t
ffrom
'
ttre oUituary of
nme
--> Gordon, William.
Wiml gentlanan of pronounced aians
religion. He adhered stronsly to the
"Deceased was a
in politics and
Conseraatiae side and was a well informed man on all
matters pertaining
to his party. He was also a staunch
Prabytrian, inheiting the strong tendencia of his forebears
in tlut rapect.. No one met Mr Dobbie utithout feeling tlnt
he was a delightful old gentlernan, with a sunny side to his
ruture tlat brought him frds who respected and ateemeil
him. His departure fum this life mark the passing of a band
of mut who kneu well the dawn of ciuitization in this yyt of
C-^atuda. Their rank are fast diminishing and so'on wiVbe no
more."
A William Dobbie,778U1851 is buried beside |ames
and Rose Ann, and is probably a brother of |ames Sr.
Another Glaswegian, Alexander Dobbie, came to
lanark at the age of 15. He learned the mouldi.g trade
and ran a .foundry at Lanark for 25 years. He became
Reeve of Lanark TownshiP While we have not found
there to be a relationship, it is possible that this man,
born in 1840, could have been a nephew of |ames
Dobbie Sl for this surname is very uncolrunon in lanark
County and it is unlikely that a boy of sixteen would
have come to the area alone at that date.
_ Researchers may also like to know that a Thomas
Kelso family moved to Lanark Township a little later.
They had a daughter Rose Ann Kelso, and this
uncommon combination of names suggests a possible
relationship with Mrs ]ames Dobbie Sr.
Ship: Commerce, 1820
location: East lot 3, con 4, Lanark Twp.
William Gordon was accompanied to Canada by his
wife and three children. One child was born during the
voyage.
A possibility for one daughter is Agnes Gordon,
1818-1885 who married Thonurs Wilson.
The Gordons were on their land at the time of the
1834 inspection report, when it was noted that one son
was a teacher. This teacher was William Gordon Ir, who
had a most unhappy experience while participating in a
building bee in the district in the early 1830s. Having
taken too much to drink at the party which followed the
work day, he fell into the fire and was severely burned,
and his arrn had to be amputated as a result.
George Easton, a neighbour noted for his strong
views on religion and morals, noted in his diary that this
was "An awful lesson to us all to beware of indulgence
in rioting and drunkenness."
It is believed that William Gordon went to
Drummond Township, Lanark County. There was a
nran of that name in Drummond in the census of 1842,
but not in 1851.
The only trace of a Gordon family in the 1851 census
for Lanark is shoemaker lohn Gordon, 24, who may
have been the Iotur Gordon shown in church records a
being born in 1828 to a William Gordon and his wife,
Ann Finlay. (We do not know if this is the same William
Gordon family listed above.)
McDonald, james
Ship: Commerce 1820
Location: East lot \2, con 1, Dalhousie Twp
Accompanied by a wife and four children.
The family was still there at the time of the 1834 report,
on "a sandy, rocky lot."
:
Alsander
Dobbie,
Reeue
of
Note that there were a number of McDonald
families who settled in Dalhousie in 1820 and 1'821'.
Three of them were named |ohn. This family is not the
one for whom Watson's Corners was named although
we must not rule out some connection.
Many Dalhousie McDonalds feature in church
registers and cemetery records. In the absence of any
concrete identification, no attempt has been made to
offer theories as to possible children of this family.
Lanark.
-35-