William Duncan (Herd) Hird (bef. 1825 - 1884)

Born before 17 Dec 1825 in Lochee, Forfarshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Croll) Hird — married 30 May 1851 in St Vigeans, ANS, SCT

Descendants

Died 15 Oct 1884 after age 58 in York, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile managers: E. Lauraine Syrnick [send private message] and Larry Smith [send private message]

Biography

William (Herd) Hird was born in Scotland.

William was born in 1825 at Lochee, Liff & Benvie, Forfarshire, Scotland, and was baptised on 17 December that year at Liff and Benvie^[1]. He was the son of Archibald Herd and Elizabeth Duncan.

In 1851 he was an agricultural labourer aged 25 working for John Thorne (a farmer aged 25 with 30 acres employing 3 men) at 68, Keptie Street, St Vigeans, Inverbrothock, Forfarshire^[2].

He married Mary Croall on 30 May 1851 at St Vigeans, Forfarshire^[3]. William and Mary had seven children.

In 1861 he was a manure collector aged 35 (and now called Hird) living with his wife Mary (35) and five children - David (9), William (7) and James (5), all three scholars, and John (3) and Elisabeth (1 month) - at Dishland Street, St Vigeans, Arbroath, Forfarshire ^[4]. In 1871 he was now a contractor aged 45living with his wife Mary at 56, Keptie Street, St Vigeans, Arbroath, Forfarshire^[5]. There were six children at home - David F (a joiner aged 19), William D (a flax factory worker aged 17), James (a flax mill worker aged 15), John (a flax mill worker aged 13) and Elizabeth D (10) and Alex C (5), both scholars.

He came to Canada on the Corinthian in 1871, arriving on 1 June at Quebec^[6]. He came ahead of his family who all came together in June 1872^[7].

In 1881 he was a farmer aged 54 living at Joly, Parry Sound, Ontario with his wife and five children^[8].

William died on 15 October 1884 aged 58 years at Toronto, York, Ontario^[9], from abscess of the kidney. He was a stationery engineer at the time of his death. He was buried on 17 October in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario^[10][11]. He is also remembered on his wife's gravestone in Rosehill Cemetery, MacGregor, Manitoba^[12].

Research Notes

No idea why he and his father did not get along but by his Dad's Will it is obvious. All his father's monies were left to his "Hird" grandchildren.

For the letter that came to Lauraine from Australia, see Mary's profile.

I realized that Mary was 11 years old when her father took his second wife but feel she is correctly his daughter. It is possible his mother minded the child. I always had her born before her husband William Duncan Herd. The age seems correct to me and know how much people cribbed on their census data. Now my Aunt Hattie gave me some of the information but can not guarantee it is correct.

History of Mt Pleasants Potters Field - the burial of William Duncan Hird "On January 30 1826, an Act of Parliament permitted the purchase of a plot of land, located at what is today the northwest corner of Yonge & Bloor Streets. The first public cemetery for 'all classes and sects' was named the York General Burying Grounds but soon became known as Potter's Field."

The birth date of the Find A Grave records must be wrong as he can not be born after he was baptised. It seems there is some confusion with the year because he was born mid December. People often get ages wrong for births in that month! His gravestone in Toronto says that he was 56 and the one in Manitoba says 57 years 10 months. His death record said that he was 58, which is his correct age for being born in 1825. (Dickson-4413 03:21, 4 May 2024 (UTC))

Sources

1. ↑ "Scotland, Parish Births & Baptisms 1564-1929". FindMyPast Transcription Accessed 4 May 2024)
   William Herd baptism on 17 Dec 1825, son of Archibald Herd, in Liff & Benvie, Forfarshire (Angus), Scotland.
2. ↑ "1851 England, Wales & Scotland Census"; Schedule: 43. FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 4 May 2024)
   William Herd (25), unmarried servant, Ag lab, in household of John Thorne (26) at 68, Keptie Street, St Vigeans in Inverbrothock registration district in Scotland. Born in Scotland.
3. ↑ "Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910". citing Digital film/folder number: 007907983; FHL microfilm: 993506. FamilySearch Record: XTRL-NZR Accessed 4 May 2024
   William Herd marriage to Mary Croall on 30 May 1851 in St Vigeans, Angus, Scotland, United Kingdom.
4. ↑ "Scotland Census, 1861"; citing Page: 19; Line: 10; Digital film/folder number: 004548703_007_M93V-PWW; FHL microfilm: 103786; Image number: 77. FamilySearch Record: VB7T-5P2 - FamilySearch Image: 9398-ZVQL-J Accessed 4 May 2024
   William Herd (35), married, Manure Collector, in Arbroath, Forfarshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. Born in N K, FIFE.
5. ↑ "Scotland Census, 1871"; citing Page: 17; Line: 12; Digital film/folder number: 004549978_004_M94X-C9K; FHL microfilm: 103938; Image number: 905. FamilySearch Record: VB55-DNC - FamilySearch Image: 9398-6S9Q-MZ Accessed 4 May 2024
   William Hird (45), married, Contractor, in Arbroath, Forfarshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. Born in Lochee, Forfarshire.
6. ↑ Quebec City Passenger Lists Index 1865 - 1900.
   Name: William Hird; Passenger #82; Age 45; Date of Arrival: 1871/06/01, Quebec, Quebec; Ship: CORINTHIAN; REF: 76, MICOFILM C-4526
7. ↑ Passenger List from Ottawa as transcribed from [film of] original documents held in the collection of the National Archives of Canada RG 76, Port of Quebec Arrivals, Ships' Passenger Lists, reel C-4527.
   Shipping line: Allen Line; Vessel Name: "St David"; Tons per Register: 1516; Master Name: William Richardson; Port of Departure: Glasgow; Date of Departure: 31 May 1872; Where Bound: Quebec; Date of Arrival: 5 June 1872; No of Passengers: 471
8. ↑ "Canada Census, 1881"; citing Volume: 8; Page: 43; Affiliate Publication Number: e008180133; Digital film/folder number: 004466270; FHL microfilm: 1375880; Image number: 133. FamilySearch Record: MVX1-5P3 - FamilySearch Image: S3HY-D1KS-4PJ Accessed 4 May 2024
   William Hurd (54), married, Farmer, in Joly, Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada. Born in Scotland.
9. ↑ "Canada, Ontario Deaths, 1869-1937 and Overseas Deaths, 1939-1947"; citing Toronto, York, Ontario, yr 1884 cn 23358, Registrar General. Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,853,186. FamilySearch Record: JDJV-46P - FamilySearch Image: S3HT-XCQS-Q3L Accessed 4 May 2024
   William Duncan Herd death 15 Oct 1884 (age 58) in Toronto, York, Ontario
10. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/248424396/william_duncan-hird: accessed May 4, 2024), memorial page for William Duncan Hird (25 Dec 1826–15 Oct 1884), Find A Grave: Memorial #1248424396, citing Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, Toronto Municipality, Ontario, Canada; Maintained by Shadow129 (contributor 49634908).
11. ↑ "Ontario, Toronto Trust Cemeteries, 1826-1989," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KH6Z-XL5 : accessed 27 April 2016), William Dunkin Hird, 17 Oct 1884; citing Toronto, Ontario, Canada, section and lot L 2 5, line 2244, volume Volume 01, 1876-1896, Toronto Trust Cemeteris, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,617,049.
12. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/112669650/william_duncan-hird: accessed May 4, 2024), memorial page for William Duncan Hird (25 Dec 1826–15 Oct 1884), Find A Grave: Memorial #112669650, citing Rosehill Cemetery, MacGregor, Central Manitoba Census Division, Manitoba, Canada; Maintained by Judy Mayfield (contributor 46636512).