Joseph Hara (O'Hara) 1794-1881 -
His first documented residence was Drummondville, in Stamford Township, Welland County, Ontario in 1827. Their residence from around 1830 was in the current Niagara Falls area, more specifically the area at Lundy's Lane. Records show that he owned 4 acres of land in 1840 on Portage Road between Chippewa and Queenston and in 1847 he bought another property nearby. A later reference shows him living in Woodburn, ON in 1869.
A land sale record dated April 13, 1840 shows that he bought 4 acres from Samuel Street. Joseph bought Lot 95 on Portage Road. Another record shows that he bought property on Lot 90 on Oct 12, 1847 from Adam Killan.
The 1851 Census lists him as a butcher and in 1861 as a yeoman so he was probably like many of his generation who performed multiple trades as the need arose. In 1851 he owned 8 acres of land and their dwelling was listed as a one storey frame house while in 1861 the house was one and a half storeys so perhaps they had moved in the interim or expanded the previous residence. A land sale of Feb 1856 shows that he bought land on Lot 90 Portage Road.
Margaret Ferguson died in 1864 and she and her daughter Elsey Jane Hara are buried at the Garner [could be Warner?] Burying Ground at Lundy's Lane, Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Joseph moved to the village of Woodburn in 1869. In a real estate record of March 20, 1869 he paid John Edmonds $1000 for property in the township of Binbrook where Woodburn is located. His daughter Esther, had married John Edmonds who likely sold him the property.
In 1870 he married Esther Fry who was born in Ireland about 1815. At this time he was about 74 and she about 55. There were no children from this marriage.
- from Richard W. Wilson in West Wind. https://www.lulu.com/shop/richard-w-wilson/west-wind/paperback/product-1z8qrvp7.html?srsltid=AfmBOorJsLrDr0SxDM0mBrXr9lZjlGBZkrdde56NG8XIO3X33HX745oB&page=1&pageSize=4
The Hara's were originally O'Hara's but dropped the 'O' when they gave up their Roman Catholic faith and became Methodists in John Wesley's day.
Joseph Samuel Hara married Margaret Ferguson (1795 born in Mongahan County, Ireland.)
He and Margaret Ferguson met in Montreal and were married in 1818 in Cornwall, Stormont Township, Ontario, Upper Canada, British North America, then settled near Niagara Falls. Joseph Hara was one of the first sons of Temperance at Niagara Falls. The Hara family numbered seven daughters and two sons.
Joseph's siblings: William “Henry” O'Harrow O’Hara, sr, Mary O'Harra, Elizabeth 'Jane' O’Hara
Joseph's parents - Thomas James O'Hara and Mary Elizabeth Warner
