^^

F Catherine McNaughton

Heiraten und Kinder

Notizen

Hinweis zur Person

Seven other children.

Commemorative Biographical Record of Kent County, Ontario, J. H. Beers & Co., Toronto, 1904, pg. 869-870:
John J. McCoig, a retired farmer of Concession 11, Harwich township, County of Kent, was born Feb. 14, 1830, in Argyllshire, Scotland, a son of John and Catherine (McNaughton) McCoig, who were born and reared and married in that country.
     John McCoig was born in 1787, a son of Neil and Catherine McCoig, who died in Scotland. In 1842 he came to Canada on a sailing vessel, spending seven weeks on the water. From Quebec he came to the present home in Harwich township, although at that time all the land was covered with a dense growth of timber, and he bought this wild land for $2 per acre. He built a log cabin in which he lived for some years, later replacing it with a comfortable frame house. He died in 1863, and his wife died in 1878, aged eighty-four years. In religious belief and practice they were Presbyterians, and he was one of the founders of the church here, and one of the first elders of McCall's Church at Chatham. Politically, he was a Reformer, although in early life he supported the Conservative party. These children were born to John McCoig and his wife: Neil died in Canada, at the age of eighteen years; John J. is mentioned below; Duncan, born in 1832, married Sarah Taylor, and they reside in Harwich, 11th Concession; Barbara, born in 1838, married Kenneth Urquhart, a Scotchman, now a wealthy retired businessman of Chatham; Margaret is the widow of Donald McCoig, of Concession 10; Mary (deceased) married John Hamil, who resides in Harwich (their only daughter is a Mrs. Johnston, of Harwich); Archie, born in Scotland, married Bella McTavish, of Dover, was a carpenter by trade and died in 1868, leaving two children - Bella, deceased, and Archie, of Chicago; Daniel, born in 1840, in Scotland, married Christie Martin (first), who died leaving four children, Christina, John, Archie and Ella, all of Chatham, and his second marriagee was to Mary Black, who had one son, Harry (Daniel lived and died in Chatham); Margery, born in Scotland, married Benjamin Fields, of Santa Cruz, California, and they have one son, Martin; Neil, born in 1843, in Canada, married a Miss Wilkinson, of Wheatley, Ont., where he died in 1880, leaving one son, Harry.
     John J. McCoig was the fourth member of the above family. He gained his early education in the schools of Scotland, and was thirteen years old when he came to Canada. His youthful life was similar to that of the majority of the farmers' sons of the locality - school in winter and farm work in summer, and he remained under the parental roof until grown to maturity and ready for his marriage. This took place in 1861, to Miss Jane McKerrell, of Chatham township, and he subsequently took the management of the present farm. Here Mrs. McCoig died in 1868, leaving a son, Dougal, who resides near his father on the Hawley farm; he married Christian Taylor, daughter of William Taylor, and they have one daughter, Margaretta. In 1872 Mr. McCoig was married (second) to Miss Amelia Hamil, who was born in 1848, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Kenny) Hamil, and grew up in Harwich. Mr. and Mrs. McCoig then settled on the old homestead, where he erected his present fine brick house in 1890, and he has also put up all the substantial buildings which contribute so much to the air of comfort and prosperity which surrounds this pleasant home.
     In 1869 Mr. McCoig was elected market clerk for the city of Chatham and County of Kent, and filled the office for seven years in all, during which time he resided at Chatham, renting the farm. There he was a large grain and pork buyer for James Lamont, and for three years was engaged in a grocery business there. Since returning to the farm he has continued agricultural life. The children of his second marriage are as follows: John, born in Chatham, died in childhood; Lizzie, born in Chatham, was educated for teaching in Ridgetown Collegiate Institute, and for five years has followed that profession in the county; Lena, born in Harwich, was also educated in the Collegiate Institute and the London Norman school, and for three years has been a successful teacher; Laura, born at the present home, first attended the local school, then graduated from the Ridgetown Collegiate Institute, taught for three years in County Kent, and subsequently took a course in the London Norman School from which she graduated in 1903; Marguerite is in the advanced class in the home school; John and Alice are still students in the local schools. Mr. McCoig's family is unusually intellectual and the young ladies are types of culture and refinement. He was one of the founders of Bethel Presbyterian Church, which was built on land deeded by him for that purpose. All his family are members and liberal supporters of the same. In politics he is identified with the Reform party. He is widely known and most thoroughly respected for his many sterling traits of character.