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RICHARD AND SARAH WILSON In the summer of 1830, Richard Wilson, born in 1789, departed from his home in York, Yorkshire, England to seek a home in the new world. After a five week trip on a sailing ship, he arrived in New York and accepted a job on a canal boat that came to Buffalo by way of the old Erie Canal and eventually reached Niagara. Here Richard met Colonel John Ball, a retired English army officer, who owned a large tract of land in Oxford County given to him by King George IV for services in the War of 1812. Colonel Ball, upon learning that Richard Wilson had left a wife and four sons in England, suggested that he buy some of his land and make a home in Oxford County. After a long and tedious walk over a forest trail, Richard arrived in Dereham Township and selected Lot 23, Concession l. He journeyed back to Niagara and closed the transaction with an "X" to become the owner of two hundred acres. The winter was spent working for Colonel Ball. With the advent of spring, the Colonel supplied Richard with an ox, ox cart, some tools, provisions and seed needed to start farming. He returned to his forest lot and began to Prepare a home for his wife and family. His task was difficult put he cleared as much land as he could and managed to both plant some corn and grain and erect a crude but comfortable log cabin before his wife and children arrived. In June, 1831, Sarah Foster Wilson, along with Charles 15, William 13, Leonard 9, Robert 5 and baby Richard, who was born after his father left for Canada, sailed from England.