ALEXANDER CUTHBERT, a harness manufacturer and bailiff of the Third
District court, at Dresden, County of Kent, came hither in 1873, from
Glencoe, Ontario. He was born in Elginshire, Scotland, June 10th,
1852, a son of Andrew and Margerie (Anderson) Cuthbert, the former of
whom was born in Banffshire and the latter in Elginshire, Scotland.
They came to London, Ontario, in 1856, and there the mother died in
1865, aged thirty-three years. The father came to the County of Kent in
1874 and located at Dresden, where he followed shoemaking and died in
January, 1893, aged sixty-four years. Both were buried in the Dresden
cemetery. Andrew and Margerie Cuthbert had two children. The paternal
grandparents were Alexander and Betsey (Lannum) Cuthbert, the former a
shoemaker and hotel-keeper in Scotland.
Alexander Cuthbert remained with his parents until his marriage, and
during this time served an apprenticeship to the harness-maker’s trade.
In 1873he came to Dresden and engaged in his present business and has
become one of the town’s best citizens. For the past eight years he has
served in the city council, for three years has been school trustee, and
in 1890 was appointed bailiff.
In 1873
Mr. Cuthbert was married (first) in Glencoe to Lydia A. Currie, who was
born at Glencoe, Ontario, and died at Dresden, in January, 1876, aged
twenty years. She left one son, Hugh, a brick mason, contractor and
builder at Neepawa, Manitoba, who married Ella Wortman. Mrs. Cuthbert
was a daughter of Hugh and Mary (Ontwine) Currie, of Detroit, Michigan,
who came to Dresden in 1864. Mr. Currie was a lumber merchant and owner
and operator of tugboats. He died in 1892, aged sixty-five years, and
his wife in 1872, aged thirty-five years.
In 1878
Mr. Cuthbert married, at Dawn Mills, Kent County, Mary J. Prangley, and
the children born to this are: William P., Alice M., Andrew, Violet,
MaryJ., Eva, Stewart, Janet, John A. and Charles P. Mrs. Cuthbert was
born in 1853, at Dawn Mills, a daughter of Charles and Alice Ann
(Taylor) Prangley, the former of England and the latter of Canada. The
late Charles Prangley was born April 14th, 1815, in England,
and died at Dawn Mills February 1, 1874. His parents came to the County
of Kent in 1837 and settled near Bothwell, where they engaged in farming
and reared these children: Moses, George, Charles and Eliza. On March
30th, 1843, at Dawn Mills, Charles Prangley married Alice Ann
Taylor, and they reared the following family: Sarah E., who is the wife
of H.S. Hughes, of Dresden; William T., who is a farmer of Camden
township; Eliza J., wife of David Gibson, a hardware merchant at Elgin,
Manitoba; Charles, a farmer in Camden township, on the old homestead;
Mary J., wife of Alexander Cuthbert, of Dresden; Alice M., wife of J.H.
McVean, a hardware merchant at Dresden; and Miss Ella M., at home. Mrs.
Prangley was born February 16, 1819, in New York City, and is a
sister-in-law of Mrs. T.H. Taylor of Chatham. She still resides at
Dresden. Mr. Prangley remained with his parents on the farm until the
age of fourteen and then learned the tailor trade. He went into the
milling business at Dawn Mills, and until his marriage worked for his
father-in-law, afterward beginning farming, although he retained
possession of both gristmill and lumber-mill, having them operated for
him. In politics Mr. Prangley belonged to the Conservative party. Both
he and his wife belonged to the English Church. He was a very prominent
and highly esteemed citizen of the County of Kent.
Mr.
Cuthbert has most efficiently discharged the duties of bailiff ever
since he entered upon the work of his incumbency. In politics he
belongs to the Liberal wing and has always taken an active part in party
deliberations. For the past fifteen years he has been agent for the
insurance feature of the I.O.O.F., and in 1903 was elected Deputy
District Grand Master of Kent district, No. 2, I.O.O.F.; he belongs also
to the Masonic Blue Lodge. He is a consistent member and a very liberal
supporter of the Presbyterian Church, in which he has reared his family.
Mr.
Cuthbert has been an interested witness of the wonderful development of
his locality and has been very prominently identified with the growth of
many of its industries. He is very highly respected for his many
sterling qualities and his election to and retention in his present
responsible offices give sufficient evidence as to his ability and
fidelity to public trusts. He is one of the thoroughly posted men of
the place and is considered one of the most reliable and representative
men of Dresden.
p.127, 128
