▁establish ing ▁a ▁reserve ▁force ▁in ▁three ▁Upper ▁Canada ▁town ships , ▁Lan ark ▁( 1 8 1 5 ), ▁Per th ▁( 1 8 1 6 ) ▁and ▁Richmond ▁( 1 8 1 8 ), ▁to ▁d eter ▁and ▁defend ▁against ▁American ▁invasion ▁of ▁the ▁col ony ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Ang lo - American ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 2 – 1 8 1 5 . ▁William ▁was ▁ 1 0 ▁months ▁old ▁when ▁the ▁family ▁stepped ▁ash ore ▁at ▁Richmond ▁landing ▁below ▁the ▁Cha udi ère ▁F alls ▁of ▁the ▁Ott awa ▁River ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 8 2 0 ▁and ▁tre kk ed ▁to ▁the ▁Richmond ▁military ▁settlement ▁to ▁clear ▁land ▁for ▁a ▁farm ▁near ▁H unt ley . ▁Andrew s ▁died ▁in ▁the ▁Spring ▁of ▁ 1 8 2 4 ▁and ▁the ▁farm ▁was ▁taken ▁over ▁by ▁his ▁son ▁Andrew s ▁L ett ▁with ▁whom ▁William ▁stayed ▁until ▁moving ▁with ▁his ▁dev out ly ▁Method ist ▁mother ▁to ▁By town ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 8 . ▁She ▁had ▁rem ar ried ▁to ▁Dr . ▁James ▁Stewart , ▁By town ' s ▁coron er ▁from ▁ 1 8 4 5 ▁to ▁ 1 8 5 8 . ▁ ▁William ▁was ▁well ▁educated ▁at ▁public ▁and ▁grammar ▁schools ▁in ▁H ull ▁and ▁By town ▁and ▁the ▁monitor ial ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Montreal , ▁where ▁his ▁principal ▁was ▁the ▁Re ver end ▁John ▁Beth une ▁( 1 7 9 1 – 1 8 7 2 ), ▁m ason