Thomas Racey, registrar of the county of Halton, was born in the city of Bath, Somersetshire, Eng., December 24, 1791, and hence is in his 89th year. His parents were James and Jane (Sumption) Racey. He received a plain English education; came to Canada in 1805, being engaged before leaving, as a clerk for Thomas Dickson, of Queenston, Eng., where he remained three years; and then went to Ancaster, at the “Head of the Lake,” and was a merchant’s clerk a while for Samuel Hatch, and subsequently his partner at an outpost at Mount Pleasant, near Brantford; and while there took part in the war of 1812-14, volunteering under Gen. Brock, who put him on detached service in the expedition against Gen. Hull; subsequently holding a Lieutenant’s, and afterwards a Captain’s commission, and being in the engagement at Beaver Dams, Chippawa, and Lundy’s Lane.
After the war he went to Niagara and was there engaged in the mercantile and lumber business, going thence to Springfield, in the Credit valley, where he built a grist mill and saw mill. Subsequently he spent a year or two in the city of Quebec. Returning to Upper Canada, he acted for some time as emigrant agent for the Government, with headquarters at Hamilton.
In 1833 Mr. Racey became county registrar, taking up his residence at Dundas; and on the separation of the counties of Wentworth and Halton in, 1853, he was appointed registrar of Halton, and removed to Milton, this county having then only four townships. This was formerly a part of the Gore district, which was set apart in 1816.
When the rebellion of 1837-38 occurred, Mr. Racey went to the front and offered his services, but was in no engagement.
In 1835 he married Miss Helen P. Nelles, of Grimsby, daughter of Hon. Aram Nelles, and they have five children. Helen M. is the wife of William Patriarche, of St. Louis, Mo.; Frances W. is the wife of Col. J. M. Young, a barrister, residing in Jasper County, Mo., and the others are unmarried. Mr. Racey is a member of the English church, and has the reputation of having lived an unblemished life.
