Rachael Crooker was born in New Jersey on July 12, 1803 a daughter of James Edway Crooker (November 23, 1766-November 29, 1820) and Eleanor Ammerman (February 18, 1769-October 4, 1822). She came to Canada with her parents when she was 16 in 1818. Her parents died a few years after arriving in Upper Canada and according to family tradition were buried in Carlisle. About 1820, Rachael married the widower, John Angle Cummins and they soon moved to East Flamborough. They had 4 daughters and 4 sons together. She died on September 27, 1870 and was buried in Millgrove Cemetery.
Rachael was an older sister to Rhoda Dildene Crooker (July 22, 1809 – December 23, 1874). About 1834, Rhoda married George Hardbottle/Harbottle (August 21, 1806-1892) who was a native of Durham England, a farmer, and a lay preacher. On March 12, 1860, George and Rhoda Hardbottle sold part of their land on the north side of the Eighth Sideroad to a Board of Trustees to start the Zion Methodist New Connexion Meeting House and Burying Ground which would later become Kilbride United Church and Pioneer Cemetery.
Contributing Author: W. Raymond Cummins
Kilbride History Group 