John Blinco 1789 Mixbury

→ John Blinco (23 Aug 1789, Mixbury, Oxfordshire) → New York, New York. Arrived: 1845.

Note: At New York-John 52 Farmer intending to go to Canada Ann 52 William 21 Eliza 19 Emma 12 John 11

John Blinco christened at Grendon Underwood

This Blinco line often referred to as the Mixbury Blencowes is in fact from the general area. This map shows the relative positions of Mixbury, Grendon Underwood, and Preston Bissett. Parish Registers show that John was christened at Grendon Underwood 13 Sep 1789. He married in Preston Bisset and was resident in Mixbury in 1841 Census.

Mixbury before 1844

When their first child George Blinco was born, is not known, it’s estimated about 1816, 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 is unique amongst his siblings in not also having a Christening recorded.

In the years the children 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.

John Blinco obviously weighed all this all up and at 50 years of age it was a great 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 1845 – Arriving 1845 New York

A typical “Packet Ship Journey” depicted above the boarding for the long journey rich and poor alike had to suffer the ardous journey

Arriving in New York on the 25 June 1845, on the ship Independence a packet ship. the voyage took approximately 45 to 50 days. This was a standard time for a westbound crossing against the prevailing Atlantic winds. So departed in early May 1845. Numbers: On this specific voyage, the Independence carried roughly 180 to 220 passengers. Its highly likely the Blinco’s would have traveled in Steerage. Steerage was a single, large compartment below the main deck. It was dark, poorly ventilated, and filled with double-tiered wooden bunks. Families like the Blincos were responsible for their own bedding and often had to cook their own meals on shared “galley” stoves on the open deck when the weather permitted.

For John Blinco’s (including his wife and several children), the total cost would have been around £15 to £20. Quite where this money came from and the elder childrens fares the year before is a mystery. Was it a inheritance? or was he helped by the Reverend William Jocelyn Palmer or someone else, in some kind of Parish relief scheme. On arrival the family landed at South Street Seaport in New York (this was before Castle Garden or Ellis Island existed). They would have walked off the ship directly onto the busy Manhattan docks, likely carrying all their belongings in wooden chests, ready to begin their journey inland.

The Complete Journey in time and transport mode

We can only assume that whenJohn and family walk off the ship in central New York in 1845 they would have thought their journey almost done but it wasn’t. To understand the difficultyy of what they took on and visualize the Blinco’s 1845 journey from start to finish, we have to look at the three distinct phases: the English crossing, the Atlantic voyage, and the “Inland Navigation” through the American interior to the Canadian border.

Leg 1: Mixbury to Liverpool (The Land Journey)

• Method: Likely by Wagon and Railway.
• Route: From Mixbury, they would have traveled to the nearest major rail link. In 1845, the London and North Western Railway was the primary artery. They likely headed to a hub like Rugby or Birmingham, then took the train directly into Liverpool Lime Street Station.
• Arrival: They would have stayed in a “Lodging House” near the Liverpool docks for 2–10 days while the Independence was fitted for the voyage.

Leg 2: Liverpool to New York (The Atlantic Crossing)

• Method: The Packet Ship Independence.
• Route: A standard “Great Circle” route across the North Atlantic.
• Arrival: after 40-45 days sailing, they docked at the South Street Seaport (Maiden Lane) on June 25, 1845.

Leg 3: New York to Albany (The Hudson River)

• Method: Steamboat.
• Route: Almost immediately after landing, immigrants headed to the Hudson River piers on the West Side of Manhattan.
• Details: By 1845, competition was fierce. Steamboats like the Hendrik Hudson or Isaac Newton ran daily. The trip took about 10–12 hours. They would have seen the scenic Palisades and Hudson Highlands before docking at the Albany Basin.

Leg 4: Albany to Buffalo (The Erie Canal)

• Method: Canal “Line Boat”.
• Route: The 363-mile Erie Canal.
• Duration: This was the slowest part of the trip, taking 7 to 10 days.
• Experience: While “Packet Boats” were for the wealthy, families like the Blincos took “Line Boats,” which carried both cargo and immigrants. They moved at a walking pace (4 mph), pulled by mules. They passed through Syracuse and Rochester before reaching the western terminus at Buffalo.

Leg 5: Buffalo to Wellington County (Lake Erie & Land)

• Method: Steamship across Lake Erie followed by Wagon.
• The Crossing: From Buffalo, they would take a small lake steamer across the Niagara River or Lake Erie to Fort Erie or Port Maitland, Canada West (Ontario).
• Land Route to Wellington: Once in Canada, there were two primary routes into Wellington County:
  1. The Dundas Route: They would travel by wagon from the lake to Dundas (near Hamilton), then up the Guelph Road (now Highway 6) through Galt and into Guelph.
  2. The Oakville Route: Taking a boat further around Lake Ontario to Oakville, then traveling north through Erin or Eramosa townships.
• Final Destination: Based on the destination of “Wellington County,” they most likely used the Dundas-to-Guelph route, which was the most established “Settler’s Road” into the heart of the county in the 1840s.

Pilkington Township, Ontario

Unlike the children who went before them, at least John and Ann had family to welcome them and one can imagine what a joyous day that was for them all. In what probably was around August 1845. Two of the older children were married and new grandchildren were to be fondled and loved. The families probably stayed together initially, because the older parents would need some time to recover, and then start the hard work of building a wooden home for themselves most likely.

By 1851 Census the family is settled on its own land in three main locations, all short distance by horse and trap. Four siblings and their families clusted around George Blinco’s, William’s, Emma with John Ariss and Mary with Thomas Beale.

Timeline

Event	Date/Location	Details
Full Name	John Blinco
Birth Date	23 Aug 1789
Birth Place	Unknown	Thought to be from Middleton Cheney
Birth of Son George	Abt 1816,
Marriage	8 Jul 1818, Preston Bisset, Buckinghamshire.
Birth of Daughter Mary	1820,
Birth of Son Henry	16 Jul 1822,
Birth of Son William	6 Aug 1824,
Birth of Daughter Eliza	Abt 1826,
Birth of Daughter Emma	1831,
Birth of Son John	17 OCT 1834,
Census UK 1841 (6 Jun)	6 Jun 1841, Rectory House, Mixbury	John Blencowe 50 Ann Blencowe 50 Mary Blencowe 20 William Blencowe 17 Eliza Blencowe 13 Emma Blencowe 9 John Blencowe 7
Emigrated	25 Jun 1845, New York, New York	Arrive 25 June 1845= On the ship Independence John 52 Farmer intending to go to Canada Ann 52 William 21 Eliza 19 Emma 12 John 11
Census Canada 1851 (12 January 1852)	1851, Pilkington Township	John Blinco Farmer age 62 Ann Blinco age 60 John Blinco 17 Copilot places this on a map roughly Wellington Road 7 & Sideroad 4 West, Centre Wellington, Ontario
Census Canada 1861	1861, Pilkington Twnship, Wellington County , Ontario	Household members (14 people) First name(s) Last name Sex Birth year Birth place Relationship John Blinco Male 1834 England - Ann Blinco Female 1838 Canada - Sarah Blinco Female 1856 Canada - David Blinco Male 1858 Canada - Benjamin Blinco Male 1859 Canada - John Blinco Male 1791 England - Ann Blinco Female 1792 England - Henry Blinco Male 1803 England - Emma Blinco Female 1828 England - Daniel Blinco Male 1848 Canada - Matilda Blinco Female 1851 Canada - Harriet Blinco Female 1853 Canada - William Blinco Male 1856 Canada - John Blinco Male 1859 Canada
Death of Wife Ann	26 Mar 1870, Wellington, Ontario
Death	9 Apr 1870, Pilkington, Wellington Centre, Ontario

Descendants

The family grouping below shows the extent to which the whole family (spouses included) were recent emigrants to Canada (indicated with the emigrant Canada icon). The one exception is Sarah Ann Ariss herself a locally born daughter of emigrants. The family inter marrying with the Stockfords, the Beales, The Ariss’s and the Hawes families and in many cases living next to each other in the Township.

When it came to the next generations, John and Ann Blincoe left a lasting legacy in North America in both Canada and the USA. Sixteen of their descendants served in WW1 and WW2. Two great grandsons making the ultimate sacrifice. The table of honour below.

Name	Birthdate/Birthplace	Father or Mother	Relationship to John Blinco 1789 Mixbury	WW1 Fact	WW2 Fact
Albert Harle Hall	12 Apr 1890, Winnipeg, Manitoba	Matilda Blinco b. 1851,Pilkington, Wellington Ontario	Gt Grandson	Albert H Hall Private, 252713, 209th Bn, 49th Bn Alberta Regiment KIA 30 Oct 1917 Paschendaele
James Henry Moss	27 Jul 1887, Elora, Ontario	Harriet Ann Blinco b, 1863 Elora, Wellington Ontario	Gt Grandson	John Henry Moss, Gunner, 307699, 43rd Battery 11th Brigade 3rd Canadian Divisional Artillery, 8th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery. Died of Wounds Bruay 1917
Charles Wesley Blinco	6 Sep 1891, Portland, Oregon	William Frederick Blinco b. 1859,Pilkington, Wellington Ontario	Gt Grandson	Blinco Charles Wesley, 1891, Portland, Oregon, Private, 154405, Company A 116th Engineers, 41st Divsion. 1st Engineers, 1st US Division
Loyal William Blinco	17 May 1894, Oregon	William Frederick Blinco b. 1859,Pilkington, Wellington Ontario	Gt Grandson	Blinco Loyal William, 1847173, Oregon Naval Militia, US Navy.
Harry Daniel Blinco	6 Jul 1896, Portland, Oregon	William Frederick Blinco b. 1859,Pilkington, Wellington Ontario	Gt Grandson	Blinco Harry Daniel, 1896, Portland, Oregon, 1st Cl. Pvte, Base Hospital Camp Lewis, Washington.
Frank George Frankish	5 Nov 1894, Elora Ontario	Mary Jane Blinco 1861, Ontario	Gt Grandson	Frank George Frankish Private 3135961 1st Can. Depot Battalion
Russell Grant Frankish	Feb 1896, Elora Ontario	Mary Jane Blinco 1861, Ontario	Gt Grandson	Russell Grant Frankish, Driver, 335282, 64th Depot Batt., 25th Batt.6th Brigade , Canadian Field Artillery
Troy Eugene Blinco	9 Nov 1895 Raton, Colfax, New Mexico	Percival Thomas Blinco 1868, Elora Ontario	Gt Grandson	Blinco Troy Eugene, 1895, Sapper, Lance Corporal, 2006569, 171047, Canadian Engineers, CEF. Royal Flying Corps. RAF.
Douglas Stewart Blinco	10 May 1903, Niagara Falls, NY	Ernest Blinco, 1870 Canada	Gt Grandson		Blinco Douglas Stewart 1121839, Seaman 2nd Class, US Navy
Burt Ellwood Blinco	5 Feb 1907, Jackson, Michigan	Francis Frank Blincoe, 1868, Canada	Gt Grandson		Blinco Burt, Pvt, 36189718, US Army Air Corps
Donald Loyal Blinco	26 Feb 1927 Portland, Oregon	Harry Daniel Blinco, 1896, Portland,	Gt Gt Grandson		Service number 15211977 Rank Private US Army
Maj. Gerald Edward Blinco	15 Jun 1921 New York, New York	Albert Randolph Blinco, b. 16 Apr 1895, Lincoln, Ontario,	Gt Gt Grandson		Gerald Edward Blinco Major 12098907 USAAF 31st Fighter Group. Fighter Pilot Italy
Albert Ernest Blinco	8 Apr 1926 Niagara Falls, New York	Albert Randolph Blinco, b. 16 Apr 1895, Lincoln, Ontario,	Gt Gt Grandson		Albert Ernest Blinco , S1C, 9760042 , US Navy
Stewart Paul Blinco	23 Jul 1928 Niagara Falls, NY	Douglas Stewart Blinco, b. 10 May 1903, Niagara Falls, NY	Gt Gt Grandson		Private First Class 720th Infantry Division, US Army Military Police until 1948
Leslie Vernon Blinco	15 Oct 1914 Glendive, Dawson, Montana	Louis Frederick Blinco, b. 11 Jun 1875, Canada	Gt Grandson		Leslie V Blincoe, Pvt. 39175291,US Army, If he joined 41st Div as I speculate, he may have served in Australia and New Guinea

Sources

• Report from the Select Committee on Emigration (British Parliamentary Papers). This 1840s data records that steerage fares from Liverpool to New York fluctuated between £3 10s and £5 per adult.
• Source for Departure: Lloyd’s List and Liverpool Custom House records. For an arrival on June 25th, the Independence cleared the Liverpool port during the May cycle (usually the 6th–8th of the month).
• Source for Ship Location: The New York Evening Post and The Journal of Commerce (June 1845 editions). These daily shipping reports listed exactly where every ship was docked.
• Evidence: The Independence was a Swallowtail Line ship. These ships were assigned to Pier 23 or 24 at the foot of Maiden Lane on the East River (South Street).
• Castle Garden Check: Historical records from the New York State Archives confirm that Castle Garden (the first processing center) did not open until August 1, 1855. Therefore, in 1845, passengers stepped directly onto the South Street wharves