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Pioneer - RANSOM, Wilson, Sr.
Biographical Sketches of
Early Settlers of Wellington County
Information from: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario.
Toronto: Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906
|
RANSOM, Wilson, Sr.
, was b. Yorkshire, Eng., 1836. He came to Canada in 1859, at the age of 23.
His brother Robert came out two years later and set. near Owen Sound, where he
now lives at Berkeley. The times were very hard, and Mr. Ransom worked the
first summer and following winter for $8 per month, paying but 50c. per month
for his washing. He then for four years took jobs of chopping and logging. He
bought his present homestead of 100 acres, which was Crown veteran's land, for
$8 per acre, and cleared every stick himself. Wolves were very numerous at that
time, and on one occasion he was chased by them to his own door. In 1882 he
added another 100 acres, of the west of his homestead, for which he paid
$4,000. In 1899 he purchased 100 acres, lot 4, con. 6, for $4,000, and shortly
after bought 100 acres, lot 2, con. 5, for $4,500, making 400 acres. All of
these farms have good residences and large bank barns. On the homestead he has
the finest stone residence in the township, containing fourteen rooms. He
raises grain and stock, feeding all of the former that he grows, and makes a
specialty of breeding registered Oxford sheep. In 1886 he was elected
Councillor and served five years. He was next elected Deputy Reeve and served
two years, and from 1893 served three years as Reeve, when he retired from
municipal life. He has ever since been on the Board of Health. For fifteen
years he has been Director of the Nichol Mutual Fire Ins. Co., and for the past
ten years Vice-President. From its first inception he has been Director of the
Centre Wellington Farmer's Institute, and its President two years, also
Director of Centre Wellington and West Garafraxa Agricultural Societies for a
number of years and President of the latter two years. In religion Mr. Ransom
is a Congregationalist, and has been a Deacon for over twenty years. He is
trustee for the church and parsonage. For the last fifteen years he has been
President of McKee's cemetery. In politics he is a Liberal. In 1863 he m. Eliza
Ett Blyth. Issue: Mrs. Jas. Caldwell, West Garafraxa; Ruth, Mrs. D. B. Scott,
West Garafraxa; Florence M., Mrs. George Cruden and Mrs. Arthur McMillan,
Guelph; Job, West Garafraxa; Rachael, at home; Mrs. Duncan, East Garafraxa;
Wilson, West Garafraxa; Charles Y., and Oliver J. at home.
From: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario. Toronto:Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906 |
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