The MacKerchers of Tayside

The foundation and settlement of Roxborough began in 1785 with the creation of the Royal Township of Cornwall. It was established for settlement of United Empire Loyalists who began arriving as early as 1783. The township would become part of Stormont County in 1792 and then the north half would be split off as Roxborough in 1798. Settlers would arrive in great numbers in the early 1800's predominantly from Scotland. A post office was established on the 8th concession on Sandringham Road. This would become the small rural community of Tayside.

As early as 1836, a newly married Donald McKercher of Kerrowmore, Fortingall, Perthshire set out to Canada from Glen Lyon. He would initially settle temporarily at St. Andrews East, Quebec where his first two children - Peter and Duncan - were born.

He was born in 1802 to Duncan McKercher and his wife Christian McNaughton. He married Margaret Campbell of nearby Roroyare, the daughter of Peter Campbell and Catherine McMartin.

Meanwhile Donald's younger brother Duncan had remained in Kerrowmore, remaining with his mother and siblings. In 1840 he married Janet McLaren of Killin at adjacent Craigelig. There they would have their first two children - Donald and Duncan.

In 1842 Duncan McKercher set out to Canada like his brother before him. He would settle on Lot 9 and 10 of Concession 10 of Roxborough, Stormont which he was granted the patent for on the 24th of June 1842.

Concession 9 to the south at this time was still held by the Canada Company without any settlers. Duncan and his few neighbours were the first to clear the area for several miles. It was often referred to as "The Island".

Duncan McKercher and his wife Janet McLaren, or Jennet McLaurin as it would be spelled, would have 9 children on the farm before passing in 1892 and 1893 respectively. His second oldest son Duncan and his family would take over one half of the farm, with a few children staying in the area and the rest scattering to the west.

Donald would leave St. Andrews East and join his brother Duncan in Roxborough by 1840, the year the couple had their 3rd child Christina. On the 4th of July 1853, he would aquire Lot 10 of Concession 9 across the road with his son Peter later aquiring the west half of Lot 9 Concession 9 to enlarge the farm. Donald's wife Margaret would pass on in 1862, with him following shortly after in 1865. He left no will, so his two sons Peter and Duncan would split the 200 acre farm into two 100 acre tracts, with Duncan taking the west half and Peter the east.

DONALD MCKERCHER

Born the 3rd of March 1802 at Kerrowmore, Fortingall, Perthshire. Son of Duncan McKercher and his wife Christian McNaughton. Died the 27th of May 1865 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.

wife MARGARET CAMPBELL

Born the 27th of March 1796 in Roroyare, Fortingall, Perthshire. Daughter of Peter Campbell and Catherine McMartin. Likely wed in Scotland prior to immigrating. Died 1862 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.

son DUNCAN DONALD MCKERCHER wife ANNE CAMERON

Born the 21st of May 1837 at Saint-André-Est, Argenteuil, Quebec. Died 21st of May 1896 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.

Duncan would marry Anne Cameron on the 24th of December 1845 at Roxborough, Ontario. She was born the 13th of April 1844 at Roxborough. She died the 15th of February 1943 at St Elmo, Glengarry, Ontario. They had 12 children.

• Donald Gordon McKercher b. 1865 d. 1955 at Moose Creek, Stormont, Ontario.
• Angus McKercher b. 1867 d. 1938 at Portland, Multnomah, Oregon.
• Peter Alexander McKercher b. 1870 d. 1947 at Portland, Multnomah, Oregon.
• John Hugh McKercher b. 1870 d. 1953 at Melfort, Saskatchewan.
• Margaret Mary McKercher b. 1872 d. 1873 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.
• Robert Duncan McKercher b. 1874 d. 1951 at Duluth, St Louis, Minnesota.
• Margaret Christian McKercher b. 1876 d. 1972 at Maxville, Glengarry, Ontario.
• Andrew Allen McKercher b. 1877 d. 1963 at Tompkins, Saskatchewan.
• William Charles Burns McKercher b. 1882 d. 1882 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.
• Euphemia Jane McKercher b. 1885 d. 1885 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.
• George Laughlin McKay McKercher b. 1886 d. 1961 at White Rock, British Columbia.
• James David McKercher b. 1889 d. 1993 at Longview, Cowlitz, Washington.

In 1863 Duncan Donald McKercher married Ann Cameron, the eldest daughter of Angus Cameron and Euphemia Begg. Angus was a veteran of the 1837-38 Rebellion and a member of Colonel Miles McDonald's Regiment and resided on a farm at Athol, Glengarry. Duncan and Ann would have a large family of 12 children with 9 surviving to adulthood. Duncan passed in 1896 with his wife and sons keeping up the farm. Their eldest son left the farm in 1906 to build a saw mill in Tayside. After an illness, Ann would come to live with him shortly after and the farm was sold. In 1910, the mill was moved to Dunvegan, Glengarry and Ann and her daughter Margaret would move to Maxville until 1915. In that year, Margaret married Dan McEwen of St. Elmo, where Ann would live with them until her death in 1943 in her 99th year. The other 8 sons would move west to Saskatchewan, Oregon and Washington state.

Ann Cameron McKercher was described at the close of her life as St. Elmo's 'Grand Old Lady' and oldest resident. She had been present at the opening service of the historic Gordon Church of St. Elmo on July 20th, 1864 and was present for it's 75th anniversary service in July 1939.

son PETER MCKERCHER wife ISABELLA MCCALLUM

Born about 1837 at Saint-André-Est, Argenteuil, Quebec. Died 23rd of June 1879 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.

Peter would work his farm until his passing in 1879, with his wife and family continuing until her death in 1908.

Peter would marry Isabella McCallum about 1869. She was born the 28th of February 1838 at Lochiel, Glengarry, Ontario to Duncan McCallum and Catherine Menzies of Carnbanemore, Fortingall, Perthshire. She died the 7th of May 1908 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario. They had 5 children.

• Margaret McKercher b. 1870 d. 1953 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.
• Catherine McKercher b. 1843 d. 1925 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.
• Daniel Malcolm McKercher b. 1874 d. 1903 at Regina, Saskatchewan.
• Duncan McCallum McKercher b. 1876 d. 1945 at Toronto, Ontario.
• Evangeline McKercher b. 1877 d. 1944 at Toronto, Ontario.

dau CHRISTINA MCKERCHER husband DAVID MUNRO

Born the 16th of September 1843 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario. Died the 13th of March 1896 at Maxville, Glengarry, Ontario.

Christina married David Munro of Martintown, Glengarry on the 26th of March 1869. He was born 3rd of November 1842 and died at Maxville in 1907. They had 7 children.

They had a farm near Maxville.

DUNCAN MCKERCHER

Born the about 1807 at Kerrowmore, Fortingall, Perthshire. Son of Duncan McKercher and his wife Christian McNaughton. Died the 6th of July 1892 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.

wife JANET MCLAREN (MCLAURIN)

Born about 1814 at Killin, Perthshire to John McLaren and Janet Carmichael. The couple married the 19th of June 1840 at Craigelig, Fortingall, Perthshire. Died the 11th of December 1893 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.

son DONALD MCKERCHER wife MARY MATHESON

Born about 1841 at Kerrowmore, Fortingall, Perthshire. Died July 1881 at Wallaceburg, Kent, Ontario.

Donald would become a Presbyterian Minister and leave the farm. He would serve in Thunderbay, where he met his wife, and later in Wallaceburg. He died relatively young in 1881 in Wallaceburg, Kent.

Donald would marry Mary Matheson on the 22nd of October 1874 at Thunder Bay, Ontario. She was born the 3rd of February 1844 in Ross-shire, Scotland. She died the 7th of May 1908 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario. They had 5 children.

• Robert Matheson McKercher b. 1875 d. 1876 at Thunderbay, Ontario
• Duncan Alexander McKercher b. 1876 d. 1975 at Toronto, Ontario.
• Florence Jennie McKercher b. 1878 d. 1918 at St Thomas, Elgin, Ontario.
• Norman McKercher b. 1879 d. 1881 at Camden, Kent, Ontario.
• Donalda McKercher b. 1881 d. 1957 at Dutton, Elgin, Ontario.

son DUNCAN MCKERCHER wife MARY BENNETT

Born the 10th of June 1842 at Kerrowmore, Fortingall, Perthshire. Died 18th of April 1891 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.

Duncan would stay on the family farm and would take over the east half of the farm, lot 9, in 1867. His wife Mary would take possession in 1891 following his death.

Duncan would marry Mary Bennett on the 23rd of July 1872 at Roxborough, Ontario. She was born the 12th of October 1843 at Roxborough. She died the 24th of September 1943 at Maxville, Glengarry, Ontario. They had 7 children.

• Janet Margaret McKercher b. 1873 d. 1963 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.
• Catherine Bennett McKercher b. 1875 d. 1875 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.
• Edith Mary McKercher b. 1876 d. 1951 at Esquimalt, British Columbia.
• Duncan Bennett McKercher b. 1878 d. 1961 at Tulare, California.
• Henry George McKercher b. 1880 d. 1963 at Cornwall, Stormont, Ontario.
• Gertrude McKercher b. 1882 d. 1972 at Butte, Silver Bow, Montana.
• Donald Alexander McKercher b. 1884 d. 1977 at Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan.

dau JANET MCKERCHER husband JOHN MCDIARMID

Born the 29th of July 1845 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario. Died the 6th of August 1911 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.

Janet married John McDiarmid of Roxborough on the 2nd of February 1871. He was born 24th of August 1844 and died at Tayside in 1914. They had 8 children.

son JOHN MCKERCHER

Born about 1847 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario. Died 6th of November 1922 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario.

son PETER MCKERCHER wife AGNES YOUNG AITCHISON

Born the 3rd of July 1849 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario. Died 4th of February 1932 at Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota.

Peter would leave for Iowa by 1871 where he married then moved on to Minnesota.

Peter would marry Agnes Aitchison about 1875. She was born the 29th of May 1852 at Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, Scotland. She died the 8th of March 1939 at St Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota. They had 4 children.

• Jennie Bell Victoria McKercher b. 1876 d. 1962 at Contra Costa, California.
• Margaret Amelia McKercher b. 1878 d. 1875 at St Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota.
• James Cecil McKercher b. 1885 d. 1962 at Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota.
• Agnes Donalda McKercher b. 1890 d. 1969 at Cass, North Dakota.

son FINLAY MCKERCHER

Born February 1853 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario. Died 15th of April 1944 at Brookings, Brookings, South Dakota.

Finlay would take over the west half of the farm, lot 10, but sold it to his brother Duncan before leaving for Iowa, joining his brother Peter, where he would marry twice and eventually move on to Brookings, South Dakota.

1st wife ELIZABETH MILLS

Finlay would marry his 1st wife Elizabeth Mills about 1892 in Iowa. She was born in 1855 in Pennsylvania. She died after the birth of their 2nd child at Clear Lake, Cerro Gordo, Iowa. They had 2 children.

• Mills Carlton McKercher b. 1890 d. 1956 at Tigard, Washington, Oregon.
• Robert Duncan McKercher b. 1893 d. 1981 at Denver, Adams, Colorado.

2nd wife ESTHER MAE TUPPER

Finlay would marry his 2nd wife Esther Tupper the 16th of September 1901 at Clear Lake, Cerro Gordo, Iowa. She was born in 1872 in Pennsylvania. She died 1908 at Brookings, Brookings, South Dakota. They had 4 children.

• Coral McKercher b. 1902 d. 1998 at Brookings, Brookings, South Dakota.
• Constance McKercher b. 1902 d. 1992 at Brookings, South Dakota.
• Janet Amelia McKercher b. 1903 d. 2002 at Denver, Colorado.
• John Malcolm McKercher b. 1905 d. 1991 at Sonoma, California.

dau CHRISTIE MCKERCHER husband WILLIAM BUCHAN

Born the 11th of June 1856 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario. Died the 13th of May 1937 at Maxville, Glengarry, Ontario.

Christie married William Buchan of Dalhousie, Lanark on the 18th of May 1898. He was born 2nd of July 1835 and died at Lanark in 1919.

dau ELIZABETH MCKERCHER

Born about 1857 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario. Died young.

dau MARGARET MCKERCHER husband THOMAS P SAYLOR

Born 1861 at Tayside, Stormont, Ontario. Died 1942 at Hannibal, Taylor, Wisconsin.

Margaret married Thomas Saylor of Illinois on the 12th of November 1915. He was born 15th of July 1860 and died at Hannibal in 1944.