John James Haffey

sketch by Lucas O'Brien, 1st president of the Royal Canadian
Academy, showing judicial business at the Eighth Division
Court at Mono Mills in 1855. 
#4 (3rd from left) is John J. Haffey acting as baliff
tendering the oath to a witness.

John James Haffey was born in Ireland about 1819. Birth information is taken from the 1861 census. His daughter Camilla indicated that he came from Northern Ireland (Ulster).  Family tradition says he was born in Armagh, but there is no corroboration of that fact.  Other researchers claim he was related to some of the other Haffey's in the area, this seems likely but again is uncorroborated.






He settled in Adjala about 1840 and on `5 Feb 1844 he married Margaret Keenan the daughter of John and Eleanor in Toronto.
John married Margaret Keenan (daughter of  John and Eleanor) on 15 Feb 1844 in Toronto.


On the 11 Jun 1853, John bought W1/2 of Lot 14 Concession 5 in the township of Adjala from Michael Harvey for $400. The Mortgage was divided with $215 payable to Michael Harvey and $165 to James Mitchel. Michael Harvey was the patentee of the land. The Simcoe county book pt2 pg 51gives his name as Michael Haffey. "As early as the year 1828 some settlers had begun to take up lots in the gook lands juxt north of Bailey Creek. Among these families of Connors, Kelly and Keenan:" ....."Michael Haffey settled on the west half of lot 14 concession 5 at this early period."  It seems most likely that the book was mistaken as the deed seems very clear.


The 1861 census reported that John (40) and Margaret (40) were farmers living in a log house with their children Allice (16), James (15), Joseph (13), Ellen (11), John (9), Thomas (7), Elizabeth (4), and Peter (2).  Also living in the house is John Keenan (88) a gentleman bn in Ireland. (1861 Population, Canada,, District 1 page 10 line 16)  

The agricultural census of the same year adds that he is living on 100 acres on the W 1/2 of Lot 16 Concession 6, twelve acres were under cultivation, 48 acres were under crops, four were pasture and 36 were either wooded or wild. The farm was worth $2500 and the farming implements worth $150.  He had 7 acres of fall wheat which produced 250 bushels and 24 acres of spring wheat which produced 400 bushels.  There were 80 bushels of peas on 4 acres and 350 bushels of oats on 8 acres.  Three-quarters of an acre produced 200 bushels of potatoes.  He also grew 2 tons of hay.   John's produce totals were about average for the area.

John served in various community capacities over the years, including JP, baliff and more.  By 1881 it appears that he is no longer farming.  He is living with what seems to be an unrelated family, while Margaret and her son Francis are in another household and Allice, who never married, in a third. Although no explanation is given it seems likely that John needed more care than Margaret was able to give.

John died 20 Oct 1884 in Toronto.  The death certificate states he was a retired farmer age 65 born in Ireland.  The  informant was Dr. E Kennedy.  

John James Haffey - Dropbox