John Lymburner was born April 8th 1769 in Penoscot Mass. (now in the state of Maine). John married Elizabeth Greenlaw in Lincoln Co. Upper Canada in 1792. They had 10 children who all lived to adulthood.
John’s father was Mathew Lymburner a Scottish merchant who along with his wife Margaret settled in Montreal in 1761. They also had 10 children. In 1767 they moved to Penoscot to be a farmer and miller.
During the Revolutionary War Mathew joined the British forces and worked for the Indian Department as did John’s future father-in-law Jonathan Greenlaw. They both became United Empire Loyalists.
During the Revolutionary War American forces attempted to capture the British base at Penoscot but were defeated. Despite this, 10 year old John was captured and taken prisoner along with other “Tories” and threatened to be hanged. He was put aboard an American frigate with other Tories but managed to escape into the forest as the ship proceeded up the Penoscot River and so he returned home.
After the Revolutionary War the Limburgers lost everything. They moved to St. Andrew, New Brunswick. Mathew died shortly after in 1788. His wife Margaret remarried and with her new husband and children moved to Caistor Township in Lincoln Co. Upper Canada as New Brunswick Loyalists.
John as a loyalist and son of a loyalist, received land in 1799 on the Chippawa River where he became involved with the lumber trade and consequently built the first sawmill in Caistor Township. His sawmill provided the “boardings” to build the first Anglican Church in Chippawa and for another church to serve all other denominations.
During the War of 1812, John now in his mid 40’s served with the 4th Regiment Lincoln Militia. He was with his regiment at Queenston Heights and Lundy’s Lane
His gristmill was a casualty of the war and was burned by the Americans but like all tragedies of war was rebuilt.
John Lymburner died May 14th 1824 in Lincoln Co. Upper Canada. He is buried at Caistor Township Lincoln Co.
Submitted by Descendants Edward Early UE & Bonnie Manuel UE