John Angle Cummins was born on June 22, 1791 in New Jersey, the eldest son of Daniel Cummins and Christine Angle/Engel. After the American Revolution, he came with his parents to settle on the escarpment overlooking Dundas, Ontario. In 1798, eight-year-old John Cummins became a member of the Methodist Church and he was an ardent supporter of the church for the rest of his life. His father, Daniel Cummins, built one of the first churches in the Hamilton area which was called Cummins Chapel. The chapel’s name was later changed to Rock Chapel. About 1810, John married Lucinda Simons (~1791-~1819), a daughter of Titus Simons (who had published the Upper Canada Gazette in Niagara-on-the-Lake) and a sister of Titus Geer Simons (who would become a hero of the Battle of Lundy’s Lane and Colonel of the Gore Militia).
John served in the Second Regiment of York Militia during the war of 1812. John and his father bought and developed another 200 acres at Rock Chapel and John bought rights to part of the water flowing over the falls there (now known as Borer’s Falls) and ran a turning mill. He called himself a “chair maker” when on April 29, 1819 he petitioned for land in Colonel Thomas Talbot’s settlement near Talbotville, Ontario.
After Lucinda died, he married Rachael Crooker (July 12, 1803-September 27, 1870) and they moved to East Flamborough where he acquired properties and water rights along the Grindstone Creek in what would become Mill Street in Waterdown. He also invested with William Bunton in property and wharves on the waterfront in the village of Wellington Square which would become downtown Burlington, Ontario. With his two wives, John had 5 daughters and 6 sons. He had been involved in the building of Methodist Chapels. He owned the second Cummins Chapel which he built on the northwest corner of what is now Clappison’s Corners. He was involved with his two brothers, David Cummins and Jacob Cummins, with the Building of the Tabor New Connexion Methodist Chapel in Millgrove. He was a charter member of the Board of Trustees of Millgrove Cemetery. When he died on September 27, 1861 John owned properties and four mills along North and South Mill Street in Waterdown. He bequeathed his property in Cumminsville to his son, Titus Geer Cummins.
Contributing Author: W. Raymond Cummins
Kilbride History Group 