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Commemorative
Biographical Record of the County of Kent, Ontario
Alexander Julien |
One of the
successful farmers, representative citizens and self-made men of
the County of Kent is Alexander Julien, who was born on the old
Julien homestead on the river Thames on Lot 12, Concession 1,
December 10th, 1847, Howard township has been his home all his
life. His family is one of the old honourable ones of the
county, and they were among the very first settlers in Howard
township.
The parents of
Alexander Julien, Stephen and Catherine (McFarlane) Julien, were
natives of Canada and Scotland, respectively the former born in
1813 on the same farm and the latter in 1818 at Blairdrummond,
Perthshire, Scotland. Her parents came to Canada in 1826, and
located in Botany, Howard township, County of Kent, Mr.
McFarlane, however, living only nine days after his arrival in
Botany. Stephen Julien was a son of Joseph and Betsy (Arner)
Julien, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania and came to
Canada about the time of the Revolution in the States, in 1776.
He lived to participate in the war of 1812, and his son Stephen
took part in the Rebellion of 1836-37. After the close of the
war of 1812 Grandfather Joseph Julien received a grant of land
on he river Thames, from he English government, for his services
during the war. He married a lady of English descent, Betsy
Arner, who was a native of Windsor or Sandwich, and they settled
on his acquired lands and there made the first improvements.
Soon after his settlement came the Arnold family, also from the
State of Pennsylvania, and these neighbours also settled on the
river, farther down; Mr. Arnold built the first gristmill in
this section of the country. Joseph Julien and his wife both
passed away in this old home, his death occurring in 1850. They
had but the one son, Stephen, to inherit their estate and to
perpetuate the family name.
Stephen Julien
was married first to Matilda Armstrong, of Toronto, and they had
a family of five children born to them, as follows: Joseph, who
died in boyhood; Jacob, who was killed at his home by a horse;
Stephen who resides at Colchester, County of Essex; Henry, who
is a native of the old locality, but lives at Colchester; and
Simon, who after marriage moved to Detroit, Michigan. The
second marriage of Stephen Julien was to Catherine McFarlane,
and Stephen Julien died in 1849, when their son Alexander was
but 16 months old. Mrs. Julien at a later period was married
(second) to John Winter who died May 15th, 1888. They settled
on the Julien homestead, and there reared the following
children: Sarah, deceased, was the wife of Patrick Claffy;
Maria, the eldest survivor, is the widow of George Hanley, of
Orford; John resides in Detroit; Mary married Henry Gadd, of
Detroit; Rebecca married Rev. Leonard Hazzard, a Methodist
minister in the State of Michigan; Ellen married Austin Welch,
and they live in Detroit; William married and located at Orion,
Michigan; and Catherine and Frankie died in childhood. All were
born on the old homestead. Stephen Julien was a consistent and
active member of the Methodist Church, as was also his wife, she
having been converted when she was only eleven years old. Mr.
Winter also belonged to that church. Mrs. Winter finally moved
to Davisburg, Michigan where she died August 4th, 1899; her
remains were interred in the Julien cemetery.
Alexander Julien
was thrown upon his own resources when but a lad, on account of
the death of his father, so he obtained only a fair education,
assisting his mother as much as he could. Realizing very early
the value and necessity of money, the young man was frugal and
saving, so that by the time he reached his majority he had
accumulated enough to purchase a tract of 40 acres located on
Lot 13, Block Concession, Howard township, and there he made
improvements and erected a house and barn. This was in
preparation for his marriage, which took place May 22nd, 1872,
to Mary Wrightman, the estimable daughter of Jacob and Jane (Hartwick)
Wightman, old residents of the locality. Mrs. Julien was born
October 9th, 1849, and was educated in the Howard schools.
After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Julien settled on this first land
purchase and remained there until 1877, when Mr. Julien sold his
farm and for the succeeding nine years rented land, in 1885
purchasing his present fine farm of 200 acres, comprising a part
of the old Julien homestead, formerly owned by his father and
his grandfather, and a part of Lot 13, drawn from the government
by his grandfather's brother, John Julien. The place consists
of 50 acres each in Lots 11, 12, 13 and 14, 1st Concession.
Here Mr. Julien has continued to make improvements and his farm
is justly classed with the best in the township.
The six children
born to Mr. and Mrs. Julien are: Mary J., born in Howard in
1873, given excellent educational opportunities there; she
married Thomas E. martin, a son of the well-known David Martin,
and they have one child, Mary Ethel; they reside on the River
road in Howard. Annie, born in 1876, was also educated in
Howard, and in 1899 married William Jewell; they settled at
Northwood, where she died in 1900. John, born in 1878, still
resides at home; he married Mary Humphrey, of Zone, County of
Kent, and they have a daughter, Mary Agnes. Henry, born in
1881, was educated in the home schools, and is engaged in
railroading; in 1902 he married Jessie Hicks, of Thamesville,
where they reside and they have one daughter, Olive May. Frank,
born in 1884, resides at home. Ethel May, born in 1891, is one
of the brightest pupils in the Howard schools.
For the past
twenty years, Mr. Julien has been actively identified with the
work of the Methodist Church and for several years has been the
recording steward of the Thamesville Church. In this religious
work he is assisted by Mrs. Julien, a lady of the most
consistent Christian character. Politically Mr. Julien has
mainly supported the Conservative party, although his temperance
principles led him to favour the candidate of that party and to
act as a delegate to the Conservative convention in 1902.
Fraternally he belongs to the Order of Orangemen. He is
essentially a self-made man, and has lived a life of integrity
which has brought him prosperity and the esteem of his fellow
citizens. He is a man of the kindliest nature and a
representative of the highest type of the earnest, conscientious
and manly element of the citizens of Howard township.
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