John Crysler
Encyclopedia
John Crysler was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born in Schoharie, New York
in 1770, the son of German immigrants; the family name was originally spelled Krausler or Kruessler. His father served in the British Army
during the American Revolution
under Sir John Johnson; the son was a drummer with Butler's Rangers
. They both settled in Williamsburgh Township after the war. Crysler operated a tavern, cut timber to supply the Royal Navy
with masts and built gristmill
s and sawmill
s. In 1804, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
representing Dundas
. In 1806, he was appointed justice of the peace in the Eastern District. He served with the local militia during the War of 1812
, becoming captain. The Battle of Crysler's Farm
was fought on his property and his farm sustained heavy damage during the battle. He represented Dundas in the Legislative Assembly from 1812 to 1820 and from 1825 to 1828. In 1825, some of his employees were jailed for cutting timber on clergy reserve
s. He became lieutenant-colonel in the local militia in 1838 and led his regiment into combat at the Battle of the Windmill
.
He died in Finch Township in 1852. The village of Crysler was named after him. His son John Pliny
served in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
. The former location of his farm was submerged when the St. Lawrence Seaway was built; a monument erected on the site of the battle was moved to Upper Canada Village
.
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
.
He was born in Schoharie, New York
Schoharie, New York
Schoharie, New York may refer to:*Schoharie County, New York*Schoharie , New York, located in Schoharie County*Schoharie , New York, located within the Town of Schoharie...
in 1770, the son of German immigrants; the family name was originally spelled Krausler or Kruessler. His father served in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
under Sir John Johnson; the son was a drummer with Butler's Rangers
Butler's Rangers
Butler's Rangers was a British provincial regiment composed of Loyalists in the American Revolutionary War, raised by Loyalist John Butler.Most members of the regiment were Loyalists from upstate New York...
. They both settled in Williamsburgh Township after the war. Crysler operated a tavern, cut timber to supply the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
with masts and built gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
s and sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s. In 1804, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was the elected legislature for the province of Upper Canada and functioned as the province's lower house in the Parliament of Upper Canada...
representing Dundas
Dundas County, Ontario
Dundas County is a county in the Canadian province of Ontario.Dundas was created in 1792 by the area's first settlers: German Loyalists who had fought with Sir John Johnson in the American Revolutionary War. The settlers, descendants of the Palatine immigrants to America in 1710, had immigrated to...
. In 1806, he was appointed justice of the peace in the Eastern District. He served with the local militia during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, becoming captain. The Battle of Crysler's Farm
Battle of Crysler's Farm
The Battle of Crysler's Farm, also known as the Battle of Crysler's Field, was fought on 11 November 1813, during the Anglo-American War of 1812. A British and Canadian force won a victory over an American force which greatly outnumbered them...
was fought on his property and his farm sustained heavy damage during the battle. He represented Dundas in the Legislative Assembly from 1812 to 1820 and from 1825 to 1828. In 1825, some of his employees were jailed for cutting timber on clergy reserve
Clergy reserve
Clergy Reserves were tracts of land in Upper Canada reserved for the support of "Protestant clergy" by the Constitutional Act of 1791 which also established Upper and Lower Canada as distinct regions each with an elected assembly. One-seventh of all Crown lands were set aside...
s. He became lieutenant-colonel in the local militia in 1838 and led his regiment into combat at the Battle of the Windmill
Battle of the Windmill
The Battle of the Windmill was a battle fought in November 1838 in the aftermath of the Upper Canada Rebellion. Loyalist forces of the Upper Canadian government defeated an invasion attempt by Hunter Patriot insurgents based in the United States.-Background:...
.
He died in Finch Township in 1852. The village of Crysler was named after him. His son John Pliny
John Pliny Crysler
John Pliny Crysler was a timber merchant and political figure in Canada West.He was born on Crysler's Farm in 1801, the son of John Crysler. He was a captain in the local militia. Crysler represented Dundas in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from 1848 to 1851 and from 1854 to 1857...
served in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
. The former location of his farm was submerged when the St. Lawrence Seaway was built; a monument erected on the site of the battle was moved to Upper Canada Village
Upper Canada Village
Upper Canada Village is a heritage park in the village of Riverside near Morrisburg, Ontario, which depicts a 19th-century village in Upper Canada.-History:...
.