James Gemmill (1818 - 1899)

Born 21 Dec 1818 in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Jennet Bridget — married 8 Apr 1840 in Almonte, Lanark County, ON, Canada

Descendants

Died 27 Jan 1899 at age 80 in Carleton Place, Lanark, Ontario, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: M. Scott Manning [send private message]

Biography

Born December 21, 1818 at Paisley in Renfrewshire, Scotland, ^[1] James came to Canada in 1821 as a two year-old with his parents, James Gemmill and Susanna Simpson. Arriving in July 1821, the Gemmill family were sheltered at the Lanark Military Settlement, a temporary encampment (later Lanark Village) set up for the newly arrived Scottish immigrants. Tragically, James' mother died at the encampment.

So James grew up in the wilds of Lanark County being raised by his widower father. When old enough, James and his elder sister Mary would help transform their wooded 100 acre land grant in south Ramsay Township (East Half Lot 5, Conc. 11) into a viable farm. James Jr. would later inherit the farm with its meandering creek from his father, which was described as a "beautiful farm" in his obituary.

James married Jennet Bridget in April 1840 and they raised eight children at their farmhouse, situated just northeast of Appleton. Jennet died in 1869 and James married the widow Agnes (Henry) Campbell in April 1869 but they later separated.

James sold his farm in 1871 and moved to nearby Carleton Place. For 28 years James' home was on Bridge St. (now 38 Bridge St.) beside the old Central School, which is now the Post Office. James set up shop as a grocer and provided Carleton Place residents with fresh produce and food supplies during the 1870s and 1880s.

James' obituary in the Ottawa Journal provides a nice insight on James in his latter years:

"For a long time he has been in poor health, and could not move far from the house, but on pleasant days, sitting in his chair on the verandah, gave and sought a social life with the passing townsfolk and neighbours of by-gone days, ... his kindly word to children and demeanor to neighbours, his bluff good-humoured salutations, indexed the fuller phases of his personality."

James died at home from influenza on January 27, 1899, after a long life of 80 years. His obituary confirms he was buried at Cram's Cemetery, which became St. Fillans, and is now part of Beckwith United Cemetery. ^[2]

Brief bio by M. S. Manning, James' 3rd G-grandson.

Sources

1. ↑ Baptisms/Births Index Old Parish Registers Scotland Parish of Paisley High Church 1818 James Gemmill son of James Gemmill and Susan Simpson 27 Dec 1818 573/1 10 578 Paisley High Church
2. ↑ Numerous Sources:
   • Paisley Townhead Emigrant Society records, Lanark Society Settlers;
   • Paisley High Church and Lanark County church records;
   • Canada Censuses 1861-1891;
   • Obituary: 1. Almonte Gazette, 2. The Ottawa Journal (30 Jan 1899);
   • Plus extensive family history research.