June 14, 1899 – November 13, 1983
Rooted in Pelham’s Earliest History
Few people could trace their family roots as deeply into Pelham’s past as Leone Adele Daboll. A descendant of George Hansel, one of Pelham’s first five settlers, Leone represented generations of pioneering families who helped shape the community.
She was the daughter of John W. Jones and Mary Jane Hansler, granddaughter of George W. Hansler—Pelham’s first magistrate—and Mary Overholt, great-granddaughter of Andrew Hansler and Mary Snure, and great-great-granddaughter of George Hansel himself.
Leone was raised on the family farm on Hansler Street in Ridgeville, near today’s intersection of Hansler and Metler Road. The 100-acre property had originally belonged to her grandmother, Mary Overholt. Nearby, her great-grandfather Andrew Hansler farmed a 200-acre parcel on Metler Road, now associated with Bissell’s Hideaway. That parcel of land had been granted to George Hansel by the British Crown and later passed to his son Andrew. Both men balanced lives as farmers and ministers, helping build the foundations of the growing settlement.
A Childhood of Tradition and Family Lore
Leone was an only child, though she was not born alone. A sister(Mary) survived only two days after birth. Leone often recounted a family tradition in which a fruit tree was planted whenever a child was born. According to family memory, her sister’s tree died just two days after it was planted.
Leone’s own tree—a white cherry tree planted behind the family home—stood for the entirety of her life, dying around the same time she did more than eight decades later. Coincidence or not, it became one of the family’s most cherished stories.
The Jones-Hansler family was prosperous. However, like many families, the Joneses were affected by the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and lost their financial investments. The farm itself, however, remained in family hands and continues to be owned by descendants today.
Growing Up in a Close-Knit Community
Family was never far away. Relatives farmed throughout the area, including Andrew and Henry Hansler on Metler Road. Strong ties also connected the family to neighbouring pioneer families such as the Overholts, Sloughs, Secord, Metler, Atkins, and Guinters.
Leone attended Hansler School from 1907 to 1914 before continuing her education at Moulton Ladies’ College in Toronto, an exceptional opportunity for a young woman of the era. More to come on this later
There she studied history, literature, and the arts while refining skills such as embroidery and public presentation. Those who knew her often marvelled at her extraordinary memory. Give Leone a date from years earlier, and she could often recall not only what happened but even the weather on that day—a remarkable gift that would likely attract much greater attention today.
A Socialite with a Love of Home
As a young woman, Leone was known for her vibrant social life. She loved hosting gatherings, carefully planning menus, games, and activities for friends and family. By all accounts, she was a true socialite within her community.
She was also an early adopter of the automobile. After her family purchased a car in the early 1900s, Leone learned to drive and often chauffeured her father around town. While not Pelham’s first automobile owner, the family was among the early motorists, and Leone’s mother Mary Jane may well have been one of the town’s first female drivers.
Her passions remained consistent throughout her life:
● Her family
● Her homestead
● Her cats
● Preserving the past
That final passion became legendary.
Leone saved virtually everything. Nothing was too small or insignificant to keep—not even the plastic ties from bread bags. Over generations, the family home became a remarkable time capsule. When Leone married, her husband’s collections joined her own growing accumulation of treasures.
More than 350 salt and pepper shakers, hundreds of crocks, Victorian clothing, a Victorian baby carriage, over 1,000 photographs, paper documents, antique furniture, spinning wheels large enough to fill a room, books and countless other artifacts were stored. Entire rooms were filled from floor to ceiling with pieces of local and family history.
Marriage to Lochlin Daboll
On August 10, 1932, at the age of 33, Leone married Lochlin Burwell Daboll.
Lochlin was the youngest child of John Daboll, whose farm stood nearby in Effingham on Luffman Drive. Life had demanded responsibility from him at an early age. When his father died in 1918, sixteen-year-old Lochlin found himself managing the family’s 200-acre farm and helping care for his sister.
In her diary, Leone recalled that her father had encouraged the match, insisting that Lochlin was a responsible and dependable young man.
There was already a connection between the families. Years earlier, John Daboll had lived with Andrew Hansler—Leone’s great-uncle—for four years before marrying. The relationship between the Hanslers and Dabolls therefore stretched back long before Leone and Lochlin met.
Which Farm Would Prevail?
After their marriage, it is unclear whether Leone initially moved to Lochlin’s farm or divided her time between both households. Her parents remained on the Hansler farm, while Lochlin continued operating his own property.
What is certain is that when Leone’s mother became ill, Leone returned home to help care for her. Eventually, the decision was made for Lochlin to sell his farm and move into the Hansler homestead.
There, on the family property that had been connected to Leone’s ancestors for generations, the couple spent the remainder of their lives together.
Lochlin continued farming the land, though changing economic realities eventually required portions of the property to be sold. Despite these challenges, the heart of the original farm survived.
Today, the homestead remains in the hands of Leone’s descendants—a living connection to one of Pelham’s earliest pioneer families and to a woman whose life bridged more than a century of local history.
