A prosperous farmer residing in Harwich township,
County of Kent on the town line range, was born in Argyllshire,
Scotland, November 23rd, 1834. His parents, Lachlan
and Mary (Glen) Galbraith, were born in Argyllshire, he in
January, 1804, and she in 1806, were married in Scotland, where
hey engaged in farming until 1847, when they emigrated to
Canada, coming to Quebec on a sailing-vessel, the “Ann Rankin,”
the passage taking six weeks. There were seven hundred
passengers aboard. From Quebec they came by steamer to
Montreal, on to Hamilton by boat, thence overland by wagon to
London, and on to Morpeth, arriving in Harwich August 23rd,
just two months from the day they sailed from Glasgow. The
father purchased 100 acres on Lot 18, on the town line range of
Harwich, where he started the life of a pioneer. Later he
purchased different tracts of land until he owned 400 acres.
Lachlan Galbraith died in Harwich township February 9th,
1879, his wife surviving until May 2nd, 1884.
They were the parents of children as follows:
Lachlan died in Scotland. Alexander died on the trip to this
country. John is mentioned below. Robert, born in Scotland, in
1841, died in 1869 on the old homestead; he was a well-educated
young man, and taught in the schools of the County of Kent.
Duncan married Miss Elizabeth Galbraith, a daughter of John
Galbraith (deceased), and they reside on his farm, adjoining
that of our subject. Donald, born in Scotland in 1847, married
Mary Winters, and settled on the old homestead in Harwich; they
have no family. Mary, born in Scotland, in 1836, and who died
in 1896, married Levi Pangburn, who died on the farm in Harwich
township, leaving one son, Lachlan, who resides in the same
township, and is known as Galbraith, having taken his mother’s
maiden name.
Galbraith was well educated in Scotland and
Canada. He remained on his father’s farm until his marriage to
Miss Milcah Maw, who was born in Howard township in April, 1849,
daughter of Jacob and Susanna (Smith) Maw, natives of
Lincolnshire, England, who came to Howard township as early as
1846. They settled on the town line range in that township,
where Mr. Maw cleared up a farm and spent the remainder of his
life, his wife still residing on the old homestead. She is over
eighty. Mr. and Mrs. Maw had five children: John, of Harwich
township: Jacob, who is on the old homestead; Mary, who married
Henry Homes, of Harwich township; Sarah, who married Dougal
Clark, of Howard township; and Mrs. Galbraith, who was reared
and educated in Howard township.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Galbraith
settled on their present place, then comprising one acres of
wild land purchased by his father. By hard work and good
management he has developed this into a most excellent farm, has
erected a large farm house, good barns and fences, and keeps his
premises in first-class condition. He and his wife have become
the parents of the following children: John,, born in 1867; is
unmarried and lives on the homestead, where he is manager;
Duncan,, born in 1869, married Miss Annie Hutchinson, of Harwich
township, and they reside in the original Galbraith home with
his uncle and their three children, Alexander, Archie and Neil;
Robert, born in 1872, married Miss Maggie Winters, of Howard and
resides in Howard township (they have one son, James E.); Jacob,
born in 1874, is unmarried, and resides on he homestead.
Lachlan, born in 1877, was graduated from the Collegiate
Institute of Ridgetown and is a farmer in Harwich township (he
married Priscilla Parsons, and they have one son, Donald); Mary
died when two years old; Susan, born in 1883 has been highly
educated, and is now the wife of Alverda McCoig, a farmer of
Howard township; Lizzie, born in 1885, is unmarried and resides
at home; Ethel was born in 1889; Rosa Lena was born in 1892;
Maggie Ruth was born in 1895.
Politically Mr. Galbraith has always been
identified with the Reform Party. Religiously the entire family
are connected with the Presbyterian Church, and Mr. Galbraith
was one of the founders of St James Church, in which he has been
a liberal supporter. Mrs. Galbraith comes of a staunch old
Methodist family. Mr. Galbraith has always lent his support to
measures calculated to advance the best interests of the
country, and he and his wife dispense a gracious hospitality in
their comfortable home, surrounded by their intelligent and
promising family. Pages 187 – 188
