Person:Duncan McRae (22)

From: They came to Mara..., p. 711 "Duncan Jr. married Maria Dalgleish. They lived initially in Mara but around 1852 they moved to Eldon Township, Victoria County where they established extensive business interests in Bolsover. According to the Canadian Parliamentary Companion of 1879, Duncan was a miller, merchant and farmer, and a contractor who built much of the Toronto - Nippising Railroad. He was second warden of Victoria County and he was elected to the Ontario Legislature in 1871 and again in 1875. He was still an M.P.P. at the time of his death in 1879. Duncan and Maria raised a family of five daughters and six sons."

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} They came to Mara: Pioneers of Mara Township, circa 1829-1900. (Brechin, Ontario: Corporation of the Township of Mara (Ontario), 1993)
   p. 708; p. 711.

   QUAY 3

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 obituary
   The Orillia Packet; 21 March, 1879.

   QUAY 3 County Of Victoria
   Duncan McRae, M.P.P., and his wife, died at their late residence, Bolsover, within one week. The death of Mrs. McRae was sudden and unexpected and was caused by an inflammation of the lungs. She was a woman of estimable character, and of Christian deportment, and her death cast a gloom over the community.
   Mr. McRae's death, however, which took place on Wednesday last, was expected by all. For several years past he had been inflicted with an incurable and exceedingly painful cancer. He bore up under the excruciating pain of this fearful disease with wonderful fortitude, and strange to say, until within a short time of his death, he never gave up the strongest hope of ultimate recovery. Were it not for that strong determination, together with a robust constitution, he doubtless would have succumbed long ago to that disease.
   Mr. McRae was one of the pioneers of North Eldon. He was a man enterprising spirit, of a strong mind, of an indomitable will, and withal kind and hospitable almost to a fault. For many years he occupied public positions of honour and trust, being the second Warden of the County of Victoria. In 1872 he was returned in the Liberal Conservative interest as the representative of North Victoria in the Legislative Assembly, which position he occupied up to his death. In politics, Mr. McRae was formerly a Baldwin Reformer, and remained a consistent supporter of his party up to the time of Confederation when the dividing time between the two great parties was changed on new issues. Since that event, he allied himself with the Liberal Conservative party. He always acted from a sense of Duty. He carried on a large business for many years, mainly in lumbering...He left a large family, many of them young...
   The Orillia Packet 21 March, 1879

3. ↑ 1851 Mara & Rama Twps, Ontario [County], in United Province of Canada. 1851 Census of Canada. (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada)
   C-11743, District 26, SubDistrict 250, p 27, lines 27-28.

   McRae, Duncan, 29, m, married, Scotland, Presbyterian, farmer
   McRae, Maria, 17, f, married, Canada, Presbyterian
   McRae, Isabella, 71, f, widowed, Scotland, Presbyterian

   In the 1852 census Duncan and Maria McRae and Isabella are preceded and followed by other McRae families. Isabella is not found in Duncan McRae's family tree as listed here.

4. ↑ Eldon, Victoria, Ontario, Division one, in Canada. 1861 Census of Canada. (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada)
   C-1075. Division 1. Page 5, line 36ff.

   D Mcrae, male, 37, born 1824, Scotland, married, lumber merchant
   M Mcrae, female, 26, born 1835, Canada, married
   Isabella Mcrae, female, 79, born 1782, Scotland, widowed
   Isabella Mcrae, female, 8, born 1853, Canada, single
   Susanah Mcrae, female, 6, born 1855, Canada, single
   Margaret Mcrae, female, 4, born 1857, Canada, single
   Wm Mcrae, male, 3, born 1858, Canada, single

   Immediately preceding the McRae family in the 1861 census was this family:
   Robert Dalgleish, male, 28, born 1833, Canada, married
   Char'te [Charlotte] Dalgleish, female, 24, born 1837, England, married
   A Dalgleish, female, 5, born 1856, Canada, single
   A W Dalgleish, male, 3, born 1858, Canada, single
   S Dalgleish, female, 1, born 1860, Canada, single
   Robert Dalgleish would appear to be the brother of Maria Dalgleish McRae.

5. ↑ Ontario, Victoria North, Eldon, in Canada. 1871 Census of Canada. (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada)
   C-9982; Ontario, District 53, Subdistrict a, Division 01, Page: 50; Family No: 150.

   Duncan McRae, m, 47, b Scotland, married, Church of Scotland, Member of Parliament
   Maria McRae, f, 36, b Ontario, married, Church of Scotland,
   Isabella McRae, f, 17, b Ontario, single, Church of Scotland
   Susan McRae, f, 15, b Ontario, single, Church of Scotland
   Margaret McRae, f, b Ontario, 13, single, Church of Scotland
   William McRae, m, 11, b Ontario, single, Church of Scotland
   John McRae, m, 9, b Ontario, single, Church of Scotland
   Andrew McRae, m 6, b Ontario, single, Church of Scotland
   Maria McRae, f, 7, b Ontario, single, Church of Scotland
   Agnes McRae, f, 4, b Ontario, single, Church of Scotland
   Duncan McRae, m, 10 months, b Ontario, single, Church of Scotland

6. ↑ Information from Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid