Swanston(e)

[SusanJane]

I have traced my ancestors to Swanston(e) from Scotland.

Some Swanston's living close to my relatives in 1850  were from Selkirk.  I have a feeling they were related although not siblings but have not been able to prove that yet.  On this  hunch that they are related I would begin searching for them also in Selkirk.  John & Elizabeth (Beck) Swanston(e) born 1810 and 1816 respectively (approximately based on 1861 census records)  If Anyone knows anything about this family
it would be greatly appreciated as I am at an impasse at this point.  Thank you

susan
Ont, Canada

[osprey28]

Hi Susan

You might get some assistance from the Borders Family History Society - it covers the Selkirk area and has the OPR's - they are only open 1 day per week so it might take a while for them to respond - this link takes to their site:-

http://www.bordersfhs.org.uk/

Good luck

Osprey

[swanny]

John and Elizabeth (Beck) Swanston from Galashiels are my GG Grandparents.  The family emigrated to Ontario c. 1852. Their son James b. 1845 in Galashiels  is my G Grandfather.  My other Great  Grandparents are Farrells, Nichols and Fairbairns. All at one time farmed in Egremont Township, Ontario.

John's parents, Andrew Swanston and Isabella Sommerville, were married in Stow, Midlothian in 1802. That's as far back as my records go but I have a lot of info re their descendants.

Swanny

 


 

[SusanJane]

Dear Swanny

Thanks for the reply.  My great great grandmother was Nicholas, James' older sister.  She was born in 1843 in the Galashiels.  Unusual name but Elizabeth Beck's mother was Nicholas Irving.  1841 census in Galashiels reveals the four brothers and a sister living in a household.  John, Andrew, George, Walter and Sibblea.  George and Walter and Andrew emigrate sooner than John (1845).   Andrew also settled up in Egremont and George and Walter stayed in Eramosa.
1861 census reveals John and Elizabther Swanston in Egremont but Andrew James' older brother) and Nicholas are not listed in the household.  Andrew I have found living in Eramosa with one of the uncle's.   Nicholas is also living down in Eramosa way with relatives because she marries a man from Nassagaweya the next township over in the Fall of 1861.  I can not find her anywhere on the 1861 census(have checked Egremont, Eramosa, Nassagaweya).  Do you have any information about Nicholas?  I would love to know more about her.  Do you have any pictures of John and Elizabeth Beck?  I have a great picture of James and Susan Swanston that came out of the Egremont Historical Book. 
They are shown with all their children.  Big family and very
propsperous looking.  Which one are you a descendant of?
Have been to Holstein (Reid's) Cemetery.  Your great grandparents tombstones still stand there.  John and Elizabeth are also buried there however their tombstones no longer stand! 
We drove past the brick house that James built on the home farm.  It was huge; three stories high.  A local lady told us that the people who live there now have just removed the third storey from the house.  It used to be a cistern for collecting water.  The Swanston's would catch water in the nice weather and when it froze they would skate on the roof.


Anything you have (stories, pictures) would be appreciated.

SusanJane

[swanny]

Hi Susan

My grandfather is John Andrew, oldest child of James and Susan Swanston.  He farmed near Mount Forest Ontario (where my father was born)  until 1914 when the family moved west to farm near Sperling Manitoba. Many of the early settlers in that area came from Egremont Township.

My grandfather stepped on a nail and died from lockjaw in 1921 so I never knew him.

His brother James Beck Swanston was a doctor in Saskatchewan and was an mp in the Bennett government back in the 30's.

The Egremont book contains many references to my family.
Fairbairn Presbyterian Church, now converted to a private residence, was named after my GG Grandmother. I have a copy of the James Swanston family photo in its original frame. I also have a separate photo of James and Susan (Farrell) and one of the family home. Now how do I get them to you? With very little detective work you can find me in Canada411.

A Fairbairn 3rd cousin in Windsor sent me a photo which could be of John and Elizabeth. We are still working on that one.

I was surprised to see in the Egremont book a photo of great aunt Alice being presented to the Queen. My parents were married in her home in Calgary. Alice's WW1 enlistment papers are in the National Archives web site under Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Until reading your entries I was unsure of the ancestry of Elizabeth Beck, not to mention the reference to Nicholas which I had found in the LDS Vital Records CD. What was her married name?

Regards
 
Swanny ( a nick name from my youth)

 

[SusanJane]

Dear Swanny

Nicholas Swanston married Charles Coultes in Oct. 1861 down in Eramosa township.  The Coultes's were from Nassagaweya the township below Eramosa.  The Coultes family included newly married Charles and Nicholas moved to Morris township soon after she married Charles.  By 1878 they have moved back to Egremont as their next few children are born there.  By 1881 they have moved to the Manitoulin Island.  What is really neat is that my great grandmother was Sibitha Anne Coultes.  I always wondered where a name like that would come from but the 1841 census of the Galashiels in Scotland listed the four brothers John (our ancestor), Andrew, George, Walter and Sibblea.  Nicholas was named after her grandmother Nicholas Irving and  Nicholas named her first girl after her Aunt Sibblea.  The Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid returns a Sibbley buried in the Farnham cemetery in Puslinch township which is where the brothers emigrated to when they first came to Canada.  When my kids have their next orthodontist appointment in Guelph I am going to go and check out the tombstone.  I am pretty sure that this is John Swanston's sister. 

John Swanston's parents are Isabel Sommerville and Andrew Swanston.  On the 1841 census the four brothers and the sister (Andrew and Isabel's children) are in a single household but no parents.  Isabel is listed living with Walter in Eramosa on the 1861 census.  She obviously emigrated to Canada with the boys but there is no mention of Andrew.  Can't find either of them on the 1841 census in Scotland in the area that the kids are living.  Do you know what happend to Andrew Swanston?

Here is what else I have found.  Elizabeth Beck's parents are Nicholas Irving and James Beck.  she was born 4 Mar 1814 in "Johnstone By Lockerbie, Dumfries, Scotland"

John Beck - parents Andrew Swanston and Isabel Sommerville.  born 8 may 1808 Glashiels, Selkirk, Scotland.

Sorry for any repeat of info that you already know.

Will do some detective work on Canada411.  I am going to the Family History Center of LDS church tomorrow to do some more research.

SusanJane

[swanny]

Dear Susan

Andrew Swanston born 19 May 1813 at the Rink (a farm south west of Galashiels town), Galashiels. Died 1902 in Holstein, buried in Reid's Cemetery.

Married Grizel Bartrum b. 1816 in Scotland.

Took out patent on East part of lot 43 (50 acres) con 2, Egremont Township on 11 Sept. 1852. See the map on the inside front cover of the Egremont Book. There is an A. Swanston in II - 43 along the left hand edge of the inside cover. Took out patent on west part  on 2 June 1860..

Children are:
 
Margaret 1846, Isabella 1847, Andrew 1850, William 1853,   
John 1856. Margaret was born in Arkell, the rest in Holstein.

I found this info in RootsWeb. There is a bit more detail in the entry. I will provide it in due course. The entry actually refers to "Hind Rink" but the term "Hind" refers to a class of farm worker. I don't have anything for Andrew's sister, Isabella.

I am retired now but have travelled on business to Toronto and London in past years. I never had the time to visit Egremont Township but my wife and I are contemplating a trip down east (as we say in Manitoba) next fall. 

Regards,

Swanny

[SusanJane]

Dear Swanny

My husband and I have seen the original log house that Andrew built.  A gentleman from Burlington bought the property and restored the log house, barn and blacksmith shop.  One of Andrew's sons became a blacksmith.  If you ever get to Holstein you should visit him.  we just stopped in and ended up chatting for an hour and a half.  We also drove by the James Swanston brick house.  It is still standing.  It is huge.  Went to the family history center today and did some research.  It is going to take me a few days to sift through the information.  I am not retired yet so I have to be careful not to spend too much time at it and neglect my family.  We have four children, three still at home.  I call it my cheap addiction. 

Isabella, Andrew's daughter married William Horsburgh.  The two boys, Andrew and William moved to California.  Margaret never married and John lived with Margaret until he tragically drowned in 1915.  I think it was Andrew Jr that was the blacksmith.  John's obituary is as follows:

The story of the tragic death of Mr. John Swanston is told by our orchard correspondent.  Coroner c. a. Jones, M.D., of Mount Forest was notified, but on enquiring into the circumstances he decided that an inquest was unnecessary.  The report of this death under such terrible circumstances, was a great shock to the whole community where he was widely known and universally esteemed for his probity, piety and kindliness.  deceased was a son of the late Andrew swanston and was born some sixty years ago on the homestead near Holstein where he lived until he retired a few years ago to live in Holstein.  He later took over the mill at Orchard from mr. Dodds and only last fall he removed to Orchard.  The reatest sympathy is extended to his sister, miss Swanston, who had been his life asociate.  He leaves another sister, Mres. Wm. Horsburgh, Egremont and two brother, andrew andWilliam in California.  etc...  the rest is about the funeral.

Found an entry today, but have to research it futher

Dumfries: Annan-Parish censuses 1801 - 1821

Marriages
Populationof the Parish of Annan
Bent
County:  Dumfries
Country:  Scotland
336 Peter Graham I margaret irving Joseph Graham Nicholas Graham (fem)

Suspect this is the right family since Nicholas for a female name is so rare. 

SusanJane

[swanny]

Hi Susan

Have you seen this data re Sinnley Swanston?

  Wellington County GenWeb
return


Pioneer - ORME, Peter

Biographical Sketches of
Early Settlers of Wellington County


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

ORME, Peter (d.), came to Canada in 1834 from Fifeshire, Scot., where he was b. 1807. After following his trade as shoemaker in Guelph for two years, he took up part of lots 7, 8 and 9, con. 10, Puslinch Tp., where he farmed for nearly thirty years. The deceased took a very strong interest in educational matters, and was School Trustee for years. He also took a keen interest in politics, and was a man of strong convictions. He was an Elder in Dr. Torrance's Church, Guelph and a Liberal. He m. Jane Murray, nee Scott. Mrs. John Iles, at Arkell was the only child.

Orme, James (d.), lived in Vermont for one year, after which he followed his brother to Puslinch Tp., in 1835, and set. on 100 acres, part lots 7, 8 and 9 con. 10. At this time there was only a blazed path to Farnham settlement, and not a tree had been cut between the Orme farm and the town line. James Orme was a hard-working, quiet, steady man; looked well after his own affairs, and never sought or held office of any kind. He was a Liberal, and a Presbyterian. He m. Sibbley Swanston, and his family consisted of only one son Peter.

Peter was b. on the homestead, which he received at his father's death. In 1898 he bought the farm on which he now resides---300 acres ---part lots, 8 and 9, con. 9. Here he carried on mixed farming, feeding about 20 head of cattle for the market each winter, and keeping his farm in a first class state of cultivation. He m. Ellen Grieve. Issue: James, John, Subena, George, William and Nellie. All at home.

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