Independent Settler

William Blair - 1779/1858

William Blair (1779-1858) arrived in Canada from Glasgow, Scotland. According to a Blair family tree prepared by Wendy Warwick-Burke;

William Blair (1779-1858) and Catherine Sym (1789-c1861/71) were married in the parish of Gorbals, Glasgow, Scotland in January 1815, on 18 Feb 1815 (or 02 March 1815). They traveled (to Canada) from Glasgow Scotland aboard the ship “The Alfred” and arrived at Quebec in September 1820 (arriving in Upper Canada in 1821).

William and Catherine Sym-Blair settled on Concession-6, Lot 21SW, of South Sherbrooke Township in the spring of 1821. They moved to Concession-4, Lot 13NE, sometime between 1825 and 1828.

William and Catherine also apparently traveled with some relatives; James (most likely William’s brother); James’ wife and one child; another James, who was single; Henry Blair, his wife and their two daughters and one son; and another William, who was single.

All of these men settled in Lanark County. Henry Blair settled in Bathurst Township on Concession-6, Lot-1(?), James settled in Bathurst Township on Concession-8, Lot-2(?), the single James married Elizabeth Andrews in the Presbyterian Church at Perth and had at least two sons (Robert b.1827) and James (b.1830), the single William married a woman named Sarah and had a son named William (b.1830). James and William Blair settled on Concession-4, Lot-4 of Bathurst Township while they were still bachelors.

William and Catherine Sym-Blair had seven children:

John (b.1815) born in Scotland died as an infant

Hugh (1817-1910/11) born in Scotland married Isabella Christie

John (1820-1909) born in Scotland married Margaret Truelove (see below)

Jean/Jane (1822-1914) born in Canada married John Truelove

Jannet (1825-1890) born in Canada married (1866) Roderick Munro

Henry (1828-1903) born in Canada was unmarried

James William (1834/35-1914) born in Canada married (1858) Rebecca Gamble   

William and Catherine may be buried in the Old St. Stephen’s Cemetery, (Brooke), Bathurst Township, Lanark Country, Ontario.

John Blair (1820-1909) & Margaret Truelove (1825-1907)

John Blair, second son of William Blair, was born 12 March 1820 at Gorbals Parish, Glasgow, Scotland and traveled to Canada as an infant, arriving at Quebec with his parents on the Ship “Alfred” in Sept1820.

He married Margaret Truelove, who had been born in Canada in 1825, and they lived on Concession-5 Lot-6 of Bathurst Township.

John and Margaret Blair had eight children;

William Henry (1844-1917) married (1872) Margaret Miller

Mary Ann (1846-1929) married (1867) Andrew R. Gamble

John H. (1848-1930) married (1876) Mary J. Munro

James Sym (1854-1919) married (1874) Elizabeth Ann Cameron

Robert L. (1857-1929) married (1881) Esther M. Rogers

Catherine (1859-1947) married William Gamble

Cecil Neil (1862-1923) married Annie J. Ballantyne

Richard Hugh (1865-1927) married (1894) Rebecca E. Perkins

John died at Brooke on 04 February 1909 at age 89 and was buried at White’s cemetery, Brooke. According to his obituary he was a Presbyterian and a Conservative in politics. Margaret died on 11 April 1907 aged 82 years.

Ron W. Shaw (2005) - [email protected]

Posted: 14 July, 2005