Out Of Our Past
John Fife of Otonabee
Born 31 August 1797 in Kincardine, Perthshire, Scotland, John Fife was the eldest of eleven sons born to John Fife and Agnes Hutchinson. Three of their boys died as infants. Sometime between 1816 and 1824, John and Agnes, with all their surviving family, emigrated to Upper Canada. At Cobourg on the shores of Lake Ontario, further arrangements were still to be made. Their journey northward into the backwoods would take them all to Otonabee Township.
In Cobourg, Northumberland County, Upper Canada, John, son of John and Agnes, met and married Elizabeth Carter. Elizabeth was born 2 August 1798 in Queen’s County, Ireland. She was a daughter of William and Rebecca (Julian) Carter. Their marriage took place on 13 October 1825.
Sarah (Sproule) Beatty died at Cobourg 30 August 1832. Her earthly remains were interred in the Cobourg Union Cemetery. Some time later, Rev. John Beatty married again. His second wife was Rebecca (Brooke) Kemp. Rebecca was born 26 May 1782 in Norfolk County, England. Her marriage to Rev. John Beatty took place at the city of Toronto on 1 July 1834.
As a married couple, they resided at Cobourg for many years. John died at their home in Cobourg on 30 June 1863. He was laid to rest next to his first wife, Sarah, in the Cobourg Union Cemetery.
Rebecca (Brooke) Beatty died at Cobourg on 30 August 1887. Her stepson, Dr. John Beatty was the informant on Rebecca’s death registration. He included a most interesting little bit of history on that document. Under Remarks he noted: “Was in Paris with her first husband, an officer in the British Army, when that City was occupied by the allied army and saw the Great Napoleon surrender.”
John Fife in Otonabee Township John and Elizabeth traveled from Cobourg to Otonabee Township where they settled on Concession 5 Lot 21. Here they would raise a family of two daughters and four sons.
Their second youngest son, James Hutchinson Fife, was born in the township on 14 July 1831. After he was fully grown and had become a young man, James courted and married Sarah Lang. A daughter of William Lang and Jane Stewart, Sarah’s wedding to James Fife took place on 9 December 1862.
Of the children of Rev. John and Sarah (Sproule) Beatty, John Beatty Jr., like his father before him, became a significant member of the town of Cobourg. He was born about 1810 in the United States and came as a boy of about 15 years, to Toronto, Upper Canada, with his parents. It is reported that John married Eleanor Armstrong on 22 October 1833 in Cobourg. Eleanor was born in June 1811 in Ontario, a daughter of James Rogers and Hannah (Dougall) Armstrong.
Their first child, Edward James, was born in Toronto in 1837. Sarah Louisa, was born in Cobourg on 29 November 1840. She was followed by four sisters, Emma Mary, born 26 January 1841; Ella Frances, born 6 January 1845; Mary Adelaide, born 26 January 1847 and Emily Eliza, born 1 September 1848. The second son of John and Eleanor (Armstrong) Beatty, was Charles John, born in Cobourg on 20 July 1850. Edith Bertha Beatty was the youngest child of John and Eleanor. She was born 15 July 1854 at Cobourg.
A Family for James and Sarah In 1864 James and Sarah’s first child was born. A baby daughter, they named her Elizabeth. In 1865, a son, Harvey was born. Another daughter, Phoebe, was born in 1867. Their next two sons were Stewart born in 1868 and Richard born in 1870. Their youngest daughter, Agnes was born in 1871. She was followed by her two younger brothers, Charles born in 1874 and George in 1877.
All the boys, except Charles, married. Harvey married Annie Elizabeth Graham. Stewart married Estella Maylaird. Richard married Elizabeth Ferguson. George married Margaret Ethel Graham
Of the three daughters, all remained single. For many years they remained on the family homestead in Otonabee Township. In later years, Elizabeth and Phoebe moved into Peterborough and lived on Aylmer Street.
During the years 1893 through 1897, a local photographer, George Buchanan Sproule maintained his studio at 170 Charlotte Street. It was there during that four year interval, that the three Fife sisters had their picture taken. Elizabeth, known as Lizzie is standing to the left. Phoebe is in the middle and Agnes seated on the right. Agnes Hutchinson Fife died in a Toronto Hospital in February 1908. She had cancer. Elizabeth Jane Fife, died at her Aylmer Street home on 22 February 1946. Phoebe Fife died in 1952. They are all buried in the Fife Cemetery in Otonabee Township.
John Fife of Otonabee
Born 31 August 1797 in Kincardine, Perthshire, Scotland, John Fife was the eldest of eleven sons born to John Fife and Agnes Hutchinson. Three of their boys died as infants. Sometime between 1816 and 1824, John and Agnes, with all their surviving family, emigrated to Upper Canada. At Cobourg on the shores of Lake Ontario, further arrangements were still to be made. Their journey northward into the backwoods would take them all to Otonabee Township.
In Cobourg, Northumberland County, Upper Canada, John, son of John and Agnes, met and married Elizabeth Carter. Elizabeth was born 2 August 1798 in Queen’s County, Ireland. She was a daughter of William and Rebecca (Julian) Carter. Their marriage took place on 13 October 1825.
John Fife in Otonabee Township
John and Elizabeth traveled from Cobourg to Otonabee Township where they settled on Concession 5 Lot 21. Here they would raise a family of two daughters and four sons.
Their second youngest son, James Hutchinson Fife, was born in the township on 14 July 1831. After he was fully grown and had become a young man, James courted and married Sarah Lang. A daughter of William Lang and Jane Stewart, Sarah’s wedding to James Fife took place on
9 December 1862.
Sarah (Lang) Fife
A Family for James and Sarah
In 1864 James and Sarah’s first child was born. A baby daughter, they named her Elizabeth. In 1865, a son, Harvey was born. Another daughter, Phoebe, was born in 1867. Their next two sons were Stewart born in 1868 and Richard born in 1870. Their youngest daughter, Agnes was born in 1871. She was followed by her two younger brothers, Charles born in 1874 and George in 1877.
All the boys, except Charles, married. Harvey married Annie Elizabeth Graham. Stewart married Estella Maylaird. Richard married Elizabeth Ferguson. George married Margaret Ethel Graham.
Of the three daughters, all remained single. For many years they remained on the family homestead in Otonabee Township. In later years, Elizabeth and Phoebe moved into Peterborough and lived on Aylmer Street.
During the years 1893 through 1897, a local photographer, George Buchanan Sproule maintained his studio at 170 Charlotte Street. It was there during that four year interval, that the three Fife sisters had their picture taken. Elizabeth, known as Lizzie is standing to the left. Phoebe is in the middle and Agnes seated on the right. Agnes Hutchinson Fife died in a Toronto Hospital in February 1908. She had cancer. Elizabeth Jane Fife, died at her Aylmer Street home on 22 February 1946. Phoebe Fife died in 1952. They are all buried in the Fife Cemetery in Otonabee Township.
Use this link to discover more about Dr. Joseph A. Fife, grandson of John Fife and Agnes Hutchison
