Catharine (McLean) MacFadden

Catharine Amelia McLean was born on June 21, 1839 in Brockville, Canada. Very little is known of her life. She was the eldest of at least 7 children. Her parents were William McLean and Jane McNish. William was a farmer while Catharine was growing up, probably of wheat, and Catharine was raised on the farm. Harvesting grain was a large and important task for farmers in the 1850s. It involved the entire family because it was a major source of money for the family. Everyone helped in the fields in mid- to late- July when the grain was ready. Harvesting was done by hand, either with a sickle or a grain cradle to cut the grain. The McLean family moved to the city of St. Mary’s when Catharine was in her teens. She married James MacFadden on January 19, 1860 in St. Mary’s, with her younger brother, George, serving as a witness. She was 20 years old at the time of her marriage, and her new husband was 18 years older than she. She had 7 children during her marriage (4 girls and 3 boys). Her eldest daughter, Jennie, born when Catharine was 22, is my great-grandmother. Her youngest child, Kate, was born when Catharine was 43 years old.
Six years after their marriage, the young family moved to Stratford because of James’ new job. Stratford remained Catharine’s home until her death in 1894. Their last home was located on Huron Street in Stratford. She listed her religion as Presbyterian, which was the religion of her parents.
Catharine died on June 30, 1894, at the age of 55, of stomach cancer.

More photos of Catharine (McLean) MacFadden

Here are three more photos of Catharine. The top left one is a very interesting colorized portrait, as a young woman, probably from around the time of her marriage. There is no date on the actual portrait. The upper right photo is of Catharine as a young mother in 1863, with her two eldest daughters on her lap: Jennie (my great-grandmother) the oldest, and Minnie. The last photo is of the whole MacFadden family in 1888 in front of their home in Stratford. Catharine is wearing the stripped dress.

Old Signatures

Here are copies of the signatures of some of my relatives that I have written about:

James MacFadden from the 1860s. The W.M. below his signature stands for "Worthy Master." He was a Master in the Masons.

Andrew Jeffrey from a letter he wrote in 1831 to his father-in-law, James Hall



Agnes Moscrip Jeffrey from the 1870s, signed in her daughter Jessie's date book

Jennie E. Jeffrey, signed at the end of the first letter she wrote to her soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Agnes Morck, written a month and a half before their wedding in 1925

Henry Jeffrey's signature at the end of his "Last Will and Testament", signed March 15, 1945, 9 months after the death of his wife, Jennie

James Leonard Jeffrey, signed at the end of his Will, dated October 3, 1944.

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.

More Photos of James MacFadden

Here are three more photos of James Macfadden. The top one is generally thought to have been taken around the time of his marriage in 1860, at the age of 38. The next photo is thought to have been taken in the 1880s in Stratford. The last one is of James with his youngest daughter, Kate, taken in the mid- to late- 1890s. James was 61 years old when Kate was born.

Agnes Moscrip Jeffrey

Agnes Moscrip Jeffrey was my great-great grandmother. I have not been able to gather much information about her, compared with her husband, Andrew Jeffrey. She had a very intriguing life, though, and as more is known, I will update this post.
Agnes Moscrip was born on January 19, 1819 in Upper Canada (location unknown). Her parents were Robert and Jane Moscrip. She had at least one brother, Robert.
Little is known of Agnes’ childhood. As a young woman (20 or so years old), she married a John McLenhan, and they had 4 children – Robert, John, Andrew, and Agnes. In September 1847, tragedy struck with both Robert and John dying within 2 days of each other, at 6 years and 4 years of age. It is unknown the cause of their death. Agnes’ husband, John, also died close to the death of his two sons (date and cause unknown). Agnes wrote down her thoughts following this time, and excerpts have been preserved. What follows is an excerpt:

Cobourg Mar 31
I have been thinking of the events of 1847. It is nearly 2 years since my deare husband’s death and all this time has been praising his Savior with fullness of joy while we have still been occupied with the fleeting things of time. Has this affliction ever given me an abiding sense of the instability of earthly joys and made me long more for that purer delight which is found in seeing the Lord face to face. It has made me walk more circumspectly and devote myself more completely to my God. It has made me feel the value of the blood, which has washed away sin and taken the sting from death.
Cobourg Apr 5
I know that you will not give place to any angry feelings, but only pray for your enemies and look on all as coming direct from the hand of God.
Cobourg Apr 9
O my soul! When will thou live consistently? When shall I walk steadily with God? When shall I hold heaven constantly in view? How time glides away. How is death approaching. How soon must I give up my account.
Cobourg Apr 11
I certainly have to lament, yet how little in truth do I feel it that religion is at a very low ebb with me at present.

Within 3 – 4 years of these entries, Agnes married Andrew Jeffrey, himself a widower, on May 4, 1853 in Cobourg. She was 34 years old at her marriage, very nearly 19 years younger than Andrew. Their marriage lasted only 10 years. She immediately became the mother of at least 4 of Andrew’s children from his previous marriage, who were still living at home. She had 4 more children by Andrew – Donald, Jessie, Henry (my great-grandfather), and Alexander. Andrew died 8 months after the birth of Alexander, Agnes being 44 years old at the time.
She lived as a widow for 12 more years, and died on January 9, 1876 in Cobourg. Her obituary reads: “It is with sincere regret we record the death of Mrs. Jeffrey, widow of the late Hon. Andrew Jeffrey, of this town. Mrs. Jeffrey had been ill for some weeks, of fever; and this terminated fatally about midnight on Sunday last. The deceased lady was well known in Cobourg, and universally beloved; and the news of her death will be received with regret on all hands.”

Another Photo of Agnes Jeffrey

This is the only other photo of Agnes McLenhan Jeffrey I am aware of. It is most likely from the 1860s. It was preserved by her daughter, Jessie, along with similar sized photos of her mother, Jane Moscrip, her husband, Andrew, and step-daughter, Bella.