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Commemorative
Biographical Record of the County of Kent, Ontario
Charles McLaren |
CHARLES McLAREN, an
energetic businessman of Highgate, Ontario, residing on his fine
farm in Orford townshiip, County of Kent, is well known as a
prosperous general farmer and bean and grain merchant. He was born
in Howard township, County of Kent, Augusut 16th, 1836, a son of
Charles and Elizabeth (Risk) McLaren, of Lanarkshire, Scotland, and
Ireland, respectively. William McLaren, grandfather of Charles, was
a native of Scotland, and his wife, whose maiden name was Orr, was
also born in that country.
The parents of
Charles McLaren were married in Blantyre parish, in Scotland, and
came to the United States in 1825, locating in Pawtucket, Rhode
Island, where they remained one year. in 1826 they removed to the
County of Elgin, Ontario, where the father worked upon a farm for a
year for Col. Talbot, and his next change was to Howard township,
County of Kent, where he purchased from the Canadian Company 100
acres of wild land, which he cleared, and upon which he remained
until his death, which occurred July 5, 1868, when he was 76 years
of age. Mrs. McLaren died in March, 1878, aged 83 years and they
are buried in the Gosnell cemetery. Both died firm in the faith of
the Methodist Church. Born to their union were: William, a retired
farmer, who has 1,000 acres in Mapleton, North Dakota; Rachel,
married to J.W. Mitton, of Ridgetown, Ontario; Catherine, who
married James S. Mitton, now a retired farmer of Ridgetown;
Elizabeth, wife of John Reycraft, a farmer of prominence in Orford,
but now of Ridgetown (he was formerly a baker); and Charles.
On February 11th,
1859, in Orford township, Charles McLaren married Esther Reycraft,
and the following children have been born to this union: Helen
married David Nimock, a farmer of Gardner, North Dakota; Elizabeth,
unmarried, is at home; William H., a veterinary surgeon of Orford,
married Lillie McBean, and they have a family of four children,
Irene, Laura, Russell and Helen Louise; Charles Leslie, who is with
his father in Highgate, married Minnie Stone, and has one son,
Charles Stone; James is a farmer and extensive cattle dealer of
Orford township; Mary married Rev. S.R. McVittie, of Sparta,
Ontario, a Methodist minister, and has two children, Frances Willard
(deceased) and Laura; Frances married William Tape, a farmer of
Orford township, and has one daughter, Elizabeth; Nettie, a school
teacher, is at home; Joseph is a farmer of Orford township;
Frederick, of Orford township, married Isabella Spear; Roy operates
his father's home farm. Mrs. McLaren was born in County Cork,
Ireland, in 1838, and is a sister of James Reycraft, of Highgate,
spoken of elsewhere.
Charles McLaren
remained with his parens until they died, and from the time of his
marriage operated the farm. In the spring of 1882 he removed to his
present property, in Orford township. He is a Grit, and has taken
an active part in local affairs, having served one year in the
county council, and was deputy reeve of Orford township.
Fraternally he is a member of the A.O.U.W. he and his wife are
members of the Methodist Church, and take an active part in its
work. They are most highly respected throughout the neighbourhood,
and the success which has attended them is well deserved.
p.228-229
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