Lanty Shannon Lundy

One of the most familiar historic names in Ontario is Lundy. The road that began at the Portage Road in early Drummondville and traveled up the hill to the first farm was the laneway of William Lundy. It was on this street that one of the decisive battles of the War of 1812 was fought. In the cemetery on top of the hill was where many of the casualties of that war were buried. The farm lane’s name has been carried into the contemporary city of Niagara Falls, Ontario and Lundy’s Lane is a familiar landmark for many tourists from around the world. William Lundy was from Pennsylvania. As a Quaker, he felt obliged to move to British North America as a question of conscience, following the American Revolutionary War in 1786. His son, James, married Mary Anderson. Their son, Thomas married Catherine Shannon in 1806.

Lanty Shannon Lundy aged 22

Catherine (Shannon) Lundy was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick the daughter of a military man, Lieutenant Daniel Shannon. Daniel was wounded in the Battle of Chippawa. She established her reputation when she saw the soldiers moving along the Lane after a long march and began carrying water and milk to refresh the weary soldiers. When Thomas died in 1823, he left his wife, Catherine, not only with eight children, but with the care of his “old father”. She carried out this responsibility faithfully and consequently she inherited the Lundy farm.

Thomas and Catherine were both buried in Lundy’s Lane cemetery. When the historical society decided to place a monument to the Battle of Lundy’s Lane, it was found that their burial site was where the footing of the monument had to be. Canon Bull came to the son and asked permission to move the bodies. Permission was given, but through some misunderstanding no member of the family was present for the reinterment and the burial site was lost to the memory of the relatives.

Lanty Shannon Lundy was the son of Thomas and Catherine (Shannon) Lundy. He was born on 1 January 1820. He had begun his career as a teacher in New York State. His mother asked him to come home to take care of the farm and she would deed him the east half of the property. Eventually he inherited the entire farm. In 1845, he married Elizabeth Sarah Pearson. She had been born on 29 January 1828 in Westminster Place, London. Lanty and Elizabeth lived on the family homestead and had thirteen children, eleven of whom lived to adulthood.

Lanty Shannon Lundy later in life 2016.011.281

Lanty Shannon Lundy took an active part in the development of the community. He was a Liberal, and served as Justice of the Peace for thirty three years as well as Reeve of Stamford. Elizabeth died in Stamford on 20 June 1920. Lanty died on 8 February 1896. They are buried in the Drummond Hill Cemetery in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Article by Fred Habermehl