The Trefry Connection To start at the beginning has taken me to the period where records were rarely kept. So let’s start with the first records I could find.
The name Trefry has been around Cornwall, England, from early times. The name was around in the time of King Arthur and the Knights Of The Round Table, although they weren't one these Knights.
John Trefry helped his family to farm in his local town, which was owned by the nearby castle. John would watch the Knights train when he could avoid any chores. One day he was accepted to work in the castle, where he became a squire for one on the knights. John’s fighting abilities were noticed by the castle Knights. He soon travelled everywhere with the knights, sharing in their battles.
He befriended the Black Prince, who received this name because of the black suit of armour he always wore. The Black Prince was putting a small army together to sneak into France and help his father, the King. The plan was to sneak into France at night and avoid being detected so they could attack the unsuspecting French as they were fighting his father, The King.
They almost made it to their destination before they were detected by a French sentry. The sentry sent word to the nearest military camp. Telling of what he had discovered. The military camp, which contained more troops than the small English army, decided they would attack the English themselves and not wait for more reinforcements.
The French were no match for the English Long Bow, as the archers did a lot of damage. The Knights then attacked followed by the foot solders. John Trefry during the battle seen his chance and fought his way to the heart of the battle and captured the French flag. When the battle was over, he presented this flag to the Black Prince, who awarded John a battlefield Knight Banneret.
When they returned to England, the Black Prince who was praised by his father, decided to give lands and title to his new Knight and friend, John Trefry.
John Trefry settled in the Fowey area. The Black Prince was known to have visited John Trefry in Place, in the seaport of Fowey, on many occasions. There is a manor of Trefry in the Parish of Lanhydrock, Cornwall, England.
The most interesting building in Fowey is Place,(which is the old British for palace) a Gothic residence of the 15th century, standing on a hill above the church, in its own beautiful grounds. It’s the residence of a gentleman of the old school, the Rev. Edward Trefry, a very worthy brother Mason, and a leader in the Knights Templar of Tywardreath.
Elizabeth Trefry
In 1457, King John of France, sent a squadron of ships to burn down and ravage the town Fowey, in revenge for many victories obtained over the French by "the gallant men of Fowey" as of they were called. The French sailed past the forts and came secretly in the dead of night and attacked and burned the little town, while the inhabitants fled in terror to the hills from the enemies. The French afterwards attacked Place, which was at that time fortified; and the owner, Thomas Trefry, was absent, away in court.
His wife, Dame Elizabeth Trefry, determined they would not surrender. She rallied the citizens around her in the mansion of Place. With the servants and towns people who sought safety here, she fought the French until all ammunition was gone. Dame Trefry then led her people to the top of the house where they stripped off the lead which covered the roof and melted it in cauldrons. They then poured the liquid lead on the heads of the Frenchmen below. This proved successful as the Frenchmen quickly gave up the attack and fled.
A statue of Elizabeth Treffry, which was discovered some years later when restoring the castle, is now to be seen over a granite gateway under the Great Tower, with a record of her heroism.
Thomas Trefry
Thomas Trefry, prominent in Cornwall and in London, was hired by the crown to devise and build the St. Mawes Castle to protect the entrance to Falmouth Harbour. This St. Mawes castle was still used for coastal defence in World War I. In 1920 it was declared an historic building.
Thomas sat in Parliament for Cornwall. However, being opposed to Queen Mary's marriage to King Philip of Spain, he had to flee the country, remaining a political refugee until Queen Mary was forced from her throne in 1558. Thomas lost many of his extensive estates.
John Trefry
John Trefry of Devon, Plymouth, England, was the first Trefry's to head for Canada.
John and Hannah's first son, Robert John Trefry, moved to Columbia, South America about 1830. He married a Spanish woman and settled there. His descendants are mostly Spanish speaking and farmers.
John and Hannah Trefry, with five sons and four daughters set sail from Falmouth, Cornwall, on 4-April-1834 on a timber ship bound for Quebec, Canada. Five weeks later, after avoiding icebergs, they arrived in Canada.
They headed for Kingston, Ontario, then on to Toronto and still on to Hamilton. Settling in Norwich, Oxford County, Ontario. John wasted no time establishing a productive farm. His descendants can still be found in Ontario.
Joshua Pitman Trefry
1770: Joshua Pitman Trefry, bp. May 25, 1740; m. Nov. 9, 1762, Mary Allen, bp. Sept. 20, 1741, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Card), and sister of John Allen of Yarmouth, N.S. 1770. Joshua Pitman Trefry is listed in Mr. Brown’s Early Settlers of Yarmouth "as of Yarmouth in 1766, and received in the three divisions of the township grant 888 acres; also lot No. 3 of one acre at Chebogue Town Point.
John & Hannah Trefry
John and Hannah Trefry, (Joshua's parents) moved from Massachusetts to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 1776.
1800 .....
John Trefry of Devon, Plymouth, England, was the first Trefry's to head for Canada.
John and Hannah's first son, Robert John Trefry, moved to Columbia, South America about 1830. He married a Spanish woman and settled there. His descendants are mostly Spanish speaking and farmers.
John and Hannah Trefry, with five sons and four daughters set sail from Falmouth, Cornwall, on 4-April-1834 on a timber ship bound for Quebec, Canada. Five weeks later, after avoiding icebergs, they arrived in Canada.
They now headed for Kingston, then on to Toronto and then to Hamilton. Settling in Norwich, Oxford County, Ontario. John wasted no time establishing a productive farm. His descendants can still be found in Ontario.
