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Commemorative
Biographical Record of the County of Kent, Ontario
James McGregor |
JAMES
McGREGOR, a retired farmer of Euphemia township, in the
County of Lambton, whose place is located on the line
dividing Lambton and Kent, has been a resident of that
county for over 70 years, having come here with his parents
in childhood. He was born August 14th, 1826 in Perthshire,
Scotland, son of Donald and Margaret (McGregor) McGregor,
and grandson of Duncan McGregor, all natives of Perthshire.
The grandfather came to Canada in 1854, and here passed his
remaining days.
Donald
McGregor came to America with his family in 1831, and,
settling in the County of Lambton, Ontario, took up 100
acres of land, devoting the remainder of his life to its
cultivation and improvement. There he passed away August
14th, 1866, at the advanced age of eighty years, and his
wife followed him to the grave in March 1874,seventy-five;
they were buried in Butler's cemetery. Both were members of
the Presbyterian Church. They were the parents of seven
children, namely: Duncan and Gregor, both deceased; James;
Daniel, who is a farmer of Michigan; Robert, who is a
resident of Chicago, Illinois, engaged with a railway
company; John, who resides in Michigan; and Janet, deceased.
James
McGregor came to Canada with his parents when five years of
age, and has lived in the County of Lambton ever since. He
remained at home until twenty-one years of age,, after which
he worked for other farmers for some time before purchasing
his present place. He spent one year in Kalamazoo,
Michigan, where he learned the trade of brickmaking. When
he purchased his present place, comprising 100 acres, it was
all a wilderness, but by hard and persistent work he
succeeded in bringing it to a profitable state of
cultivation, and it is a credit alike to the owner and to
the section in which it lies. Of late years he has given up
active labour, and now lives retired, enjoying the results
of his industry, his son Frank at present having charge of
the farming. Mr. McGregor has made many substantial
improvements on his palce, and in 1874 erected a fine brick
residence, the brick for which he made himself.
On July 4,
1862, in Detroit, Michigan, Mr. McGregor was united in
marriage with Lydia Outhouse, who was born September 10th,
1841, in Zone township, County of Kent, daughter of Joseph
and Elizabeth Outhouse, who were early settlers in that
township, coming from Nova Scotia. Mr. Outhouse took up 100
acres of land, on which they made a permanent home, and
there he died May 25th, 1877, at the age of 74. Both are
buried in the cemetery at Bothwell. Mr. and Mrs. Outhouse
had a family of nine children: Johiah, a farmer of Zone
township; Prudence, widow of Alexander Bourne of Windsor,,
Ontario; Hannah, deceased; Lydia, Mrs. McGregor; Frederick,
a miner of California; Susan, widow of John McGregor, of
Kalamazoo, Michigan; Elizabeth and Harriet, twins, the
former of whom is a trained nurse in Chicago, Illinois, the
latter the wife of Alexander Catto, of Detroit, Michigan;
and Georgina, who married Charles Webb, of Chicago,
Illinois.
Mr. and Mrs.
McGregor have ahd children as follows: Margaret, who is the
wife of William H. Pierce, of Zone township; Malcolm, a
farmer of Dover township, County of Kent, who married Susie
Stacy; Wellington, an engineer, of Chatham, Ontario; Frank,
who lives with his parents and carries on the home farm;
Frederick R., who died young; Alexander, who is engaged in
farming in Zone township; Nellie, of Cleveland, Ohio, a
trained nurse; and Louisa, who died in infancy.
The parents
of this family are not connected with any church, but
contribute to the support of all, especially the Methodist
Church, which they attend. Mr. McGregor is a reformer in
political faith. he is a prominent man in his community,
and has considerable influence in his section, which he uses
for the advancement of everything which will contribute to
the welfare of his township and county.
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