George Will

George Will (February 8, 1785-January 18, 1862) was born at Perry in Berks County Pennsylvania on February 8, 1785 and baptized George Wiel on March 25, 1785 at nearby Oley Hill Church. He was a son of Berks County PA native, Philip Will/ Weil (1755-1818) and Anna Eva Hoffman (1761-1790). He apparently came to Upper Canada with his parents and settled in Ancaster Township where about 1812 he married Hannah Horning (1793-December 31, 1880), a daughter of Isaac Horning (1766-1852) and Charity Gertrude Kribbs (1768-1845). George and his brother-in-law, Peter Horning, served in the first flank Company under Captain Samuel Hatt in the Fifth Regiment of Lincoln Militia during the War of 1812. Soldiers who volunteered for flank companies trained more and were expected to see more active service than soldiers in in-line militia companies. It appears that George and Hannah Will lived in the Waterdown area for a while before settling in Nelson Township. They were both buried in Waterdown. George Will and Hannah Horning had 12 children before he died in Nelson Township on January 8, 1862:

  1. Eliza Will (1812-October 31, 1882) married John Stewart (1812-October 13, 1895)
  2. Margaret Will (June 20, 1814-July 17, 1850) married Titus Geer Cummins (August 25, 1812- November 16, 1893)
  3. Isaac Horning Will (1816-November14, 1890) married 4 times, first to Jane Ramsey (1826-March 1, 1854)
  4. George Nelson Will (September 26, 1819-October 1, 1879) married Eliza Ann Simpson (February 7, 1838-July 21, 1931)
  5. Wesley Case Will (November 21, 1821-May 28, 1886) married Catharine C. Doran (June 1828-June 26, 1907)
  6. Charity Will (March 3, 1824-May 12, 1904) married William H Peer (February 15, 1821-May 4, 1862)
  7. Ann Will (1826-January 15, 1900) married Titus Geer Cummins (August 25, 1812-November 16, 1893)
  8. Turzah Will (August 28, 1828- August 29, 1848) unmarried buried in Waterdown
  9. James J. Will (1831-1895) married Matilda Adeline King (1834-1897)
  10. William Mackenzie Will (1832-~1890) married Sarah Colquhoun (November 27, 1834-June 28, 1911)
  11. Ryan Smith Will (1836-) married Elizabeth S (1846-)
  12. Almira Will (September 21, 1838-July 4, 1911) married William Graham (1833-January 6, 1886)

Contributing Author: W. Raymond Cummins