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CAPTAIN ALLEN H. McDONALD, a retired farmer of
Camden Gore, owns a fine farm of 160 acres in Lots 2 and 3, 3rd
Concession, on which he erected a handsome brick house in 1899. He came
to the property that year from near the old homestead of his family, on
which he had resided for 25 years.
Capt. McDonald was born March 18, 1849, in
Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and comes of a family descended from the one-time
rebel chief, McDonald of Glencoe. His parents, Allen and Annie (Laing)
McDonald, were also natives of Aberdeenshire, the father born May 12,
1812, the mother in 1817. They came to Canada in 1853, and settled in
Goderich township, County of Huron, where Mr. McDonald carried on a
tailoring business, moving to the County of Kent, on the banks of the
Sydenham river, near the town of Dresden, in 1866. Mr. And Mrs. McDonald
had children as follows: Elizabeth, Mrs. William Bolton, of Dresden;
Jessie, Mrs. John McKay, of Camden township; Annie, deceased wife of John
Whtison; Allen H.; Jennie, deceased, wife of Murray Creamer, of Dresden;
Andrew, who is on the old farm; and Capt. John, of Dresden. The mother of
this family died in 1892, the father surviving until August 4, 1902. They
were Presbyterians in religious faith. Mr. McDonald was a Reformer in
politics.
Capt. Allen H. McDonald has been married
twice, his first wife, whom he married in Wallaceburg, in 1879, bearing
the maiden name of Larency Houctwith. Two children were born of this
marriage: Claud, of Windsor, Ontario; and Orville, who is on the old
homestead in Camden Gore. On October 25, 1886, in Port Huron, Capt.
McDonald married Jessie Atkins, and their children are: Etta G., Mary B.,
Lillie G., John L. and William B., all at home. Mrs. McDonald was born in
Chatham township, October 23, 1862, daughter of Joseph and Lillie (Bryden)
Atkins, natives of England and Scotland, respectively, who were married
in Newbury, Ontario. Mr. Atkins was a shoemaker by trade. The children
born of their union were as follows: David died young; Anna, of Toronto,
married James Dobie; Isabella, of Seattle, Washington, married Fred
Singleton, and, later Benjamin Freed; Jessie is Mrs. McDonald. After the
death of the father Mrs. Atkins married a Mr. Barefoot, and by him had one
child, Benjamin, a machinist, of Ohio.
Allen H. McDonald came to the County of Kent
with his parents in 1866, and was reared upon a farm, continuing there
until he was nineteen. He then began to sail upon the lakes, and followed
that calling until 1882, when he commenced farming in Camden Gore, near
the old homestead, remaining there until 1899, and then moving to his
present farm. In addition to other interests he has considerable town
property in Dresden, and was one of the promoters of the Standard Cement
Company, Limited, capital stock $300,000. He is one of the prosperous and
solid retired farmers and business men of his neighbourhood, and his
success in life has come to him through his own unaided efforts, directed
intelligently along legitimate lines. Fraternally the Captain is a member
of the I.O.O.F. In politics he is a Reformer, but never desired office.
Both he and his excellent wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, of
which he is an elder. |
