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Are you related to this family? Please contact me Elaine Routledge Taylor for more information on the family. To protect living relatives I have posted limited family data.
"He who careth not from
whence he came, careth little whither he goeth." This is a humble effort to assemble in a concise, easy-to-read form, the facts concerning the descendants of two pioneer people, (whom we shall henceforth call Grandpa and Grandma Strachan), who left Scotland in 1873 in search of a better life in a new land. There is nothing pretentious in this account; just a simple recording of "Wha’s wha and wha’s Jock’s faither", as the old Scottish saying goes. (Who is who and who is Jock's father). There are now 2OO descendants of Grandpa and Grandma Much of the earlier information might have been lost to us but for the foresight and efforts of Alfred J. Gray, who spent much time talking to Grandma Strachan in her later years, recording in writing many of her thoughts and memories. As a result he had the background material and facts assembled up to and including the first Canadian generation. When Alfred passed away in the Fall of 1967, Marie entrusted the folio to me. And so we are much indebted to Alfred for the inspiration he had and the work he did to initiate this project; and for that reason I wish to dedicate this booklet to the memory of Alfred Gray. The following short essay was included by Alfred and, because of typing similarities, etc., one must assume it was written by him. "The question might be asked - What attracted Grandfather and Grandmother to Canada in I873 when it was then a comparatively new country? We know that Grandmother and her brother James were partly lured to this land by the fact that her sister Jane (Mrs. Joseph Lorimer) preceded them by five years. James had also been in Ontario some years previously. And Grandfather handed down the clue that his decision was, at least in part, due to an advertisement from London, Ontario for farm help. However, we all know that other forces had their influence and perhaps they could be formulated into the following :- In their young lives it must be assumed that each of them had the same decision to make as each of us must make to-day - what use am I going to make of my life and where am I going to perform it? And we know that each decided from the general information that they gleamed from their individual restricted abodes, that they could go farther and fare worse than tackle Canada. There must have been reports of the opportunities that were offered young men and women; the vastness of the country; the variety of it's riches - and perhaps, if the truth were known, the great possibilities offered especially to British youth. We can imagine that the mention of Canada was an invitation-to the instinct of adventure; a vast Dominion, much of it unexplored and undeveloped, where any young person willing to pioneer, would in all probability succeed. So let us rest assured that several incidents fired them to their respective decisions and tackle Canada they did and they found it good enough for them and they learned to love it, for in this fair haven they were united and did their noble part among the pioneers. Pages could be written about the Scotia Pioneers and the joy and satisfaction they had in establishing their new community". Alfred Strachan was born in the Parish of Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire, Scotland on November 2nd, 1852. He lived on Peathill Farm in the vicinity of Rosehearty, Aberdeenshrie. He was the son of John Strachan and Mary Birnie. The family included the following brothers and sisters: Alexander Strachan William Strachan John Strachan Adam Strachan Helen Strachan Mary Strachan [Alfred Strachan] Liza Strachan Isobel Fowlie Morison was born in the Parish of Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire, Scotland on April 9th, 1855. She lived on Stonebriggs Farm in the neighborhood of Rosehearty, Aberdeenshire. She was the daughter of Thomas Morison and Jane Davidson. The family included the following brothers and sisters: George Sangster Morison Maggie Helen Morison Jane Davidson Morison James Morison Lizzie Anne Morison [Isobel Fowlie Morison] Elisei Studdart Morison Jessie Mallis Morison Louisa Morison Thomas Morison Grandma’s mother died in 1862 and Thomas Morison remarried in 1865 – to Mary White. In the second family there were: Alexander Smith Morison Edith McGowan Morison Patrick Morison Of the Morison family, all came to Canada with the exception of Elsie and Jessie. Those who eventually came to the Scotia district were Isobel (Grandma), George, James, Thomas and Patrick. James later returned, to Ontario. Mention might be made here of the importance of farm names in Scotland. Oftentimes a man was more commonly known by his farm name than by his own surname. For example, when I was a boy living in Winnipeg, we often elderly man for Sunday dinner. Mother always referred to him amongst ourselves as "auld Cushnie". Only very recently have I learned that his name was Anderson, but his farm near Rhynie, Aberdeenshire was call Cushnie Farm Alfred Strachan worked on his Father's farm before emigrating to Canada at the age of 20; he had answered a newspaper advertisement farm hand to work near London, Ontario. He sailed from Glasgow in mid-June, 1873, in company with Robbie Ross, James Park, and George Leith. Isobel Morison worked for a time as a
domestic on an estate in Aberdeenshire known to her as Brackley Castle -
also variously spell Braichlie or Braikley. There seems to be no doubt that
a castle of this name once stood on or near this site but had long since
fallen into ruin and been demolished. However, an estate house known as
Brackley House had been built nearby and at that time was likely occupied by
one Sir James Mackenzie (The first Baronet of the line). This location is
about five miles east of Balmoral Castle - the summer residence of the Royal
Family to-day. I would like to share with you some of my findings an this matter as you may find them interesting and informative From the Aberdeen City Library_- Peter Grant - Librarian:- " Brackley Castle was at one the seat of a branch of the family of Gordon. I have unfortunately been unable to find any precise date for the building, of the castle but it was certainly unoccupied by the 1870’s. By the beginning of the eighteenth century it was in ruins and by the nineteenth century had almost completely disappeared. However, Brackley House, built near the site of the old castle occupied during the period in which you are interested. From 1870 on it was owned by Sir James Mackenzie and prior to this by Col. James Ross Farquarson ". From Sir Allan Mackenzie - The fourth Baronet, who presently lives on Vancouver Island:- "It was always known as Brackley or Braichlie House during my childhood- I was always under the impression that a farmhouse had been on the original site. My great Grandfather, Sir James MacKkenzie would have been living there after the house - Braichlie - was built. It is now known as the House of Glenmuich, one mile south, southwest of Ballater on the opposite side of the River Dee which flows eastward to the City of Aberdeen and the North Sea'' The lineage up to the present has been as follows :- Great Grandfather - Sir James Mackenzie, 1818 - 1890. Grandfather - Sir Allan Mackenzie, 1850 - 1906. Father - Allan Mackenzie, 1887 - I916. Present Baronet - Sir Allan Mackenzie, Born January 4,I913. ----------------------------------------------------- Isobel Morison sailed from Glasgow on April 18, I873 in company with her brother James, who was coming to Canada for the second time. They came to Fullerton, Ontario to work on the farm of Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Lorimer. Mrs. Lorimer was Jane Morison - Isobel's sister - and had been in Canada since I868. Isobel Morison and Alfred Strachan were married at St. Marys, Ontario on April 8, 1875 and their first four children were born there ----------------------------------------------------- You may have heard or read of the infamous Black Donnelly family of Biddulph Township, near London, Ontario. In the early days they were one faction of a bloody feud which terrorized the area for many years. Actually it began in Ireland in the I760's and came to Canada in the hearts of men during the great Irish migrations of 1830 - I850. We axe indebted to Alfred Strachan of Carman, Man., for the story of how the lives of Grandpa and Grandma Strachan were, at one time, touched by this fearful feud which featured barn burnings, stock killing and crippling, beatings and murder. The senior Donnellys - Mr. & Mrs. James Donnelly - had, been charged with a barn burning in January, 1880. The first day of their preliminary trial was heard at Lucan, Ontaxio; the second session was moved to Granton, Ontario and set for February 4, 1880. It appears that Grandpa Strachan was to be involved at this trial in some manner. Grandma was extremely upset and in tears over this prospect; for the history of the feud and the resulting trials was marked by vicious retaliation against witnesses and jurors who were honest, and very poor memories on the part of others. However, on the morning of February 4, 1880 a horseman rode into the farmyard and informed Grandpa Strachan that he give the trial no further thought - the senior Donnellys and three other members of their family had been brutally murdered shortly after midnight. ----------------------------------------------------- It was through contact with one Philip Kerr - who came to the Hamiota district in 1880 - that Grandpa and Grandma Strachan joined a group which left St. Marys and came to Manitoba in 1882. The men left from St. Marys by freight train on March 16, 1882 with the freight cars loaded to capacity with livestock, implements, furniture and all the necessary provisions for settling a virgin land. The wives, children and young adults :followed on the next passenger train by way of Toronto. At this juncture we have an interesting sidelight related by Alfred Strachan of Carman, and involving Timothy Eaton :- Timothy arrived in Ontario in 1854 and finally, in 1860, joined two brothers- Robert and James - who operated a grocery and dry goods business in St. Marys. They split the business - Robert retaining the groceries while James and Timothy handled the dry goods. Timothy remained there for eight years (1860 - 1868). Trade between storekeepers and farmers at this time was largely by barter - produce for goods - with no such thing as a fixed price. There was a futility in this practice which clashed with Timothy's business sense. He had a dream of setting up shop in a large community where the bulk of the people would be workers who received wages in cash. He would chars one fixed price and accept cash only. He dissolved the partnership and went to Toronto. In 1869 he bought a small retail dry goods business (Jennings and Brand) at the corner of Queen and Yonge. Thus was born the famous T. Eaton Company. By I880 it had grown into a small department store with 48 employees. Naturally, the people of St. Marys knew the Eaton family well and, on the way west, some of them undoubtedly patronized Timothy's store for their needs in clothing, etc. Now the story goes that Grandma Strachan purchased a new winter coat for Isabella (later Mrs. James Anderson) and, since the end of the winter was near, made sure that it would serve the following winter. The result was the little girl was unable to walk in it and Timothy Eaton carried her to the railroad station himself. ----------------------------------------------------- The families arrived in Winnipeg first because the freight train had been sidetracked by a storm. As the result of severe blizzard conditions between Winnipeg and Brandon, they all had to remain in Winnipeg for about ten days. They were the first party of settlers to occupy the new Immigration Hall near the C.P.R. Depot. (Recently demolished - 1975). During the interval, besides caring for their stock, the men went shovelling snow for the railroad and earned $1.00 per day each! Finally, the entire party was able to proceed to Brandon where the women and children were met by Philip Kerr and transported in covered sleighs to his home - three miles south of present Hamiota. Some sheltered with him while others were taken care of by Mr. James Park and Mr. William Anderson. They arrived on April 1st. and there was three feet of snow on the level. Many years later, Grandma, in conversation with Alfred Gray, said '-'The seasons have fairly changed - they are nae mair alike than black's like fite". (Not a typing error!) Meantime the men began unloading the railroad cars and began the arduous task of transporting their belongings to the Kerr site. The roads were in very poor condition and more than one had to leave half a load by the side of the road and return for it. In April, 1882 there came west:
In May, 1882 there came west :-
In 1883, there came West :-
The men in this group took up land in the 13th township in the 24th range west of the principal meridian of Manitoba. They had to walk to Birtle to register their holdings with the Dominion Government authorities; land titles did not become a Provincial Government responsibility until 1889. According to the present records of the Manitoba Government office dealing with Crown lands and surveys, registration of land in that township by the members of this party was as follows: April 29, 1882 May 30. 1882 The Strachan family arrived at their first home - a log and sod house on June 1st, 1882. They lived there for the remainder of I882 and the winter and spring of I863. In the summer of 1883 a more substantial home was built. In later years, as Grandma reminisced about the sod house, she said - " It rained ane (one) day ootside and twa (two) days inside ". (dripping). The district of Scotia was named after these families had taken up land. The C.P.R. was opening up new country - the nearest towns served by rail were now Virden and Shoal Lake, each about 30 miles away. All grains were hauled there until 1889, when a branch line came through from Brandon to Hamiota. Scotia Cemetery was established in 1885. Alfred Strachan, James Lorimer and William Angus were nominated to acquire a site but had difficulty because everyone seemed reluctant to have it on their land. Finally, with the death of Mrs. James McMillan on November 21, 1885, the Committee had to get action - James Smith donated the present property at that time. The first school was built in 1884 on Grandpa Strachan's farm about 600 feet east of the site of Scotia Church. By 1895 the accommodation was outgrown and two new schools were built - Maple Shade School on the Louis Strachan farm and Scotia School south of the Church on the road to Scotia Cemetery. One facet of character which applied to all these people and which enabled them to accept the tremendous challenges of pioneer life was their deep and abiding faith in God and the teachings of Jesus Christ. Their earliest Church services were held in the Kerr home and later in the school. Scotia Church was opened for worship on Sunday, November 24, 1895. In closing this section, may I express my gratitude to all who have been so patient in answering my seemingly endless letters of query and for overlooking my shortcomings - particularly asking the same questions over again! Mrs, Ethel Strachan contributed a copy of the booklet "The History of Scotia" which was very helpful and Mrs. Mae Roberts of Hamiota was kind enough to show me the format of a very extensive "family tree" which included her Mother's family - the Bray family. Without all this valued cooperation, this task could never have been accomplished. Looking back over the history of the Scotia district, we realize more fully the truth of the words engraved on the tablet of the Scotia Memorial Cairn near the site of Scotia Church "THEY BUILDED BETTER THAN THEY KNEW’ To the descendants of the Strachans of Scotia - may you continue to fulfil the dreams of your forefathers and may happiness and prosperity be yours. Bert Webster |
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