James Somerville (abt. 1811 - 1873)

Born about 1811 in Lanarkshire, Scotland

Husband of Margaret (Goodfellow) Somerville — married 24 Jun 1840 in Toronto, York, Upper Canada

Descendants

Died 24 Oct 1873 at about age 62 in Ontario, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Anne Svihra [send private message]

Biography

James Somerville was born in about 1811 in Lanarkshire, Scotland.^[1][2][3][4]

James immigrated to Canada in about 1836.^[2] He married Margaret Goodfellow on June 24, 1840 in Toronto.^[1][3][4][5] James was a resident of Vaughan Township and Margaret was a resident of Albion Township.^[5] Their marriage was witnessed by John Fleming and James Dalziel, and solemnized by Rev. John Jennings.^[5] Rev. Jennings had just been inducted as minister at the first United Presbyterian Church in Toronto one year before.^[6]

James and Margaret had several children:

• Robert Somerville (1841-1916) ^[1][7]
• James Somerville (abt.1843-1890) ^[1][7][8]
• John Somerville (abt. 1844-) ^[1][7]
• Margaret Somerville (abt.1851-1926) ^[1][7][8]
• Mary Somerville (abt.1854-1930) ^[1][8]

As of the 1851 Census, James owned several (part) lots in Vaughan Township, including Concession 10, Lots 13, 14, and 15 (150 acres total), and Concession 9, Lot 26 (60 acres).^[9] He was a farmer and was living in a single-storey log house with his wife, his children, and two servants, Daniel Connagh and Mary McTaggart.^[7] A 1.5-storey stone farmhouse was built in about 1856 on the farm at Lot 14, Concession 10, and it served as the family's home for many years.^[1][2][10] James became a councillor for Vaughan Township Council in 1857.^[2][11]

Before the local United Presbyterian church, later known as Knox Presbyterian Church, was built to serve the Elder's Mills community, religious services were held at James' home.^[2] James became an Elder at the church in about 1861, and he continued to serve in that position for the rest of his life.^[2] By 1871, he was living with his wife, Margaret, his son, James, his daughters, Mary and Margaret, and two farm labourers, James Wood and John Irwin.^[8]

James died on October 24, 1873 and was buried in Nashville Cemetery in Kleinburg, Ontario, Canada.^[3][4]

Copyright © 2019 Anne Svihra. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2019 Anne Svihra. All rights reserved.

Other sides of the gravestone can be viewed here: north | south | east

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7} "Canada Census, 1861," database with images, Library and Archives Canada (https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1861/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=2797497 : accessed 25 February 2021) Jas Somerville, Vaughan, York, Canada West (Ontario).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} Mulvany, Charles Pelham, Adam, Graeme Mercer. History of the County of York, Ontario, Volume II. Toronto: C. Blackett Robinson, 1885. Page 366. Available online, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/historyyork02unknuoft/page/365/mode/2up : accessed 3 March 2021).
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Nashville Cemetery (Kleinburg, Ontario, Canada). Somerville Gravestone (west side). Photographed by Anne Svihra, 11 November 2019.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 25 February 2021), memorial page for James Somerville (1811–24 Oct 1873), Find A Grave: Memorial #67976026, citing Nashville Cemetery, Kleinburg, York Regional Municipality, Ontario, Canada; Maintained by Evelyn Jepson (contributor 46802354).
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} "Ontario, District Marriage Registers, 1801-1858," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS76-HHS3?cc=2569151&wc=Q8XV-2JG%3A1589662550%2C1589662549 : 25 February 2021), Home > 1839-1848, vol 11 > image 74 of 222; citing The Archives of Ontario, Toronto.
6. ↑ C. Glenn Lucas, “JENNINGS, JOHN,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 10, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed February 25, 2021, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/jennings_john_10E.html.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4} "Canada Census, 1851," database with images, Library and Archives Canada (https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1851/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=1347003 : accessed 4 March 2021) James Sumervill, Vaughan, York (county), Canada West (Ontario). Pages 333 & 334, Microfilm C-11759, Item Number 1347003.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3} "Canada Census, 1871," database with images, Library and Archives Canada (https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1871/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=979029 : accessed 25 February 2021) Jas Somerville, Vaughan, York West, Ontario, Canada.
9. ↑ "Canada Census, 1851," database with images, Library and Archives Canada (https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1851/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=1311172 : accessed 25 February 2021) James Somerville, Vaughan, York (county), Canada West (Ontario).
10. ↑ About page of The Arlington Estate Event Venue website (https://thearlingtonestate.com/about/ : accessed 3 March 2021). "...he turned this one-of-a-kind 1856 Heritage House into ... The Arlington Estate."
11. ↑ Reaman, G. Elmore. A History of Vaughan Township. Toronto: George C. H. Snider, 1971. Page 73.