A couple of months ago while discussing Stephen Peer, it was agreed that Peer St. had nothing to do with the tight rope walker killed in the Niagara gorge after a fall. This morning while reading about the graves at Drummond Hill Cemetery, written by Ernest Green (local historian), I found out that yes indeed he was a relative. Grand son of the Stephen Peer who lost his life in Chippawa during the war of 1812, 28 days before his wife was to give birth to a son....Edward. Peer. “Edward Peer, born July 31, 1814, died March 15, 1861, aged 46 years, 7 months and 15 days.” This was a son of Stephen Peer who owned lands in this vicinity early in the last century and after whom Peer street is named. Stephen Peer served in Capt. John Rowe’s company of the 2nd Lincoln and fell with his captain on the disastrous field of Chippawa, July 5th, 1814. His body was left on the field and was probably among those burned by the United States troops. No trace of him was ever found by his family. His widow married one Barker, an early Drummondville merchant, after whom Barker street is named. Edward Peer was born just twenty-six days after his gallant father met his death. A son of Edward Peer was also named Stephen. He won notoriety by walking across the Niagara gorge on a five-eighths inch wire rope. Three days later,-June 25th, 1887,-he fell from the wire to the rocks and was fatally injured.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 10:15:13 +0000
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