Alexander McDonald, Erin Twp, Wellington Co, Ontario

>From the "Biographical sketches" Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, 
Ontario, compiled, drawn and published from personal examinations and surveys.
Toronto: Historical Atlas Publishing Co, 1906, reprint 1972.

p. 44

McDONALD, ALEXANDER (d.), b. in Catlodge, in the parish of Laggan, Inverness-shire, Scot., in 
the year 1815. He was one of a family of seven, and the youngest of five sons, all of whom 
emigrated to Canada but one.  Mr. McDonald was a carpenter by trade. In 1839, he m. Margaret 
Gowan, who was private teacher and nurse in the famly of Rev. Donald Cameron, then the 
Presbyterian minister of the parish of Laggan.  She was a native of Nairnshire, Scot., from the 
village of Cadder.  After her marriage, for some years, she taught the young children of the 
village, there being no other school at that time.  In 1855, they came to Canada with a family 
of eight, and set. in Erin Tp. He owned 75 acres of land, and followed his trade to some extent. 
In religion he was a Prebyterian, but affiliated with the Methodist Church in Erin, not being in 
reach of his original denomination.  About the year 1874 he moved to Orangeville, where he 
took a great interest in church matters, being class leader and Sabbath School Superintendent 
for many years. He died there, at the age of 68. Five sons and one daughter survive him: Hugh, 
the eldest; Donald, m. Ellen Carrol of Orangeville; Christina C., m. Colin Campbell, who owns a 
farm in East Garafraxa; Duncan, m. Elizabeth T. Couse of Valley City, Dakota; Alexander,  m. 
Nora Orchard, from Salt Lake, Utta, set. in Ballard, Seattle, W.T.; James, m. Martha Faulkner of 
Caledon, set. in Orangeville.

Hugh , the eldest son, was b. May 15, 1840. For four years before leaving his native country, he 
engaged as a header of cattle, the first year, at a salary of six shillings and board for six 
months; next year, at ten shillings and board, and the last year, twenty shillings.  In the fall 
of 1855, on arriving in Canada, in the township of Erin, he worked for Alexander McLachlan of 
Caledon; the following year, he hired for a year with Lachlan McLachlan, a brother, in the 
township of Downie, near St. Mary's, then a year and three months with William and John 
Houston of Erin, after which he worked at home on the farm, and at carpenter work for some 
years. In 1863-4, he worked with Peter McLean of Badenoch, Puslinch, on the farm.  Always 
preferring farming to the carpenter work, in 1865, he came to Garafraxa, and purchased 100 
acres, lot 15, con. 9, which he still retains, and lived eight  years on the farm.  In Sept. 1868, 
he m. Mary Ann, youngest dau. of the late John Dobbin, who died, Dec. 25, 1869.  On Jun 13, 
1872, he m. Anna Bella McLean, dau of the late Alexander McLean of Puslinch.  He removed to 
Belwood in 1873.  The following year, with his brother Duncan, he erected a planing mill in 
the village, and carried on the business until 1879, when his brother decided to go west, 
leaving the business to Hugh, who carried it on successfully until 1901, when there was no 
more room for such a place.  Mr. McDonald always takes a lively interest in public affairs, and 
was a member of the Garafraxa Council in 1887-8-9-90.  In 1893, he was appointed 
Treasurer, and has since held the office.  He was appointed Secretary-Treasurer for Garafraxa 
Agr. Society in 1884, and served until 1898.  he took much interest in organizing a public 
library in the village in 1892, and is now Secy. Treas. of the large and well selected library of 
to-day.  He has been an acting Magistrate for many years.  In politics Mr. McDonald is a Liberal,
and he has been an Elder in the Presbyterian church for many years.  After a long and painful 
illness, Mrs. McDonald died on Sept. 5, 1899, leaving nine children, five boys and four girls, 
namely: Maggie, (Mrs. Frank Vallery), Belwood; Tina, (Mrs. Samuel Broadfoot), Garafraxa; 
Alexander, and Albert, with the Bell Telephone Co; Anna Bella, a nurse in Buffalo General 
Hopsital; Camreon, in Imperial Bank, (Fergus Branch); Willie, Norman, and Eva, at home in 
Belwood.