Petition Of A Detroit Merchant

William Hands' Petition

Title: Upper Canada Land Petitions (1763-1865)

Name: HANDS, William

Place: Detroit

Year: 1796

Volume: 222A

Bundle: H 1

Petition: 72

Microfilm: C-2043

Reference: RG 1 L3

Dated 22 April 1796

The William Hands Homestead

Township of Sandwich (Ontario, Canada)

William Hands was born at Bethnal Green near London, Aug. 10, 1756. He came to America and was engaged in trade at Detroit as early as 1781. At the close of the British regime he signified his intention of remaining a British subject, and in 1799 built a house at Sandwich which was still in use a few years since. He held many local offices at Sandwich, being sheriff, treasurer, postmaster, customs officer, and register of Surrogate Court for the Western District. Most of these offices were held simultaneously. He married Mary Abbott of Detroit, daughter of James Abbott Sr. He died at Sandwich, Feb. 20, 1836. Mary Abbott died at Sandwich, Dec. 22, 1860. [Source]

Upper Canada Land Petitions By William Hands In the Index (Including the one featured above*):

HANDS William Moore and Sandwich Townships 1833
HANDS William Chatham 1834
HANDS William Sandwich 1823
HANDS William Sandwich 1833
*HANDS William Detroit 1796
HANDS William Detroit 1795
HANDS William
HANDS William Sandwich 1798
HANDS William York 1817
HANDS William Sandwich 1807
HANDS William Sandwich 1804
HANDS William Sr. 1821
Hands William Ameliasburgh 1822
Hands William Detroit 1790

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