Independent
Settler
William
Alexander Shaw
1798-1866
William
Alexander was born at Doune, Kilmadock, Perthshire on 22 October 1798, the son
of Alexander Shaw (b.c1740/65) and Margaret McKillop.
The
1882 Gazetteer of Scotland described Kilmadock as;
…
a parish containing Doune town, and Deanston, Buchany, Drumvaich, and Delvorich
villages on the southern border of Perthshire. Its length is 10 miles, its
breadth from two to eight miles, its area 24,521 acres. Population in 1880-81
was 3,012. The Forth runs in serpentine folds along its southern boundary, and
the Teith runs east-south-eastward through the center. A flat tract of
considerable breadth lies along the Forth; a valley flanked on each side by a
hill-ridge, is traversed by the Teith; and an upland tract, part of the Braes of
Doune, ascends to the lofty summit of Uaighmore on the northern boundary.
William
is said to have been fair-haired and blind in one eye as the result of smallpox
suffered when he was a child.
By
1819, when William was aged 21, he may have been living in Deanston, a village
close by Doune. Among the few personal items belonging to William (which have
come down through the family) is a book by Rev. James Hervey entitled “A
Selection of Valuable Religious Letters”. On one side of the flyleaf William
has written his name and “Deanston, 1819” and on the other side, his
name and “Deanston 16th Nov 1820”.
There
appears to have been a Church of Scotland Church or Chapel Of Ease at Kilmadock
(in addition to the Burgher Church and Auld Lichts Church at Doune and the
Church of Scotland Church at Doune). Among surviving Chapel papers are records
of “Young Communicants” and these include;
1814
– John Shaw, Gardener at Lanrick,
1815
– Margaret Shaw, daughter of Alexander Shaw at Deanston,
1818
– (29 June 1817), William Shaw, son to Alexander Shaw at Deanston.
There
is every possibility that these records are those of William, age 20, his
brother John, age 19, and sister Margaret, age 22. If so this would tend to
confirm Alexander Shaw and his family (including William) were either resident
in Deanston in the second decade of the 19th century or, at least,
adherents of the Church of Scotland Chapel in that village. (A James Shaw was
elected “Ruling Kirk Elder” of the same church for the 1801-02 and 1804-06
terms).
Deanston
was also the location of one of the first cotton spinning mills in Scotland and,
as we know William’s trade was that of cotton spinner, he may have been
employed in the Deanston mill.
When
William married Agnes Dunn (1805-1890), he working as a cotton spinner and
residing at Duntocher, Dunbartonshire. Duntocher village is now essentially a
part of greater Glasgow (the Clydeside industrial area), but in Alexander’s
time was described as lying nine miles northwest of Glasgow. In 1854 a Glasgow
newspaper editor, describing Duntocher, wrote;
The
population are, in general, either directly or indirectly connected with the
extensive factories of Messrs. Dunn & Co. In 1808, when the works at
Duntocher first came into the hands of the late William Dun, Esq., the village
was almost deserted. The former proprietors had lost heart, and everything was
in a languishing condition. Mr. Dunn, a man of indomitable energy and
perseverance, who had raised himself from a humble rank in society by his
industry and shrewdness, speedily infused new life into the concern. The works
were gradually extended and improved under his vigilant and enlightened
superintendence, until at length they attained a high state of efficiency; and
the working population increased from 150 to
upwards of 1,500. By the almost unprecedented success of his manufacturing
operations, Mr. Dunn at length achieved a splendid fortune, and died in the
possession of one of the finest estates in the west of Scotland. At his decease,
a few years ago, the bulk of the property thus accumulated passed into the hands
of his surviving brother, Alexander Dunn, Esq., the present proprietor.
It
may be safely assumed that William Shaw practiced his trade of cotton spinner in
the mills of William Dunn.
William
was married to Agnes Dunn by Christopher Greig on 19 June 1832 at St. Ninians,
Old Kilpatrick Parish, which included the Duntocher area of Dunbartonshire. An
extract of their marriage certificate reads;
William
Shaw & Agnes Dunn residing at Duntocher Parish of Old Kilpatrick, having
produced certificate of proclamation of banns – were married at St. Ninian’s
this 19th day of June 1832, by me
Christopher Greig
Min. of St. Ninians
Agnes
Dunn was one of eight children born to James Dunn (b.1770) and Margaret Gow at
Dunblane, Dunkeld, Perthshire, Scotland. From the marriage certificate it seems
that, at the time of her marriage to William Alexander, she was also a resident
of Duntocher.
Within
a short time after their wedding, no more than a few weeks and probably a few
days, William, Agnes, and William’s (unmarried) sister Margaret, set sail for
Canada. They sailed from Greenock, at the mouth of the Clyde, aboard the vessel
“Crown”, the last emigrant ship of the 1832 season.
Although it is difficult to identify
the “Crown” with complete certainty it appears she was a 339 ton Brig
(square rigged on two masts) built in 1824 by Coburn Cummings at Deer Island,
New Brunswick, Canada and originally owned by Charles Hathaway of Charlotte
County, New Brunswick. In 1825 she was sold to an unknown buyer at Greenock,
Scotland.
Considering
her origin it is most likely she was built for the timber trade carrying balks
of timber from Canada to the UK and returning with immigrants. Most immigrant
ships of the era were primarily engaged in the Canadian timber trade and
immigrants were carried on the outbound voyage only because living ballast was
more profitable than brick.
The
Shaw party would have most planned on a landing at Quebec City or Montreal (on
her 1832 voyage the “Crown” sailed to both ports) but almost certainly found
their ship putting in to the hastily established quarantine station at Gross
Isle, located thirty miles down the St. Lawrence from Quebec City and just off
the south-shore village of Montmagny. Although no record has been found of the
“Crown” being quarantined at Gross Isle, arriving in July or August of 1832
the Shaws would have found themselves at the epicenter of the worst Cholera
epidemic ever to strike Canada.
An
estimated 10,000 people had caught the disease, on ship or ashore, and the death
toll figures varied wildly depending on the source. (Grosse Isle officials)
estimated 2,350 had died on the ships or in quarantine. The available figures
from health boards, burial records and the like suggest a total of upwards of
6,000 deaths, or half the people estimated to have contracted the disease. In
Montreal close to 2,000 died, followed by Quebec City with 1,500 deaths. In York
the Board of Health put the death toll at 273, and that for all of Upper Canada
at 500.
As
far as we know William, Agnes and Margaret escaped the scourge of Cholera and
made their way, from Quebec, probably by steamboat up the St. Lawrence, to land
near Brockville some time late in that dangerous summer. They then made their
way “over rough trails” to Perth.
William
purchased 100 acres of land, being Lot 14 (NE) Concession 7 of Drummond Township
(now at Drummond Center), for the sum of 100 pounds. This land had been
originally patented on 02 October 1821 in the name of Mathew Cullen. It was sold
by John Cullen, by instrument number D-23, a QuitClaim Deed, dated 24 Aug 1833
(and registered 01 Nov 1866) to William Alexander Shaw. That land is still in
the Shaw family (2005).
There
is an interesting possibility that William Shaw may have chosen the Drummond
Center farm as his Canadian destination before he ever left Scotland. There is a
family connection between the Perthshire families of Shaw and Cullen. In 1801
William’s aunt, his father’s sister Elizabeth (1780-1805), married a John
Cullen (b.1776) and they produced three sons; John (b.1802), George (b.1803) and
James (b.1805). Elizabeth died at about the time of the birth of her son James
in 1805 and John Cullen Sr. is thought to have married Jean MacNee in 1808 (any
children born to Jean MacNee Cullen are unknown). Could the Mathew Cullen who
received the first patent on what would be the Shaw homestead, and the John
Cullen who sold it to William Alexander Shaw, be connected to this family?
In
1839 William purchased adjoining Lot 15(SW) from Edward Crookshanks Malloch
(originally patented to Edward C. Mallock in 1824) for the sum of 80 pounds with
E.C. Malloch holding a 60 pound mortgage. This land is also still in the Shaw
family (2005).
As
noted above William Alexander Shaw purchased the first 100 acres of the Shaw
Farm at Drummond Center on 24 August 1833. He, wife Agnes and sister Margaret
would have arrived in Canada in the late summer or early autumn of 1832, and it
is unknown where they spent their first winter (1832/33) … possibly at Quebec,
Montreal, Brockville, or Perth, or even at Drummond Center (the actual purchase
date does not necessarily prove they only arrived there the following summer).
In any case, they were installing themselves on their land no later than the
summer of 1833.
According
to notes made by Hazel Haig-Shaw;
“
On a knoll (Agnes called it a Brae) a small log house was constructed with
sleeping quarters on the second floor.”
This
log house still stands (2005) now in service as a machine shed.
These
circumstances imply that William and Agnes arrived in Canada with some (cash and
other) resources. A payment on the Drummond Center farm seems to have been made
immediately (although there may have been a mortgage, as the deed was not
finally registered until 1866). They must also have had funds to purchase some
of their food and other supplies for at least that first year as they would not
have qualified for government aid as did some earlier settlers.
In
1858, William was appointed by Drummond Township Council as "librarian
and caretaker” at the Township Hall at an annual salary of five pounds …
slightly more than the annual salary of 4 pounds, 2 shilling, 6 pence paid to
Township Councilors.
William
was an Elder in the Free (later Knox) Presbyterian Church at Perth, Ontario
which was formed after the disruption in Scotland (1843). Agnes
Robertson-Smith’s genealogy notes record;
“Before
a horse and buggy was owned he and members of the family who were old enough
walked the seven miles to church service (in Perth) on Sunday mornings when
weather permitted. William’s hospitable home was always open to the itinerant
preachers of the early days and the visiting ministers of later times. Daily
family worship was conducted regularly in his home during his lifetime.”
According
to genealogical notes by Hazel Audrey Haig-Shaw,
“Later
they bought a French pony and a democrat (four seated buggy). McCumiskys (neighbor)
had one horse, so they went to church together, early enough for McCumiskys to
attend Mass and they then waited for the Shaw’s to attend service”.
The
Free/Knox Presbyterian Church later became St. Paul’s United Church.
According
to Hazel Audrey Haig-Shaw’s notes William died of “inflammation of the
bowels”. Ethel Elizabeth Shaw-MacRae recounted that her grandmother (Agnes
Dunn) told her that William;
“…
was stooking in the wheat field (Aug,
1866), drank too much cold water, and took inflammation and died very
soon.”
After William’s death his Drummond
Center property was divided with Lot-14(E) going to son John and Lot-15(W) going
to son James.
William
and Agnes Shaw had seven children;
Alexander/Sandy
(1834-186?) married (1863) Jessie “Jean” Gunn (1840-1914), the daughter of
John Gunn and Jesse McPherson.
Margaret
(1835/36-1882) married
(1865) John William Burnett (1841-1912), the son of John Burnett and Jane
McFarlane.
Jane
(1837/38-1924) married (1864) William B. Gray (b.1836) of Carleton Place,
Ontario.
James
(1839-1922) married (1870) Elizabeth McGregor and later married (1878) Charlotte
Moulton, the daughter of Robert Moulton and Agnes “Nancy” Horricks. (See
below).
Janet
(1840-1919) married (1862) Donald Robertson a carpenter and millwright from
Perth.
John
(1842-1926) married (1883) Lavina Moulton, daughter of Robert Moulton and Anges
(Nancy) Horricks.
Sarah
(1843-1929), married (1869) William Paul (1841-1930), the son of Andrew
Paul and Euphemia Yuill.
James
Shaw (1839-1922)
James
Shaw, second son of William Alexander Shaw, was born on the Shaw homestead at
Drummond Center and farmed that property all his life. He was very active in
community affairs and local politics.
James
was Deputy Reeve of Drummond Township for the years 1878-1880 and perhaps for a
number of years thereafter. He was also a Township Councilor for at least three
years before 1878 as the Historical Atlas of Lanark & Renfrew Counties
(1880-81) notes that
“for
the past seven or eight years he has taken an active part in municipal affairs
and has been in the Township Council for the past six years …”
It
would also seem James continued to play an active part in municipal affairs
after leaving Township Council. “A History of Drummond Township”, by John C.
Ebbs, mentions that;
“James
Shaw and William McLaren appeared before council on 30 Oct 1908 and presented a
petition signed by 200 qualified electors of the Township praying the council to
submit a by-law prohibiting the sale of spirituous liquors within the limits of
the Township”.
This
attempt at local prohibition failed. When council put forward the requested
by-law, Drummond voters defeated it in both 1908 and 1912. At some point after
that date it appears James received satisfaction and “spirituous liquors”
were banned from Drummond because it took another vote of the electors in 1973
to reinstate the sale of alcoholic beverages.
James’s
crusade against the demon rum was very much in character for a deeply religious
man who read aloud from the bible every morning and then led his family in
prayer as they knelt beside the breakfast table. He was instrumental in founding
the Drummond Center Presbyterian Church and one of three deed signatories for
the land upon which it was constructed at Lot-17 Concession-8. James was an
elder and Sunday School superintendent of his church for over forty years.
According
to the Historical Atlas of Lanark & Renfrew Counties James Shaw was;
“one
of the leading farmers of the Township of Drummond and noted in his locality as
a raiser of high class stock.”
It further records that “He also owns and operates a large cheese
factory, with capacity for manufacturing the milk of five hundred cows.”
While
family tradition agrees with the Historical Atlas that James owned the cheese
factory at Drummond Center during at least its first few years of operation,
this outright ownership is called into question by John C. Ebb’s “History of
Drummond Township” which suggests it may have been a partnership;
“The
first cheese factory was built on Jim Shaw’s farm, Lot-14 Concession-7, in
1874, and owned by Henry Carrs and William Empey of Brockville. Carrs owned the
machinery and Empey owned the building and served as cheesemaker. Jim Shaw
donated the land and guaranteed enough water to run the factory, for which he
would get the building after 20 years.”
In
1900 the patrons of the Drummond Center cheese factory built a new (cooperative)
factory across Concession-7 from the original and the directors’ committee in
charge of building and operating the new factory also included James Shaw.
In
1905 or 1906 the first telephone line in Drummond Township was constructed
connecting the James Shaw farm with that of Pat Walsh (Lot-13, Concession-5) and
Dan Malloch (Lot-18, Concession-8). An extension in 1907 added the farm of Peter
Campbell (Lot-4, Concession-6). On this foundation the Drummond Center Telephone
Company was formed in 1909 … doubling in size with the connection four
additional subscribers. Organization and operation of the Telephone Company was
rather informal in its early years and there is no record of officers (which
probably included James Shaw) until 1913 when it was incorporated as a capital
stock corporation. For a brief time in 1914 the company switchboard was located
in James Shaw’s home.
James
Shaw was a charter (founding) member of the Board of Directors of the Lanark
Mutual Fire Insurance Company and, at the time of his death, the last such
charter member surviving.
In
1871 James married Elizabeth McGregor and the couple had two children before
Elizabeth McGregor-Shaw died in 1874. On 18 December 1878 James was
remarried to Charlotte Moulton (1858-1940) the daughter of Robert Moulton
(1822-1883) and Agnes Nancy Horricks (1827-1914). James and Charlotte
Moulton-Shaw had nine children.
Charlotte
Moulton-Shaw, was a founding member/director of the Drummond Center branch of
the Women’s Institute (W.I.) established on 05 June 1913. The new W.I. branch
undertook to pay for magazine subscriptions for three school sections,
maintained the local cemetery, held showers for local brides-to-be, served meals
at schools fairs, and paid a one cent bounty for groundhog tails (in the late
1920-30’s).
James
Shaw fathered eleven children;
Ethel
Elizabeth (1872-1969)
married (1897) Dan McRae.
Agnes
Marthina (1874-1968)
married (1905) Charles Brewer.
William
James (1879-1974)
married (1910) Laura Dunlop.
Robert
John (1881-1963) married
(1907) Martha E. Smith.
Alexander
(Allie) (1883-1974)
married (1907) Katherine Quinn.
Mary
Olive (1886-1985)
married (1914) Dr. Willard S. Perrigo.
Norman
Archibald McGregor (1888-1971)
married (1917) Hazel Pearl McDonald.
Blake
Franklin (1890-1983)
married (1921) Pearl Blood.
Joseph
Homer (1894-1978)
married (1924) Hazel Audrey Haig.
Charlotte
Marion (1897-1994)
married (1922) Allen Moore Ewart.
Esther
Forsythe (1902- )
married (1926) Joseph Hoard and later (1969) Richard Francis.
James
Shaw died 05 December 1922 at the age of 83. According to his obituary he died
of “an attack of Bright’s
disease” (kidney failure). Charlotte
Moulton-Shaw died 03 December 1940. They are buried in the Drummond Center
Community Cemetery (Concession-8, Drummond Township) as is James’ first wife
Elizabeth McGregor.
Ron W. Shaw (2005) - mailto:[email protected]
Posted: 14 July