Norman McKay (1848 - 1931)

Born 15 Aug 1848 in Scotland

Ancestors

Died 1 Nov 1931 at age 83 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

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Biography

Norman MacKay, born on August 15, 1848, in South Bragar, Barvas, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland, was the son of Murdock MacKay and Margaret Matheson. In the 1851 Scottish Census, young Norman, at the age of 3, was already a part of the MacKay household.

Around 1870, Norman made the life-altering decision to immigrate to Canada. His initial years in Edmonton, Territories, Northwest Territories, saw him working as a labourer, as evidenced by the 1881 Canadian Census.

Norman's existence came to light through the 1851 Scotland Census, and later, he was noted in the marriage registration of his brother Angus MacKay to Mary Macphail in 1887. In subsequent years, he became a lodger in Angus's household in Port Arthur, Ontario, listed as a labourer.

The 1911 Canadian Census portrayed Norman still engaged in labour, residing as a lodger in Gorhaw & Ware, Thunder Bay district, emphasizing his Scottish roots, particularly from the Isle of Lewis.

Norman's life took an intriguing turn during the North-West Rebellion of 1885. Having arrived in Canada at 19, he joined the Hudson's Bay Company at York Factory. During the rebellion, Norman served as an interpreter for British forces, fluent in Cree, and operated as a spy, narrowly escaping danger multiple times. His associations included notable figures like Big Bear, a powerful Indian chief, and Samuel Steele, commissioner of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police.

In the 1921 Census, Norman, now in McIntyre Twp., Shuniak, Ontario, reflected the enduring nature of his residence in the region.

Norman MacKay died on November 31, 1931, at the General Hospital in Port Arthur. The cause of death was attributed to passive pneumonia and old age. His funeral, on November 3, 1931, was conducted by Rev. J. A. McMahon, and he was laid to rest in Riverside Cemetery, Port Arthur.

Until family history pursuits in the 2010s, nothing was known of Norman MacKay and in fact, it seemed his existence was almost all but forgotten. Norman's life, from immigration and labour contributions to his involvement in historical events, contributes to the rich tapestry of Canadian history during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. (G. Patrick MacKay)

Birth

Birth:

Date: 15 AUG 1848

Place: Scotland

Census Data

1851 Scottish Census - South Bragar, Barvas, Ross & Cromarty^[1]

Murdock McKay - 52 (1799) b. Barvas, Rossshire

Margaret Mckay - 45 (1806) b. Barvas, Rossshire

Donald Mckay - 10 (1841) b. Barvas, Rossshire; son

Alexr Mckay Twins - 7 (1844) b. Barvas, Rossshire; son

Margaret Mckay Twins - 7 (1844) b. Barvas, Rossshire; daughter

Normand Mckay - 3 (1848) b. Barvas, Rossshire; son

Anne Mckay (1) 1850 b. Barvas, Rossshire; daughter

1881 Canadian Census - Edmonton, Territories, Northwest Territories, Canada^[2]

Norman McKay - 32 (1849) b. Scotland; r. Presbyterian

Norman is listed as living with his brother and his family in Port Arthur, Ontario in 1901.

1901 Census - Algoma, District 44, Port Arthur, Subdistrict L(2)-2, Page 5

Angus McKay, Head, 45, April 15 1856, b.Scotland, immigration 1890, Carpenter, employed 9 months, earnings - $500

Mary A. McKay, Wife, 45, Sept 14, 1856, b.Scotland, immigration 1890. Cannot read or write.

Stewart D. McKay, Son, 22, Apr 5, 1879, b.Scotland, immigration 1890, Marine Fireman, employed 8 months, earnings - $400

Anna McKay, Daughter, 12, Dec 14, 1889, b.Scotland, immigration 1890

Murdina McKay, Daughter, 10, Feb 3, 1892, b.N.W.Terr

Mary A. McKay, Daughter, 5, Jan 10, 1896, b.Ont

Norman McKay, Brother, 50, Aug 15, 1850, b.Scotland, immigration 1890, Labourer, employed 8 months, - earnings $300

1911 Canadian Census - McIntyre, Ontario^[3]

Thomas Clark - 31 b. Ireland

Robert H Wickham - 69 b. Scotland

Alexander Hobbs - 44 b. Newfoundland

Dorcan Murchison - 65 b. Ontario

Harold Arnitage - 16 b. England

Norman Mc Kay - 61 (November 1850) b. Lewis, Scotland; Immigrated 1870; o. labourer; Earnings: $300

James Armstage - 20 b. England

Duncan Mc Isaac - 51 b. Ontario

In 1911 it's apparent he was still a labourer as he lived as a lodger in Gorhaw & Ware in Thunder Bay district. It not only mentions he was originally from Scotland, but more precisely, the Isle of Lewis.

1921 Canadian Census - McIntyre Twp., Shuniak, Ontario^[4]

James Arthur - 60 (1861) b. Ireland; Parents b. Ireland

Norman MacKay - 70 (1851) b. Scotland; Father b. Scotland; Mother b. Egypt; Immigrated:1870; R. Presbyterian

——

1931 Canada Census - McIntyre Twp, Port Arthur, Thunder Bay, Ontario^[5]

William Arthur (head) - 73 (1858) b. Ireland: immigrated 1882; o. Farmer

Minnie Arthur (wife) - 49 (1882) b. Ireland; immigrated 1909

Wilbert Arthur (son) - 16 (1915) b. Ontario

Adeline Arthur (daughter) - (1916) b. Ontario

Norman McKay (lodger) - 82 (1849) b. Scotland; parents b. Scotland; immigrated 1875; nationality: Canadian; can speak English and French; Religion: Anglican; occupation: none

Death and Burial

Death of Norman McKay^[6]

Date: November 31, 1931

Place: General Hospital, Port Arthur, Thunder Bay District, Ontario

Cause: Passive pneumonia and old age, lasting 15 days

Residence: McIntyre Twp.

Marital Status: Single

Birth date: 'Not procurable', 1852 (79y)

Occupation: Farming labourer

Length of time in province: 35y (1896)

Length of time in Canada: 60y (1871)

Father: Murdock McKay, Scotland

Mother: Maggie Matheson, Scotland

Informant: S. D. McKay (nephew), 876 Detroit Ave.

Burial: Riverside Cemetery, Port Arthur, on November 3, 1931

Obituary

Norman McKay, of McIntyre township, one of the pioneers of this section of Canada, died in a Port Arthur hospital Sunday morning at the age of 79. He had resided in Port Arthur and its vicinity for 35 years.

Mr. McKay, when a youth of 19, sailed from Stornoway, Scotland, to join the Hudson's Bay company at York Factory, his ship taking 90 days to cross the Atlantic. He witnessed many stirring scenes in the early days of Canada. During the second Riel rebellion he acted as interpreter for the British forces, as he spoke the Cree Indian language fluently. He also was sent out as a spy, and many times narrowly escaped death at the hands of Riel's supporters. He counted among his intimate friends, Big Bear, powerful Indian chief of that day, and Samuel Steele, comissioner of the Royal Northwest Mounted police.

Mr. McKay is survived by his nephew, S. D. McKay, 876 Detroit avenue, Port Arthur.

The funeral will be held from the funeral parlors, 299 Arthur street, Port Arthur, at 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon. The Rev. J. A. McMahon, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, Port Arthur, will conduct the service, and interment will be made in Riverside cemetery.

Pg 3, Fort William Daily Times, Nov. 1, 1931.

Notes

Norman's obit states he counted among his friends Big Bear and Sam Steele. It's likely that he would have been witness to key part the second Riel rebellion, or, Northwest rebellion of 1885:

During the North-West Rebellion Steele was dispatched with a small force. Missing the Battle of Batoche the Mounties were sent to move against the last rebel force led by Big Bear. He was present at the Battle of Frenchman's Butte, where Big Bear's warriors defeated the Canadian forces under General Thomas Bland Strange. Two weeks later, Steele and his two dozen Mounties defeated Big Bear's force at Loon Lake, District of Saskatchewan, in the last battle ever fought on Canadian territory. The contributions of the NWMP in putting down the rebellion went largely ignored and unrewarded, to Steele's great annoyance. By 1885, Steele held the rank of superintendent. He established a NWMP station in the town of Galbraiths Ferry, which was later named to Fort Steele in British Columbia after Steele solved a murder in the town. He then moved on to Fort Macleod, District of Alberta, in 1888. (Source: Wikipedia)

Patricia McKay, Norman's great niece, made reference to him in this 1957 letter, "Angus is not clear on Dad's generation of the family - and of course I know next to nothing myself - except for Mary and Uncle Norman. I always understood Dad was a twin. Angus thinks his brother was a little older and died after an accident when he was 7 or 8 (drowning or pneumonia?)"

"I'm probably the elder of the elders and in my childhood any query's of him were quietly brushed aside, in retrospect, I wish I had pressed the issue but I was a kid with other things on my mind...my dad, who could expound on any issue, was strangely silent.. who's to know now...wish I'd persisted..." - Danford MacKay, 2014 on Facebook

"Donald McKay, has son of 14; daughters of 16 and 11; wife. Norman, his brother, away at work. Says he gave Norman his only good pair of boots to take him away with. That not long ago he was burned out, losing everything he had. Effie, his daughter, is working at Portage la Prairie; not been heard from."^[7]

Sources

• WikiTree profile McKay-447 created through the import of Danford MacKay Family(2).ged on Feb 3, 2012 by Graeme MacKay. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Graeme and others.

1. ↑ 1851 England, Wales and Scotland Census, South Bragar, Barvas, Ross & Cromarty Parish 86A, (Roll CSSCT1851_18); digital image, The Natonal Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey
2. ↑ "Canada Census, 1881," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MV6N-BD9 : accessed 01 Dec 2012), Norman McKay, Edmonton, Territories, Northwest Territories, Canada. http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/e/e329/e008212337.jpg
3. ↑ Year: 1911; Census Place: McIntyre, Thunder Bay and Rainy River, Ontario; Page: 3; Family No: 29.
4. ↑ Reference Number: RG 31; Folder Number: 82; Census Place: McGregor (Township), McIntyre (Township), Shuniak, Port Arthur and Kenora, Ontario; Page Number: 7.
5. ↑ 1931 Census; Sub-district: McIntyre two; Enumeration sub-district No. 6; District: Port Arthur-Thunder Bay; Municipality: Shuniah; Province: Ontario, page 3, Digital image 4 of 21
6. ↑ Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Deaths, 1869-1938. MS 935, reels 1-615 (#427). Archives of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
7. ↑ APPRENDIX B, Notes on Settlement of Crofters at Saltcoats, N.W.T. (October 1889) Page 26, Parliamentary Papers, Volume 27, Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons.