James MacFadden

James Mac Fadden was my great-great grandfather. He was born on April 25, 1821 in what is now the township of Nissouri, Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada, about six miles from London. He was educated at the grammar school in London, and received a common English education. He was 16 years old when the Rebellion of 1837 broke out, and he enlisted in the company of volunteers that his father captained. This company of soldiers was stationed at Windsor throughout the rebellion, and did not fight any battles. But it was said that he always looked back at his experience as a soldier with considerable pleasure.
Shortly thereafter, at the age of 17, James relocated to the United States, and became a citizen of the U.S. on September 4, 1844 in Henry County, Ohio, where he had resided the previous year. After staying in the United States until 1850, James returned to London in Canada, and commenced the study of law in the office of James Daniel. He passed the solicitors’ examination as an attorney-at-law in 1854, and moved to St. Mary’s to practice law there in 1855. He remained in St. Mary’s for 12 years, a portion of which time he was in partnership with Mr. John E. Harding, Q.C.
On January 19, 1860, James married Catherine A. McLean, daughter of William McLean and Jane McNish of St. Mary’s. By this union, there were 7 children, Jane (Jennie) – my great-grandmother, Minnie, William, James A., Jessie, George, and Kate. Jennie eventually married Henry Jeffrey.
James showed a keen interest in educational and other public affairs, and held the office of school trustee and was councillor in St. Mary’s for 1863 and 1864.
In 1866, one year prior to Canadian Confederation, James received the appointment of Local Registrar, Clerk of the County Court and Surrogate Registrar of the County of Perth, which necessitated his move to Stratford. He was appointed to this position by Sir John MacDonald, at that time Premier of Upper Canada, and held this position up to a week before his death in 1899.
James was probably one of the very oldest Masons in Stratford at the time of his death, as he was initiated in St. John’s Lodge, No. 209A, of London on October 1, 1842. He was an honorary and charter member of Stratford Lodge, No. 332 A.F. and A.M. and of Tecumseh Chapter No. 24, besides being Past Master of St. James Lodge, No. 61, of St. Mary’s.
He did not entertain any strong religious views, but in Stratford was an adherent of Know (Presbyterian) Church.
He died on Friday, August 4, 1899, at the age of 78, at his residence on Huron Street in Stratford, after suffering a paralytic stroke a week previously.