Wellington County, Ontario GenWeb - Pioneer - OLIVER, John

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Pioneer - OLIVER, John

Biographical Sketches of
Early Settlers of Wellington County



Information from: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario.
Toronto: Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906

OLIVER, John , Postmaster, Palmerston, Ont., was b. Nov. 1, 1844, at Avonbank, Co. Perth, Ont. He is a son of Adam and Marion (Elliot) Oliver, two of the pioneer settlers of the township of Downie.

Adam Oliver, b. parish of Liddisdale, Roxburghshire, Scot., in 1817. He was a shepherd up to 1842, in which year he married and with his bride took passage on a sailing vessel from Liverpool to New York, from there to Albany by boat, and to Rochester by the Erie Canal, and from there to Galt, Ont. They spent the summer if 1842 at Galt, coming in the fall to the township of Downie, where they set. on lot 20, con 13, where he purchased 100 acres. He continued on this farm until his death in 1882, and paid particular attention to the breeding of fine sheep, for which he took many prizes at the different local fairs, and also at Detroit, Mich., and St. Louis, Mo. He was first cousin of the celebrated manufacturer of the Oliver chilled plough, South Bend, Ind.

Adam Oliver was a Liberal in politics, and in religion was a Presbyterian of the old Covenantor church. He was a very successful man, and while he accumulated a valuable property, he was just in all his dealings, and a man of the strictest integrity. He has the confidence and respect of all who knew him.

John Oliver, our subject, was b. on the Downie farm and educated at the local school, He followed farming successfully in Downie Tp. until 1880, when he removed to Palmerston. The following resolution passed by the Downie Reform Association speaks for itself, and will give an idea of the high esteem in which Mr. Oliver was held in his native township:

"At a regular meeting of the Reform Association of the township of Downie, held at Avonton, on the 22nd day of September, A.D. 1879, the following resolution was passed unanimously:

"Resolved, that the members of this Association learn with regret that Mr. John Oliver is about to leave this township: which will sever his connection with our Association. We hereby tender him our thanks for his untiring efforts for the good of the Association and the Reform cause generally. Since our organization, four years ago, till the present time, he has faithfully performed the duty of Secretary, and has spared neither time nor trouble in fulfilling the duties of that office.

"In parting with him we feel that we are sustaining a great loss, but we are satisfied that our loss will be a gain to the Reform cause where his lot may be cast.

"We wish him success in his new departure in business, and that he may be long spared to advocate good Government, and that his faithfulness may be suitably rewarded by the 'Liberal Party.'

"PETER MUIR, Secretary,

"Downie Reform Association.

"Downie, January 14, 1880."

In Dec 1871, he m. Agnes, dau, of Hugh and Isabella (Cowan) Davidson, of Oxford County. Issue: James A. (d.), Adam C (d.), Isabella C. (d. infancy), Isabella G. (d.), and Marion Elliot, a school teacher at Burk's Falls, Ont. She also taught three and a half yeas in the vicinity of Lacombe Alberta.

Mr. Oliver engaged in the sale of agricultural implements for ten years after coming to Palmerston, after which he entered into a real estate and fire insurance business, which he has continued ever since. He has always lent his assistance and material to aid in everything for the benefit of Palmerston, and was one of the founders of the Palmerston Carriage Co., as well as the Palmerston Pork Packing Co. In March, 1906, he was appointed Postmaster of Palmerston. He is a member of the Presbyterian church. As shown by his portrait (which appears on another page of this work), Mr. Oliver is a man of strongly marked individuality of character, a true and typical Canadian representative of the Scottish border chieftain and Convenantor families, through which he can trace his lineage back to the time of William the Conqueror, when their Norman ancestor settled in the South of Scotland.

From: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario. Toronto:Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906





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