HISTORY OF THE FAMILY OF JOHN MCDONALD PIONEER SETTLER — l82l

The McDonald family who settled on the 10th line of Ramsay Township and were amongst the first settlers of the area, emigrated from Scotland in l82l. They came from the area of Loch Buie on the Isle of Mull. John McDonald, head of this family who was thought to have been a merchant in comfortable circumstances, was led to emigrate to Canada to establish homes for his sons where the opportunity arose to obtain grants of land in Upper Canada. His wife, Ishbel MacLaine was a haughty lady who called herself Lady Loch Buie, as her father was Chief MacLaine of Castle Moy on Loch Buie. The family consisting of John, his wife Ishbel, sons Neil, Donald and Lauchlin, and daughters Sarah, Mary, Flora, Catherine and Bell, set sail from Oban in June l82l on the ship "The Duchess of Richmond" paying their own passage, and after a voyage of five weeks landed at Quebec on the 2nd of August. From Quebec they went by steamer to Montreal, thence to Lachine by stage. Taking small boats, they sailed up the Ottawa to Point Fortune, but failing to find land to suit them, returned to the St. Lawrence and took a "Durham" boat to Prescott, intending to go to "Little York", now Toronto.’ Meeting friends there, they were induced to go to Perth. They were conveyed to Perth by wagon, making that trip in three days. Applying to a Col. Matheson, the government representative, they were sent to look over lands in Lanark, Dalhousie and Sherbrooke Townships, but failing to find a suitable location, rented a farm in Drummond, twelve miles from Perth near Mississippi Lake, from Duncan McNaughton, doing statute labour and paying taxes as rent. It was now fall and after laying in a supply of provisions, they set to work to clear land. After a hard winters work, they had about twelve acres roughly cleared and set to work to plant it, using hoes. They were rewarded with a fine crop of corn, potatoes and a little wheat and oats, the latter crop being cut with sickles. This fine crop was the result of the hard work put in during the winter which enabled them to plant it at an early date.

In the summer of l822, Neil and Lauchlin his brother, came to Ramsay and took up 400 acres of land for the father and sons, being lots 22, 24 and 25 on the 10th Concession and lot 19 on the 11th Concession. See attached Extracts regarding Ramsay Township from Perth No. 66 return which shows the date of location and certifies that they had not received any assistance from the Government in money or provisions. The brothers cleared an acre of land on lot 22 and built a shanty near the 10th line. They planted potatoes but the crop was a failure and they had but a few bushels yield. The following winter, Neil and his sister Flora (afterwards Mrs. D. McNaughton, Drummond) worked on the new farm and cleared 10 acres. They carried hay on their backs a distance of two miles for their cow.

In the fall of l82l, all but the parents and Lauchlin were taken ill of fever, and Neil’s life despaired of, but all recovered except Donald who died two years later from its effects. The hard work and severe climate was fatal to Lauchlin, who died within two weeks of Donald. Their bodies were carried from the rented farm in Drummond to lot 22 on the 10th line, a distance of twenty-two miles, on the shoulders of friends and interred in the place which is now the McDonald Cemetery. The other members of the family moved down in May 1824 bringing three cows and two pigs. They then logged the remainder of the clearing, burning down many fine pine and oak trees. The following winter, Bell followed her brothers to the grave. John’s daughter Sarah (Sally) had been married to Mr. A. Cameron of Beckwith. Flora was married in the fall of l824 to Mr. D. McNaughton of Drummond, leaving Neil alone with his father and mother. In June l824, Neil and Flora carried a barrel of flour from Morphy’s Falls (Carleton Place) a distance of twelve miles, a heavy task. While fording the Mississippi River at Almonte, the barrel of flour was dropped and damaged and some flour spilt. Flora gathered up what flour that could be salvaged and carried it home in her apron. In December l825, Neil accompanied by a friend "Big Neil McKillop" set out. to purchase a yoke of oxen and some sheep and traveled as far as Cornwall, spending the nights sleeping by firesides of hospitable settlers.

In 1828 a flock of sheep was purchased, as the supply of clothing brought out from Scotland was almost worn out and the wool from the sheep was used to make cloth to replenish their clothes. Although the McDonald family had worked hard and suffered many hardships, they never suffered from want of clothing or food like many other settlers, as the father after moving to Ramsay had still over 200 pounds sterling left. Neil took over the homestead from his father and mother, who continued to live with him until they died. John died at the age of 100 years in l857. Both are buried in the clan cemetery.

Of John’s remaining daughters, Catherine married Alexander McPhail of lot 20, the 10th line of Ramsay and Mary to A. Colquhoun.

Neil worked and lived on lot 22, during his lifetime and died 29 January 1901 at the age of 100 years and 7 months. The latter years of his life being lived with Lauchlin his son, who inherited the homestead.

Three homes were built on the homestead property to meet the needs of an increasing family. The first a shanty near Concession 10 road, the second a larger log cabin near the present C.P.R. tracks and the third being the house presently occupied by the Munro family.

Records indicate that as of 1901, the other lots 24 and 25 on the 10th Concession were owned by John Arthur, Sr. and James Barker, Jr. and lot 19 on the 11th Concession was owned by Michael Ryan.

Postscript

Many descendants of John McDonald and his wife Ishbel MacLaine the first settlers, too numerous to mention, have contributed to the growth of Canada in the fields of Education, Religion, Medicine, Business and Banking, Engineering and Farming. Many have also served in the Canadian Armed Forces in the two World Wars.

This family history has been written up by H. Neil McDonald of Ottawa, from family records kept by his twin Aunts, Kitty and Jessie McDonald.

McDonald house (about 1907) Lot 22, Con 10, Ramsay Township.

Donald Campbell (age 8 years) stands in front.

Picture provided by: Jayne M. Munro - 6 April, 2001.

McDonald Farm Today

Picture supplied by Jayne Munro - 28 May, 2001.

Neil MacDonald of Mull, Scotland, 1800 - 1821. Called "Grand-Pa" by the MacDonald Family

Pioneer settler in Twp of Ramsay, Lanark Co., Ont. then Upper Canada, 1821 - 1901.

Neil McDonald Was One of Hardy Pioneers Who Settled In Ramsay

(From The Gazette, 1896)

   We have pleasure this week in giving space to the following sketch on the life of one of Lanark County's hardy pioneers, who had his share of the trials and Vicissitudes incident to life hereabout in the twenties and thirties, in the person of Mr. Neil McDonald, father of Mr. Lauchlin McDonald, 10th line of Ramsay with whom the venerable gentleman resides and grandfather of Rev. John A. McDonald of Whitney, Mr. Neil McDonald of Carleton Place high school, Mr. R. L. McDonald, principal of Almonte public school, and Mr. W. McDonald, student at Queen's.

   Remembered Waterloo

   Neil McDonald was born at Loch Buie, Isle of Mull, on the west coast of Scotland, in the year 1800. He well remembers Waterloo, where many of his clansmen fought and died. His father, John McDonald, although in comfortable circumstances, was led to emigrate to Canada to find homes for his sons. Accordingly, in June 1821, he with his family of three sons and five daughters set sail from Oban in the ship, "Duchess of Richmond" and after an uneventful crossing of five weeks landed at Quebec on the 2nd of August. From Quebec they went by steamer to Montreal, thence to Lachine by stage. Taking small boats they sailed up the Ottawa to Point Fortune, but failing to secure land to suit them, returned to the St. Lawrence and took a Durham boat to Prescott, intending to go to Little York, now Toronto. Meeting friends here, they were induced to go to Perth. They were conveyed to Perth by wagon, making that distance in three days. Perth was then a small village having three taverns, two distilleries and three stores, with blacksmith, shoemaker and tailor shops. Applying to the late Col. Matheson for land, they were sent to prospect in Lanark, Dalhousie and Sherbrooke Township, but failing to find a suitable location, rented a farm in Drummond, twelve miles from Perth, from Duncan McNaughton, doing statute labour and paying taxes as rent. It was now fall, and after laying in a supply of provisions, they set to work to clear land. After a hard winter's work they got about 12 acres roughly cleared and set to work to plant it, using hoes. They were rewarded with a fine crop of corn, potatoes, and a little wheat and oats. This was all cut with sickles.

   In the summer of 1822, Neil and Lauchlin went to Ramsay and took up 400 acres of land for father and sons, being lots 22, 24 and 25, now owned by Lauchlin McDonald, John Arthur, Sr., and James Barker Jr., on the 10th concession and lot 19 on the 11th concession now owned by Michael Ryan. The brothers cleared an acre of land on lot 22 and built a shanty near the 10th line. They planted potatoes on it, but the crop proved a failure, and they had but a few bushels. The following winter Neil, with his sister, Flora (afterwards Mrs. D. McNaughton, Drummond) worked on the new farm, and chopped for ten weeks. They carried hay on their backs a distance of two miles for their cow.

   In the fall of 1821, all but the parents and Laughlin were taken ill of fever, and Neil's life was despaired of, but all recovered except Donald, who died at two years later from its effects. The hard work and severe climate was fatal also to Lauchlin who died within a fortnight of Donald. The bodies of the two brothers were carried from Drummond, a distance of 22 miles, on the shoulders of friends and interned in the place which is now the family burial ground. The other members of the family moved down in May, bringing three cows and two pigs. The father and Neil put in about one acre of potatoes and one of wheat, and had a good yield of both. They then logged the remainder of the clearing, burning a great many fine pines and oaks. The next winter his sister Belle, followed her brothers to the grave. Her sister Sarah, had been married in the preceding April to Mr. A. Cameron of this town. Flora was married in the fall of 1824 to Mr. D. McNaughton of Drummond, leaving Neil alone with his father and mother. In June of that year they carried a barrel of flour from Morphy's Falls (now Carleton Place), a distance of twelve miles. This was one of the heaviest tasks of his life. In December 1825, in company with "Big Neil McKillop" set out to purchase a yoke of oxen and some sheep. They spent fifteen days travelling, going as far as Cornwall and spending the nights sleeping by the firesides of hospitable settlers. In the same years about four hundred Irishmen from Ballygiblin arrived and camped in the neighbourhood. Many of them took up land, but the rest remained and became the terror of the country. Finally the militia had to be called out to keep the peace, and one of the rebels was shot in an attempt to restore order. When Neil first came to Ramsay, Almonte was called Shepherd's Falls after a young Scotsman named Shepherd, who had erected the frame of a sawmill, but was at that time was in gaol for debt. This and a small shanty uninhabited, were the only buildings erected. Shepherd's property was purchased by Mr. Bayee, a Yankee from Brockville, who divided the land between his son and his son-in-law, Daniel Shipman. His son started a carding mill, and D. Shipman completed the sawmill and built a gristmill. The name of the place was then changed to Shipman's Mills, afterwards to Waterford, and then to Almonte. The Mississippi was forded right above the falls for a number of years - hence the name Waterford. In 1828, a flock of sheep was purchased, as the supply of clothing brought from Scotland was almost worn out. Although they had to work hard they had never suffered from want of food and clothing like many of the early settlers, as the father after coming to Ramsay still had over 200 $ (pounds) left. Game abounded in this district, and Neil proved to be a great hunter, many of the noble denizens of the forest falling before his unerring aim. A wooden clock was purchased from a Yankee pedlar for $25.00 and paid for in one season with deer skins sold for 50 cents each.

Received from Helen Theimer - [email protected]              Posted: 22 March, 2005