Robert Macfie
of
Clarenceville, Quebec
and
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The records show that Robert Macfie, son of Alexander Macfie and his wife Ann was baptised the 7 of May 1824 in St Andrews Church in Quebec City. He is recorded as being born at sea.
Much less in known of Robert, and his family, than that of his father and his family, the reason being that any records, if they had existed, most likley would have been destroyed when the origianl home that Robert built for his family burned to the ground. We know that the original painting of his grandfather Robert Macfie of Langhouse , Inverkip, Scotland, the sugar refiner, was saved from the flames, however we understand than most of the rest of the contents, including a piano that had been at one time in Langhouse, was destroyed in the fire.
Futher more, any records that might have survived, this fire, and that may or may not have been stored in the barn of Lloyd Bullock, at Dairy Valley corners, would have been destroyed in the fire that burnt the barn down later in the 20th century.
The story therefore of Robert and his family, will have to be concocted from the bits and pieces that we were able to obtain from newspapers, and stories that have been handed down from generation to generation and from the general history of the area at the time. We know that Robert's father held education in high esteme, and was himself a well read man. In 1838 Alex writes to his sister Jessie in Sweden telling her that he was going to send Robert off to Dunham to school, 10 miles east of home, but that the decision was delayed on account of the troubles and turmoil in the area.
About 1836, William Andrew Macfie, having traveled to the USA, paid a visit to his cousin Alex in Clarenceville,and wrote home stating that Alex and his family were a " happy, healthy, thriving interesting family". Robert was then 13 and was already a great help to his frather around the farm. In 1838 we find Robert as an essential service in taking care of the cattle and horses, and plaughing ( plowing) with the oxen. Alex himself finding himself away from the farm attending to his Militia duties.
In 1839 in a letter to William Andrew, Alex writes that Robert has been at school some 18 miles off all winter,as the one teacher had given up keeping school. Robert was bound with a Mr Campbell, a highly talented gentleman from Paisley, and in whose immediate neighbourhood there was a superior school, kept by a young gentleman from England . Alex was hoping that the change for Robert would be profitable, and that he was planing to send Mary, his daughter to attend school at the location also.
In 1845, in a letter Alex wrote home he makes mention that he was proposing to buy an additional farm in the area in order to give specific charge to his eldest son Robert, who was now 21 years old, and had "been smitten with the ' Far West' fever" . Alex hoped in this way to induce him to remain at home , failing this however he would soon be required to find opportunities for his two younger lads. With monies provided to Alex by his brothers in Scotland, he was able to purchase the fram in question and was as he stated well pleased with the buy. The land owned by the Macfie family in Clarenceville would now measure 1� miles on Lake Champlain. including a point on the Commissioner's map, laid down as Macfie's Point.
Agreement date 1848 between Alexander Macfie and his son Robert who takes possession of lot 6 ,concession 10, in Foucault, originally purchased by Alexander from James Curtis
| On this
sixth day of May in the year of Our Lord one thousand and eight
hundred and forty eight.
Before the undersigned public notaire duly commissioned and sworn as such in and for this part of the province of Canada formally called Lower Canada residing in the District of Montreal. Personally appeared Alexander Macfie of the Parish of St. George's Clarenceville in the Seignory of Foucault Allard�s Manor Esquire and being duly assisted came with the consent and approbation of Mrs Ann Tough his wife, she acting in her capacity of curator commeit to said Alexander Macfie her husband by xxxxx of an act of curatorship duly homologated by the Honourable George Pythe Esquire one of the XXX of the court of the King�s bench for the District of Montreal, the ninth February one thousand eight hundred and thirty one. On the one part And Robert Macfie of the same place their son yeoman of the other part Which said parties have and does hereby makes and enter in the following promises conditions and obligations viz: 1/ On the part of the said Alexander Macfie and Ann Tough his wife they do hereby promise, oblige and bind themselves jointly and severally to one for the other under the renunciation of right to sell, cede, quit and transfer with the usual guarantee in sales of land and freed and clear of all trouble and hindrance whatsoever and of all Seignioral ground rent and loans et ventes up to the date, to the said Robert Macfie their son here to acceptant for himself his heirs and offspring viz: |
The residue of
lot of land number six in the tenth concession of the said seignory of
Foucault or Allard�s Manor forming fifty superficial acres bound
East by the Missisquoi Bay, West by the ninth concession South by
part of lot number six, and north by lot number 7 with an old
house, a barn and a corn house there on.
2/ On the part of Robert Macfie, he hereby promises, obliges and binds himself his heirs and offspring to accept the aforesaid part of the lot of land herein before described and pay to said Alexander Macfie Esquire and Ann Tough his father and mother, their heirs and offspring for price and consideration there of the sume of one hundred and eighty-seven pound and ten shillings current money of this Province in the following manner viz: with in seven years from this date without interest. It is further agreed by and between the said parties that until the aforesaid sum of one hundred and eighty seven pounds and ten shilling currency shall be paid that the said Robert Macfie shall have possession of the above part of lot number 6 and pay and deliver yearly and every year in the month of February and to begin in the month of February rent, the one half of the produce of the remaining part of the lot number six that is to say of grain hay and vegetables that may grow on the same every year and the said Alexander Macfie and his wife shall have the right of pasture every year and further the acceptance shall pay the Seigneurie of ground rent due by the part of the lot number six regularly every year. |
The said parties
hereby promise agree and consent and bind themselves, their heir and
offspring to xxxx and xxxx act of the above part of lot number
six in due form. Election of
domicile at the place above mentioned where notwithstanding Done and prepared
at St George de Henryville office of G A Dugas one of the notatairies
on the day of the month and year First above written under number one
thousand nine hundred and fifty and signed by the said parties and xxxx
notaries these presnets being first and duly read True copy, the
original remaining on record in my office������ |
Clarenceville
Robert Macfie
who passed
away on the 5th inst in his 72 nd year was widely known and respected
through the townships. He was born on the voyage of his parents
while emigrating from Scotland to Canada and settled on the shores
of Mississquoi Bay on what was then known as Caldwell�s
manor. The deceased improved the educational opportunities
this section then offered and his natural abilities fitted him
early in life to take a prominent position in public estimation. A
voracious reader with a rentative memory he readily mastered any
subject he took up. While this county was in the district of Montreal
he was chosen Justice of the Peace to which office he was re appointed
on the organization of
the district of Bedford. From the inception of the present municipal
system
his opinions on these matters were much sought for. For Many years he
was
a municipal councillor and Mayor and later on warden of the county and
closely allied to every public movement till recently hindered by
physical infirmity, for which he sought relief in several visits to
devoted relatives in Scotland On one occasion through their kindness he
and his daughter accompanied them on their yacht to the Mediterranean.
Those visits abroad were not
only enjoyable but no doubt prolonged his life. The deceased leaves a
widow, three sons, and three daughters who were very devoted to him,
together with numerous relatives and many friends to mourn his loss.
The burial
services were from St George�s Church here on Saturday afternoon the
7th
inst.
Robert Macfie was
mayor of Clarenceville from
............. to ...................
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Ann Eliza was named of course
for her
grandmother Ann
Tough and mother Eliza
Hawley
George
Hawley , was named after the brother of his mother George Hawley
Mary Louise was probably named after garndmother Lousia Cook
Claud Robert was named after cousins in Scotland
Lillias Ellison was named of cousins that Robert met when he visited Scotland
David Johnstone Arthur named again after Scottish cousins as far as can be determined for these names do not appear on the Hawley side of the family
Mary Helen
�����..
At this point in time and being in Canada we see the family moving away from the Scottish manner of naming their children �.. if we look at the same time frame in Scotland, the Macfie family was still naming the children after the old patterned Scottish way
David
Johnstone Arthur
Macfie
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Dominion Land Grants
David Johnstone A Macfie
LS 12 Section 14
Township 50 Range 7 Meridian W4
LS 13
LS 14
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The Brandon Daily
Sun Tuesday Dec 7 1943
David A McFei
The Funeral was held this
morning from the funeral home of Campbell and Fergusson to Brandon
Cemetery of the late David A McFei, whose death occurred in
the city. Major Lang, of the Eventide home, officiated.
1872-1964 1868-1940
| Luther
Lewis Smith 1872-1964 |
Married October 22 1894 Clarenceville Quebec |
Mary Helen Macfie 1868-1940 |
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| Robert
Macfie Smith 1898-1928 |
Bruce Taylor Smith 1902-1944 |
Lewis Douglas Smith 1907-1996 |
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Photos of the Smith family compiments of Joan Mildred Smith - 2009
Notes taken from undated newspaper article glued into Wessy Macfie's scrap book
In February of this year Mr Smith resigned at Montreal and was appointed General Manager of Gray-Campbell Limited, with headquarters in Moose Jaw. This origanization is one of the largest carriage distributors in the West, having branches at Winnipeg, Brandon, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Calgary. Mr Smith is also sales manager of the Gray-Dort Motors Ltd, for Saskatchewan and Alberta, this automobile concern being a subsidiary of the Gray-Campbell organization. He has been for some years interested in the development of Western Canada, being a member of an eastern syndicate that owns a large tract of land in Alberta.
Essentially a lover of farming, Mr Smith at present operates a farm and ranch in the Vermilion district. In a recent interview, he voiced his enthusiam over the future of the Canadian West ' Bussiness promises to be good for our company during 1916 '
said he. ' All signs indicate that the slight shaking down of the last two years has placed business in the West on a more substantial basis. We are now entering an era of prosperity that should satisfy even the unbounded optimism of the Westerner '
With his wide experience and maked executive ability , we are confident that Mr Smith will be a caluable adjunct to his company in his responsible position as Western general manager.
Montreal addresses of Luther L Smith from 1901 and his most probable arrival from Toronto
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Click to enlarge view
Click the buggy to review the Montreal addresses of The William Gray & Sons Co. Ltd. during Luther's employ
| Bruce Taylor Smith 1902-1944 |
Married 1929 Fort Covington NY |
Elin
Karlsson McCartney |
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| Robert
Macfie Smith 1930- |
Bruce
Taylor Smith jr 1936- |
Douglas
Macartney Smith 1944- |
| Robert
Macfie Smith 1930- |
Married Fort Covington NY |
Carolyn
Georgia Smillie |
| Lewis Douglas Smith 1907-1996 |
Married 1936 Montreal, Quebec |
Mildred
Clarence 1910-1994 |
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| Joan
Mildred Smith 1938- |
Graham
Douglas Smith 1941-1989 |
Peter
Lewis Smith 1943- |
Nora Lee
Ann Smith 1950- |
Luther had put a down payment on the house at 105 Morrison, and since Helen had passed away Luther invited his son Douglas to live with him. In 1951 Douglas moved his family to Pointe Claire, Quebec� .�
Luther spent his last years in Fort Covington� and Bombay, villages 5 miles apart in New York�� He lived for a time with his daughter� in law , Elin until about 1961. Thence he became a boarder at the home of Mrs Curry in Bombay. In 1964 he became ill with what was diagnosed as lymphosarcoma and died in Dec of 1964
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| Peter Lewis Smith 1943-xxxx |
Married September 1967 |
Heide Solveig Muellener |
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| Jeffery Christopher Smith 1972-xxxx |
Tracie Andrea Smith 1976-xxxx |
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| Nora Lee Ann Smith 1950- |
Married 1979 |
Joseph Bajza xxxx-xxxx |
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| Karen Christine Bajza 1987- |
Stephen Louis Bjza 1988- |
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| George Hawley Macfie | |
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Thursday, 05-Apr-2012 04:41:42 MDT