Foundations - Archibald Thomson

This year I've decided to participate in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks project. The topic for week 1 is Foundations. The word foundation applies to my 5x great grandfather Archibald Thomson in so many ways.

He’s the foundation of my family in Canada and indeed North America. Archibald was born in Westerkirk, Dumfriesshire, Scotland on 22 Jan 1747. He initially settled in New York State, emigrating from Scotland in 1773. I’ve written about his decision to stay loyal to the British crown in an earlier post, you can read this story here. He first petitioned for land in Kingston in 1790, becoming the earliest settler in Canada in my family. 

Library and Archives Canada, Upper Canada Land Petitions "T" Bundle Misc. RG 1 L3 Vol 511

While in Kingston Archibald was a model citizen, part of the foundation of this young community. He was granted town lots 34 and 35 in Kingston and subsequently was granted a water lot to build a wharf. In 1791 he is mentioned by the Upper Canada Land Board in regards to the land petition of John Catin who was previously refused land on the suspicion of his being a disorderly character. On 14 Dec 1791 the board heard that he had been in the employ of Archibald for a year and had behaved in an orderly, sober and industrious manner. Archibald also engaged to put of a house for him on the lot. The land was granted him accordingly.

Library and Archives Canada, Upper Canada Land Board Dec 14 1791 p.333 Vol. 7

 And this brings to another way in which Archibald is a foundation - he was a master carpenter. He was involved in other projects besides helping Mr. Catin and erected a wharf. His biggest endeavour was to act as the general contractor and carpenter on the first church in Kingston - Old St. George’s, erected in 1792. This was the oldest Anglican parish in Ontario founded in 1785.  According to "The Parish Register of Kingston Upper Canada 1785-1811" on January 9 1792 Archibald was retained to construct the church. His account totalled £113, 7, 3.

The Parish Register of Kingston Upper Canada 1785-1811 A.H.Young 1921

Not only did Archibald build the church, but his family attended the church and he served as vestry man and warden. Archibald also was a benefactor donating £2 to the church. It is worth noting that the Thomson family were staunch Presbyterians. However, at this point in time only Anglican churches were available. The Reverend John Stuart was the minister at the Kingston church and a fellow Loyalist. It is possible they were acquainted during their time in NY state and involvement with the Mohawk nation. In 1825 construction began on a new church. I haven’t been able to determine what happened to the original church; it was likely demolished. 

The Thomsons owned property and resided in Fredericksburg Township and the town of Newark (now Niagara on the Lake) before moving to the town of York. There they would have encountered Reverend Stuart’s son George Okill Stuart who had been appointed  minister of St. James Church.  He was appointed in 1801 and the original church was begun in 1807 and completed in 1809. There he married Archibald’s daughter Elizabeth in 1806 and baptized her daughter Mary in 1808.

Finally Archibald was the foundation of the Thomson family in Canada. Archibald was the second oldest of 8 children born to Andrew Thomson and Jannet Scott. His older brother William remained in Westerkirk but Archibald was followed to North American by his younger brothers Andrew and David. In 1796 he petitioned the Crown for land for his brothers as he had become accomplished in the process. The Petition notes that the family is on their way from Britain

Library and Archives Canada Upper Canada Land Petitions "T" Bundle 2 1796-1797 RG1 L 3 Volume 495

The brothers initially settled in the town of York then moved further east to settle in the new area of Scarborough. David and his family became the first family to settle in Scarborough and he and his wife Mary are commonly known as the mother and father of Scarborough. Once the Thomsons settled in Scarborough they donated land on which St. Andrew’s Church was erected in 1818, the first Presbyterian Church erected in Scarborough. Archibald died in 1819 and is buried at St. Andrews with his wife Elizabeth and his brothers.

Archibald Thomson - A Canadian Success Story

This is Heritage Week and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to write about my ancestor Archibald Thomson. Archibald's story is important not only to my personal heritage but also to that of the province of Ontario.

Archibald was born in the small town of Westerkirk in Dumfries Scotland in 1749, one of 8 children born to Andrew and Jannet Thomson. He was baptized in the parish church On May 7th.

Scotland's People Old Parish Registers. Westerkirk 854/00 0010 0057

In 1773 he crossed the ocean in search of a better life, settling in Harpersfield in Tryon County, New York State. He farmed with other young Scots, James Park, Daniel Rose and John Chisholm. In 1775 "his attachment to his sovereign caused him to leave what little property he had acquired (12 acres of land) behind him" siding with the British in the American Revolution. He ultimately filed 16 Land Petitions that provided me with details of his service to the Crown. Archibald was a carpenter by trade and initially completed repairs at Fort Oswegatchie and Niagara. He was later appointed Master Carpenter by Governor Abbott. In 1777 he served under Captain John MacDonnell in the Second Battalion of the King's Royal Regiment of New York. In 1778 Archibald joined Captain Joseph Brant and was allegedly arrested by the Rebels for detecting and defeating conspiracies. There he was placed "under sentence of death for joining the Indians and escaped the Americans". I hope to find more about this interesting part of Archibald's story! He and his colleagues served without pay for seven years until the end of the war and "suffered every extremity of distress" and "engaged in the most dangerous of enterprises" under the command of Captain Brant, serving with "all the Zeal and Bravery of Britons". He was ultimately granted a Lieutenant's commission by Lord Dorchester.

On 27 July 1781 Archibald married Elizabeth McKay in Quebec City. Elizabeth was the daughter of Hugh McKay another Scottish refugee from New York State who became the High Constable of Quebec.

Quebec Gazette 2 August 1781, page 2

The couple moved about the province acquiring and selling land in various areas that was acquired by their successful land petitions to the Crown. 

Ontario Archives RG 1-58 Township Papers, Scarborough MS 658 Reel 436

Elizabeth acquired land due to her status as a daughter and wife of a Loyalist. Archibald acquired a town lot in Kingston in 1790. He ran a timber yard, wharf and store from this property. In the same time period he also acquired land in Fredericksburg Township as well as in Thurlow Township. In 1793 he also acquired a town lot in Newark (later Niagara on the Lake)and property in Stamford Township. By 1797 he owned a coveted town lot in York (later Toronto) near the St. Lawrence Market. As you can see from this detail from a map from the time his neighbours included his brothers David and Andrew

Detail from the Peter Russell 1797 map of Toronto, Toronto Public Library

And here's where Archibald's importance to the province lies - in 1796 he had petitioned the crown for 400 acres of land for his brothers who wished to join him in Canada and settle in Scarborough. He was successful and the rest is history. His brother David and David's wife Mary were the first settlers in Scarborough.

By 1799 Archibald himself joined his siblings in Scarborough purchasing and leasing 4 plots of land. He ran a "house of entertainment" and a grist mill while farming and also acting as a Justice of the Peace. In 1815 he certified his son Edward's land petition. Here's his signature. I found it to be consistent on the various documents over the years.

Upper Canada Land Petitions, Library and Archives Canada RG 1, L 3, Volume 497 "T" Bundle 10

Archibald died on 22 January 1819. Elizabeth had died two years earlier and I believe the couple were originally buried on the family farm. They were reinterred at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Scarborough, the first Presbyterian Church in Scarborough, erected on land donated by the Thomson family. The inscription is difficult to decipher but reads: "Their remains moved to this place on June 3 1854 by their descendants numbering 231".

Picture taken by the writer

Archibald's demise was noted in the Upper Canada Gazette on the 28th of January 1819. He received a fine tribute:

Upper Canada Gazette, 28 January 1819, page 2

Archibald had packed a lot into his 70 years probably beyond what he expected as a young boy in Dumfries. He left behind a legacy that was build on by his many descendants. Archibald and Elizabeth had 12 children all of whom lived to adulthood. Two of his sons Hugh Christopher Thomson (1791-1834) and Colonel Edward William Thomson (1794-1865) have entries in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Roy Thomson, Lord Thomson of Fleet, and his son Ken are descended from Archibald's youngest child George. Actress Norman Shearer (descended from Colonel Edward) and writer Farley Mowat (descended from Hugh) are also Thomsons. 

And I'm a Thomson too! I'm descended from Archibald's fifth child Elizabeth McKay Thomson who married Thomas Forfar in 1806. I was pleased this year to be able to prove my descent from Archibald and receive my certification from the United Empire Loyalist's Association of Canada. Here's the back of Elizabeth's Land Petition referencing her father's UEL status:

Upper Canada Land Petitions, Library and Archives Canada RG 1, L 3, Volume 187 "F" Bundle 8

Archibald was recognized as a United Empire Loyalist as he demonstrated Loyalty to the Crown. In recognition of his service in defence of "Unity of Empire" I can now use the letters UE after my name. Archibald Thomson rose from a refugee to a founding member of Upper Canada due to his perseverance and hard work. 

Scots Behaving Badly - Kirk Session discoveries

I'm 25% Scottish. Pretty well ever ancestor in my paternal grandfather's family is Scottish except for one 2x great-grandmother who was English. So I was excited to have an opportunity to join a Scottish genealogical research tour. I chose a tour based in Glasgow as I was hoping to break through a brick wall and learn more about my 3x great grandfather David Walker who emigrated from Glasgow in 1820. I was able to get some searching tips from the helpful people at the family history centres we visited but wasn't able to pin him down. But I did have success researching my Lanarkshire ancestors.

My ancestors came from the town of Strathaven (received a lesson, pronounced Straven!) in the parish of Avondale. They resided on a farm known as the Holms of Glengavel, which still exists today.

National Library of Scotland. Lanarkshire Ordinance Survey 1858

 Like most Scots my family did not own their property - they rented the farm from the Duke of Hamilton, as noted in the 1858 Valuation Rolls

National Records of Scotland. 1858-59 Lanark County Valuation Rolls

My family were the Craigs - my 3x great grandmother Mary Craig married Andrew Fleming on November 4th 1826 

National Records of Scotland. Avendale Kirk Session Proclamation Register 1775-1854

My 2x great grandmother Mary Fleming was their their third child born on May 26th 1829.

National Records of Scotland, Old Parish Registers, Avondale 

In reviewing the Old Parish Registers on Scotland's People I was able to find her two older siblings. I was surprised to note that Mary and Andrew's first son John was born in 1823 before their marriage. John's birth entry tells the tale, he was their "natural son" (ie illegitimate):

National Records of Scotland, Old Parish Registers, Avondale

I consulted the Avondale Kirk Session records for more details. Some background information - each congregation of the Church of Scotland had a Kirk Session which was a panel of elders that dealt with local issues of everyday life such as non-attendance at church. At the time it happened our ancestors were not doubt embarrassed to be called before the Kirk Session but it's exciting for a 21st Century researcher to find the entry.

In June 1823 Mary Craig appeared before the Kirk Session. 

National Records of Scotland, Avendale Kirk Session Minutes 1779-1826

Anti-nuptial fornication was a major sin. She was "exhorted to lay her sin seriously to heart'. Andrew was called before the Kirk Session in July and admitted that the child was his, luckily for Mary. Both parties were "rebuked and absolved from the scandal". Andrew and Mary went on to marry so all turned out well. I can't help but wonder if this was the incentive for their subsequent emigration to Canada.

I couldn't find too much on the Fleming family but it appears that the Craig family were supportive of Mary. When her father John died in 1854 he left a substantial legacy for the time. 

National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Sheriff Court Wills

Her father made it clear in the will that Mary and her sisters were to receive their inheritance without their husbands' consent and that their husbands were not to seize the funds to cover their own debts. Very progressive for the time! I wonder if she ever received her money. Her £20 inheritance is worth £2,500 today. John Craig's estate in total was worth £1500 at the time or £190,000 today. Though not a landowner he was well off.

I found another interesting entry in the Kirk Session records involving John Craig's grandfather also named John (my 6x great grandfather). On 9th February 1735 he came before the Session to complain about Rachel Browning who had slandered his good name accusing him of pursuing her and offering baseness to him. Rachel was commanded to appear before the Session and respond: 

National Records of Scotland, Avendale Kirk Session Minutes, 1734-1757

Rachel returned again to provide witnesses to her various attacks but they were found to be unreliable and she was rebuked for accusing John of inappropriate behaviour. She was adamant to the end that her accusations were well founded:

National Records of Scotland, Avondale Kirk Session Minutes, 1734-1757

I wonder what the truth was? Did they automatically believe John because he was a well respected man in the area? We'll never know. It is interesting to note that John's wife Agnes Campbell was indeed in child bed at the end of 1734 - she gave birth to my 5x great grandfather Robert Craig on Christmas Day 1734. Did she really hear Rachel's cries from the barn?

My trip was productive and I'm able to trace my Craig ancestors to the late 1600s. Hopefully I will be find more interesting Kirk Session records in the future. The Presbyterian Church truly was the centre of Scottish life in 18th and 19th Centuries and beyond. Here is the Strathaven Old Parish Church from a postcard I found on Ebay:

 And to conclude, here is the Craig family crest:

The translation says it all: Live for God and You Shall Have Life.