The following information came in 1998 from Jack Altekruse, Jean Leland Mattison's cousin. It compares nicely to the narrative history provided by Ethel Leland VanSpanckeren in the previous chapter. While vacationing in Campabello Island and St. Andrews, New Brunswick in 1997, Audree and I explored the area shown in a map as the Leland homestead in a genealogy by Edgar Leland (Boston, 1945). We were fortunate to be able to visit Nellie Leland, age 78, who lives on Mascarene Road, near the site of the Leland homestead. She led us through two cemeteries and discussed the ancestors of the early 1800s as though they were around last week. She is a member of the St. Andrews Historical Society, but unfortunately has not yet recorded her information. In addition, we came across the name of Ed Leland, Lakewood Colorado, who has visited Nellie during the summer. I have contacted him, and found that he has prepared a descendency chart which updates Edgar’s genealogy. He has been generous in exchanging information.

 

This document starts with excerpts (italics) from The Genealogy by Edgar Leland, which is largely limited to the branch of the family that stayed, at least initially, in New Brunswick; then also attempts to follow the descendants who moved from New Brunswick to EauClaire, Wisconsin who were not detailed in his 1945 genealogy or in Ed Leland’s chart.

 

Thomas Leland, a native of Ireland born near Belfast, was a major in the British Army and widower with one child named Sarah; married Ann McKenzie, native of Southernshire, Scotland, in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, on the 14th of August 1814.

 

She was the daughter of John McKenzie, who went to Canada and settled in St. Andrews, N.B., and became the first builder of ships in that place. Thomas Leland was a Presbyterian and appears in the Committee of the Presbyterian Church in Mascarene, N.B.

 

The writer has been unable to learn where his first wife died, by whom he also had a son who died in infancy. The daughter never married and made her home with them. She died about 1880 in Mascarene. Soon after his second marriage, Army service took him to Newfoundland. While he was stationed there, two sons were born to them, the first dying in infancy. Their third child, a daughter, was born in Mascarene where the rest of their children were born.

 

The writer has been unable to obtain a picture of Major Leland. An old and respected citizen of St. George, said that in stature he was five foot and six or seven inches, of stocky build and noticeably erect in his walk. He died in Mascarene on the 25th of October 1846, aged 69 years. His second wife, Ann McKenzie, survived him 37 years and died in Mascarene on December 2, 1883, aged 89 years. She was of medium height weighing not more that 120 pounds. In her youth she must have been very attractive for she was still good looking in her old age. She possessed a refined and intelligent face. One of her sisters, Jane, married Robert Crookshank, a prosperous and highly respected citizen of St. John, N.B.

 

1. Thomas Leland: d. 10/25/1846 – married (unknown woman) (See Ethel’s notes).

 

Their children were:

 Boy (died in infancy) 

 1. Sarah Leland

     – married Ann McKenzie (August 14, 1814) and together they had eight                 children:

2. John William Leland (b. St. John’s, Newfoundland 12/13/1816, d. 11/9/1816)

3. Charles Hector Leland (b. St. John’s 12/13/1817 d. Mascarene 5/12/17)

4. Margaret McKenzie Leland (b. St. Andrews 6/19/1819 d. Princeton Maine, 1892)

5. Hector Leland (b. Mascarene 4/27/1821 d. 6.28.1847 (boating accident)

6. John McKenzie Leland (b. Mascarene 8/12/1823 d. 1847 (at sea)

7. Robert William Leland (b. Mascarene 7/15/1826 d. Eau Claire, Wisconsin 1912)

8. George Leland (b. Mascarene 6/16/1829 d. WIsconsin, 1910)

9. Eliza Jane Leland (b. Mascarene 4/21/1837 d. 6/14/1837)

 

Only Charles Hector (3) and Robert William (7) had children. Robert William and George (8) married sisters, Jane Marie Hoyt and Sarah Hoyt, respectively, daughters of Dennis Hoitt and Elizabeth MacNichol, of Letite, New Brunswick. George and Sarah had no children. Both Robert and George moved with their families to EauClaire, Wisconsin in approximately 1857.

 

2. Robert William Leland – m. Jane Marie Hoyt (12/19/1849) (b. 12/1/1828, Letete, N.B. d. 3/14/1909). Their children were noted by hand in a family Bible as follows:

10. Hector Cornelius (b. Mascarene ,1/9/1851) m. Francis Leeds        (6/7/1876)

11. John William (b. Mascarene, 1/16/18 d. 4/25/1896) –m. Margaret   C. Hepburn (b. 4/7/1875, d. 11/15/1886); 

Children born in EauClaire, WI:

12. Darius R. (b. Mascarene, 4/5/1855 d ?) m. Mary Gaylord (12/7/1882)

13. Daniel Hoyt (b. EauClaire, Wi 1/5/1858) m. Cora Osman (12/18/1886)

14. Anna Marie (b. EauClaire 5/1/1860) m. John H. Mayo (1877)

15. George Wellington (b. EauClaire 6/16/1862)

16. Elizabeth Jane (b. EauClaire 7/25/1896) m. John Southonir (7/1877)

17. Margaret Isabella (b. EauClaire 7/10/1866) m. Henry Sharp (10/1844)

18. Martha Lucinda (b. EauClaire 6/22/1868) m. Silas Sayner (7/17/1888)

19. Sarah Delia (b. EauClaire 7/28/1870) m. Malcolm Graves (8/1893)

20. Charles Fillmore (b. EauClaire 9/4/1872)

– 0 –

 

11. John William Leland m. Margaret C. Hepburn (d. 11.15.1886)

The following children were recorded in the family Bible:

21. Melvin Oscar (b. 12/29/1875 d. infancy) 

22. John Arthur (b. 4/5/1877, d. ) Children were

23. Charlotte "Lottie" Maude (b. 3/8/1879) m. Royce Long; 

29. Leland Long m. Gladys (?) then Edna. 

37. Barbara Long (New York)

38. Son

30. Jeanne Long m. Jacob Porter (Portola Valley CA) 

39. Mike Porter

40. Jack Porter

24. Alfred William (b. 3/13/1881 d. 1975) m. Harriet VanSpanckeren (b. ? Pella, IA; d. 1969, Rockford IL) Their children:

31. Bernice Leland (b. Dixon, IL 5/7/1910; d. Rockford IL /  /  ) m. Gordon Wormley 19; divorced   /  /  )

41. Nancy (b. ; m. Clyde Boutelle 1956)

Dan

John (b. ; m. Jane Spierer 11/87)

Sarah

Elizabeth

42. Marilyn (b. ) m. John Woodyatt (  )

Jon Woodyatt

Steven Woodyatt

Rebecca

Married Harmel Howard   /   /   ; (b. / / /) (d.  / / / )

32. Margaret (Margot) Leland (b. 7/15/1913 d. 2012, Northampton, MA) m. Osborne Griggs 

42. Alfred Leland Griggs (b. ?) m. Sally McQide (?)

Sarah Griggs (b. ?) m.  

William (Bill) Griggs (b. ?) m. 

43. Margaret (Margie) Griggs (b. ) m. David Anderson (b. ) 

David M. Anderson (b. 1979  - twin)

Shain O. Anderson (b. 1979 - twin)

Rachel (b. ?) 

44. O. Edington Griggs (b. 10/1/51) m. Corazon "Cris" Brizuela (1987, St. Paul)

Jon (stepson)

Daniel (stepson)

Marilea Griggs (b. 1991 Woodbury MN)

45. Ruth Leland Griggs (b. Rockford 3/10/1954) m. Rich Fontana (b. 8 /  /  /; d. 12/19/2011); lives in Northampton, MA

Chuck Fontana (6/2/87)

Rob Fontana (1988)

46. John VanSpanckeren Griggs (b. Conneticut,  /  /  /) m. Liz (  /  /  ) lives in Manhattan Beach CA; 

Margot Griggs

 

33. Ethel Jean Leland (b. Dixon, IL 7/16/1915 d. Rockford IL, 9/30/1985) m. Ronald W. Mattison 8/16/1940 (b. 1/26/1916; d. 2/19/2001)

48. Ronald "Skip" Leland Mattison (b. 12/30/1941, Rockford IL) m. Kathleen Jo Buchmann Rockford 4/03/1971 (b. 3/19/1945); lives in Rockford IL.

Alison Carole Mattison (b. 12/23/1973, Rockford) Graduated Rockford College​ 1993 (?). Nick Njora (divorced) lives in Brooklyn Center MN

Wanjiru (3/17/1906)

Catarina (1/18/2014)

Patrick Carl Mattison (b. 2/20/1976, Rockford) m. Sasha Sarah (b. 5/5/1986)  08/03/2012; lives in Los Angeles, CA

49. Jared Chris Mattison (b. Rockford 7/1/1943; d. Minocqua, WI 7/25/1966) Graduated Waldorf  College 1966.

50. David WIlliam Mattison (b. 09/15/1946) Graduated University of Iowa 1968, m. Marie Annette Buchmann (sister to Kathleen, above) in Rockford, 8/22/1970  (b. 11/14/1949); lives in Madison, WI

David John Mattison (b. 10/1973) graduated University of Dayton 1994; m. Dusty Darley (b. 11/18/1975 (?) 7/11/2009 Madison WI 

Cooper Mattison (b. 2/20/2011)

Rebecca Leland Mattison (b. 3/12/1976) Graduated University of Michigan 1995; m. William Cartwright 09/22/1993 @Minocqua; WI; lives in Omaha NE

Abby B. Cartwright (6/27/2005)

Will (6/18/08)

Alice (7/26/11)

Ben (10/10/13)

51. Marcia "Marcy" Lea Mattison (b. 12/13/1952) m. Daniel Lee Meiners  Rockford, 10/4/1980;

Leland Alan Meiners (b. 10/13/1986); Graduated Beloit College 2009; m. Elizabeth "Lizi" Ann Schoell 10/1/2016 @Minocqua, WI; lives Cedar Rapids IA

25. Ethel Jane b. 8/31/1884, d. 1988 m. Bernhardt VanSpanckeren 8/31/1906 (d. 1947) adopted

Gertrude Thayer

26. Muriel Anna (b. 5/13/1886, d. 1960) m. Ira B. Altekruse (d. 1944) 

34. Sara "Sally" Altekruse (b. 10/6/1913) 

35. John (Jack) Leland Altekruse (b. 5/7/1930) m. Audree 

27. Eva (b. 12.5.1888, d. infancy) 

28. Earl Percy (b. 9/22/1890, d. ?) m. Ethel ?

36. ​Nancy Leland (b. 1920)