David Almas (1840 - 1867)

David Almas was the son of Adam Bowman Almas, Jr. (1840 - 1867), and Mary (Unknown). The house on the farm - Lot 27, Concession 1, West Flamborough (Wentworth County) - where he resided, and where he died, was demolished shortly after 1966.

(There is a David Almas who is age 20 in the 1861 Census of Norfolk County (Townsend Township), who may be our David.)

David married Jane Newman, born August 1843, England, daughter of James Newman and Ann Hayes. (There is a Jane Newman in the 1851 Census of Townsend Township, Norfolk County, age 8 - and the same in the 1861 Census, age 17.)

The residence (above), which was the Harmer Family homestead (Lot 27, Concession 1, West Flamborough), is now demolished (after 1996) - at Lot 27, Concession 1, West Flamborough Township, Wentworth County. If faced west, on the Old Guelph Road, just south of the intersection with the Old Dundas Road (today, across from a Sikh place of worship).

A family story says that David died of pneumonia following a time in the cold and rain looking after some sick pigs. Following David's death, Jane Newman married Elijah Morden (see below).

Jane Newman died 4 October, 1874 and was buried 11 October, 1874 in the Old Hopkins Cemetery, West Flamborough.

D.A. (David Almas market in old Hopkins Cemetery)

David Almas and Jane Newman, and her parents, are all buried in the Old Hopkins Cemetery, which is almost hidden in a line of trees and bushes that stretch to the west of a ravine to the back of the land that David farmed. It is various stages of decay each time I visit. Once, it was so overgrown with lilacs, it presented a jungle-line appearance and was difficult to navigate. It had been cleaned up as a Canadian Centennial Project, in 1967.

The children of David Almas and Jane Newman were:

1. Henry Almas - born 6 August, 1861 - died 14 January, 1936; buried in the Grove Cemetery, Dundas, ON

2. Emily Jane Almas - born 21 July, 1864 - died 17 February, 1948. She married George William Murphy (6 July, 1858 - 21 October, 1943). Their children were: James Henry (16 March 1883 - 8 October 1955; married (1)Leah Bates 1887 - 9 March 1924 and (2) Margaret Lewis 9 August 1889 - December 1957; Elgin (1886 - 19 July 1911), and Pearl (10 August 1889 - 29 May 1951) married Wiliam Guy Mitchell (16 August 1889 - 20 October 1973), issue: Ruby Genevieve Mitchell.

Ruby Mitchell married Hugh Wilfred Millard and had Patrician Jean (m. unknown; issue: Michelle Alexandra Lucille), William Paul Millard (married Linda Ann Linsday and had issue: Kenneth Paul, Cheryl Delyn and Joseph Steven; and Mitchell Millard (b. & d. 27 Jan. 1947).

3. Newman James Almas - born 1866 - died 27 October, 1930; buried in the Greenwood Cemetery, Burlington, ON

The children of Jane Newman and her second husband, Elijah Morden, were:

1. Mary A. Morden - born 1872

2. Alberta Morden - married Frank Secord

the old Hopkins cemetery

David Almas farmed the old Hopkins farm (which became the Harmer homestead), several acres at the corner of the Old Dundas Road and the Old Guelph Road - just west of the present Highway #6, north of Highway 403. Along a ravine to the east of the property is a forest that ends in a quiet place where there is an old cemetery - the old Hopkins Cemetery.

When I first visited it, around the late 1980's, it was overgrown with lilaac saplings and it was quite a jungle trying to get in and around the stones. The cemetery had been completely cleared and cleaned up as a Canadian 'centennial project' - in 1967.

Subsequently, my visits have found it in various stages of decay and weeds - the saplings at various times having been cleared. It has now been totally cleaned up and a large, wide cairn incorporates all of the old, fallen stones - except the Newman / Almas stone which alone remains upright. There is grass and a sloping lawn and it all seems quite nice, though as quiet as ever.

The cemetery is often covered with weeds and saplings. It is about 150 metres from the Old Dundas Road, near the SW corner that intersects with the Old Guelph Road.

The David Almas stone - also with information concerning his wife, Jane Newman.

James Newman and his wife Anne Hayes, parents of Jane Newman, are also buried in the Old Hopkins Cemetery.