Person:John Steele (33)

From: THE EARLY HIGHLAND SETTLERS IN THE TOWNSHIP OF MARA, by George D. MacDonald, Toronto, 1909

"The next family to arrive came from {South} Uist; they sailed from Loch Boisdale on June 1st, 1849 and after a pleasant passage of six weeks they arrived at Quebec. This vessel carried 437 passengers, all bound for different parts of Canada; those who came to Mara come by vessel from Quebec to Toronto, which took them six days, and after a short stay in Toronto, they bade the rest of the party good-bye, and took stage to Holland Landing, which took them one day. At this point one of the party by the name of "Pat Steele", was stricken with typhus fever and died, which cast a sad gloom over the rest of the party; they buried him under the shade of a large pine tree; marked and lonely grave by a rough stone, an proceeded on their journey. They took a vessel called the "Beaver" to Atherley; the hull of this vessel can still be seen at the Narrows, which separate Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching. [In 1957 a rib from this submerged wreck was raised by David Brown.]

This party consisted of John Steele, the father, two sons, Alexander and John, and one daughter Mary; Donald and Alexander McIsaac and five sisters; Donald McDonald, his mother and two sisters; John and Anne McIsaac, half brother and sister of the McDonalds, Hugh and Findlay Walker, Neil and Flora Morrison. Also John McKinnon and Donald McLean. This party are mostly all dead. [The two sisters of Donald McDonald were Mary who married Archie McDonald and Janet (Jessie) who married Donald McIsaac. Their mother had been Anne Steele, widow of both an Alexander McDonald and Donald McIsaac. Neil Morrison's wife was Ann not Flora.]

Donald McDonald died March 4th, 1898 aged eighty years. Mrs. Carey (Mary Steele) died February 6th, 1907 aged eighty years. Mrs. Joseph Lee (Flora McIsaac) died November 6th, 1906 aged 77 years.

Mrs. Neil Morrison died September 28th, 1896 aged 105 years.

Mrs. Alex Steele (Isabella [Catherine] McIsaac) is still alive though crippled from rheumatism and she told me she was 98.

Mrs. John Steele (Mary McIsaac) is still alive and well, and able to attend to her household duties at the age of 90.

Mrs. Mary McDonald is alive but in very poor health at 82 [widow of Archie]. "

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Canada. 1861 Census of Canada. (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada)
   Ontario Co. Mara Twp.; p. 25 # 20.

   Stated age was 40 at census.

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Lawson, Bill. Register of Emigrant Families from the Western Isles of Scotland to Ontario, Canada. (Northton, Scotland: B. Lawson, c1966)
   Ontario Emigrant Family #307.

   ON307 John Steele 1821- Dalibrog, South Uist; "John Steele and family emigrated from Dalibrog in 1849 and settled in Mara Township, Ontario County"

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Lawson, Bill. Register of Emigrants from the Western Isles of Scotland Volume 2, Part 2, South Uist & Benbecula 1840-1900
   South Uist Emigrant Family #295; p. 85.

   "John Steele, 1821- Dalibrog, husband of Mary McIsaac 1821- Dalibrog; John Steele and family emigrated from South Boisdale in the 1840s and settled in Mara Township, Ontario County"

4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 United Province of Canada. 1851 Census of Canada. (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada)
   Ontario Co., Mara Twp.; p 10.
   1. 13, John Steele, labourer, living in a shanty; born Scotland, R. Cath., married, age next b'day=30
5. ↑ They came to Mara: Pioneers of Mara Township, circa 1829-1900. (Brechin, Ontario: Corporation of the Township of Mara (Ontario), 1993)
   Page 645.

   John Steele (c.1820-1910)

6. ↑ ^6.0 6.1 United Province of Canada. 1851 Census of Canada. (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada)
   Ontario Co., Mara Twp.; p 4.
   1. 4, John Steele, farmer, born Scotland, R. Cath., age next b'day=80[sic-poss. 30?], married, living in a shanty.