Four generations of Pillar ancestors resting in Russell cemetery

Crispell family at Pillar headstone in Russell Cemetery.   Courtesy photo

Harry Baker
Special to the Villager
RUSSELL – Recently in Russell, Joe, Margaret and Russell Crispell visited the Keith M. Boyd Museum to search out their Canadian roots. Joe came from Florida and Margaret and Russell live in New York State. They found four generations of their ancestors with surnames like Pillar, Cook, Wade, Bond and Burd buried in the St. Andrew’s and St. Paul’s Cemetery behind the museum.

Johannes “John” Pillar

The Russell and District Historical Society traced their first ancestors to Johannes “John” Pillar (1795-1885) and his wife Elizabeth Cook (1801-1880) who came to Russell from Williamsburg Township in the County of Dundas around 1840. John was the son of United Empire Loyalists and he fought in the War of 1812 and took part in the Battle of Crysler Farm.

We also found photos of John (Johannes “John” Pillar) and Elizabeth (Cook), the Crispell’s fourth great-grandparents, in the museum’s family files.

The link was traced down through the generations from the Pillars to the Crispells:

Elizabeth Cook Pillar

1. Johannes “John” Pillar (1795-1885)   m. Elizabeth Cook (1801-1880)

1.11 Abram (Abraham) Pillar (1835-1926)   m. Mary Wade (1840-1886)

1.11.4 William John Pillar (1864-1933)   m. Ida Jane Bond (1868-1960)

1.11.4.2 Effie Alberta Pillar (1897-1996)   m. William John Burd (1894-1961)

1.11.4.2.1 Ida Viola Burd (1917-1982)   m. Herbert Whitney Crispell (1912-1974).

When the Crispell family left Russell, they said they were happy to have received the information and photos of their ancestors, and that they were very proud of their Canadian heritage.