jun) | 6 Jun 1841, Tusmore Village nr Bicester, Oxfordshire | George Blinker 20 Ag labourer on farm with Robert Abraham and family |
| Emigration | 16 May 1844, New York, New York | Three siblings travelling together. Passenger list (New York, 16 May 1844): Ship: George Departure: Liverpool, England Arrival: New York, USA George 25 Farmer Henry 19 Mary 22 |
| Buffalo-Eria Area, NY | June 1844 | |
| Marriage | 10 Oct 1844, Buffalo, NY | Elizabeth Stockford |
| Birth of Son George | 27 Mar 1845, Buffalo | |
| Birth of Son William | 11 Nov 1848, Pilkington Township | |
| Birth of Son Henry | 26 Sep 1850, Pilkington Township | |
| Land Purchase 1851 | Farming Lot with Elizabeth and George, Pilkington Township | |
| Census Canada 1851 (12 January 1852) | 1851, Pilkington Township, Wellington County, Ontario | Line # Name Occupation Birthplace Religion Age 23 George Blinco Farmer England Church of England 31 24 Elizabeth Blinco Wife England Church of England 28 25 George Blinco—Canada—3 26 John Blinco—Canada—4 mo. A Farm of about 100 acres its estimates unknown if its rented or owned |
| Occupation | 1851, Pilkington Township, Wellington County, Ontario | Farmer |
| Birth of Son John | 4 Sep 1851, | |
| Birth of Son Thomas | 21 Jul 1855, | |
| Census Canada 1861 | 1861, Pilkington Township, Wellington County, Ontario | George 46 Farmer Mrs Blinco 38 George 16 John 10 Thomas 6 neighbours sister Eliza with Thomas Beal and brother William |
| 1866 Fenian Raids | Erie Border | son George Blinco Jnr fought to defend against the Fenian Raids into Canada |
| Birth of Son William John | 27 May 1867, | |
| Census Canada 1871 Apr 2 | 2 Apr 1871, Pilkington Township, Wellington County, Ontario | George Blincoe 52 Elizabeth Blincoe 48 John Blincoe 19 Thomas Blincoe 15 William Blincoe 4 Thomas B Mc Lain 59 |
| Census Canada 1881 | 1881, Pilkington Township, Wellington County, Ontario | George Blines 64 Farmer Elizabeth Blines 58 Thomas Blines 23 William Blines 13 |
| Death | 19 Jul 1890, Elora, Ontario |
Descendants
Of the foursons of John Blinco who went to Canada, only Georgehas descendants andknown to have had children, and of those seven, only George, the eldest who was born in Buffalo NY, is known to have raised a family. George Blinco born Buffalo in 1845 was to become a soldier. Around 1865 after the American Civil War Irish soldiers of both Confederate and Union armies turned the grievances of Ireland into cause to attach British America ie Canada. The rumour of this reached places like Elora and voluntary Militia was raised to defend the land. George joined the Elora Rifles and we have early photograph of him in the inform first published in the Blencowe Book.
There were several fenian raids into Canada but the 1865-66 timeframe was when George would have been deployed. June 1–2, 1866: The major incursion at Fort Erie and the Battle of Ridgeway occurred and it was at this time that The Elora Rifles would have been
- mustered
- armed
- deployed to guard bridges, roads, rail lines, and local armouries
- ready to move toward the Niagara frontier if ordered
Wellington County companies were part of the Guelph–Wellington militia district, which was activated. George was recognised after these raids and awarded the medal above.
Sources
- The Millennium History. Text by Andy Boddington -Rev WJ Palmer
- The Blencowe Book Chapter 18 written by Fern Gibbard and Lynne Blinco Earle
- The Ancestry Tree of Ed Blinco of South Carolina descendant has been helpful to corroborate family connections and it ample use of sources makes it dependable