Out of Our Past
MacEachern Families in Eldon Township
Angus, Flora and Bell MacEachern
Children of John
The families of MacEachern are historically significant in the Township of Eldon. They came from two islands in Argyllshire, Scotland. They came from Islay and Mull to settle in Eldon Township, Upper Canada in the 1830s. Those MacEachern families from the Island of Mull chose to settle in the township on the 4th Concession east of the village of Argyle and on the 8th Concession south of the hamlet of Kirkfield. The MacEachern families from Islay, Scotland chose homesteads on the 7th Concession near Grasshill, on the 4th Concession near Eldon Station and on the 3rd Concession to the west of Eldon Station.
Neil MacEachern and Mary Smith
Married perhaps in Scotland before departing for Upper Canada, Neil and Mary arrived in Upper Canada before the end of 1835. They settled in Eldon Township in Victoria County. The young couple may have married before leaving Islay, Argyllshire, Scotland. In Eldon Township, a daughter was born to them late in October 1835. In 1839, another daughter, Margaret, was born. The next year, a son, John Neil was born. Three years later, another son, Angus was born in 1843. Flora, their third daughter, was born in 1845 and another son, Farquhar was born in 1847. The last three children born to the family were Donald, born in 1849, Gilbert, born in 1852 and Neil born in 1854.
Neil and Mary resided in Eldon Township the rest of their lives. They farmed on the land they had settled. On 14 October 1875, Neil MacEachern died. His wife, Mary (Smith) MacEachern followed him to the grave on 3 November 1886. They rest in the Argyle Cemetery in Eldon Township.
Lifetimes of the Children
Mary, daughter of Neil and Mary (Smith) MacEachern, married when she was a young woman, Duncan McCallum. Duncan was born 29 May 1829 in Islay, Scotland. They lived in the village of Woodville, Eldon Township, raising a family of five children. Their sons were John born 1867, Neil born 1872 and Angus born in 1874. The two daughters born to Duncan and Mary were, Mary born in 1870 and Catherine born in 1880. Duncan McCallum died 29 August 1900. Mary (MacEachern) McCallum died at their Eldon Township home on Lot 2 Concession 7, on 2 September 1913. They rest in Smith Cemetery at Woodville.
Margaret, daughter of Neil and Mary (Smith) MacEachern, married Donald Smith. Donald was born 1834 in Scotland. Their wedding took place on 25 February 1864.
John Neil, son of Neil and Mary (Smith) MacEachern, was often known as Red. John married Sarah McCulloch on 22 April 1869. Sarah was born in 1846 in Eldon Township. Her parents were Gregor and Margaret (McDonald) McCulloch. They raised eight children at their home on Lot 3 Concession 7 in Eldon Township. Their children included, Mary, Neil, Angus, John, Margaret, Belle, Flora and Gregor.
Sarah (McCulloch) MacEachern died 2 March 1922. John Neil MacEachern died on 3 June 1924. They rest in Argyle Cemetery in Eldon Township.
Angus, son of Neil and Mary (Smith) MacEachern, was born in Eldon Township in 1843. He married Helen McDonald on 5 January 1869. Helen was born in 1859 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her parents were Angus and Jane (Knox) McDonald.
Flora, daughter of Neil and Mary (Smith) MacEachern, was born in 1845. She married Donald Jackson. They had a daughter Agnes. Agnes became the wife of Albert Parliament on 15 March 1910 at Toronto.
Children of Farquhar and Katie (Graham) with their cousin, Agnes Jackson
Standing: Christina (MacEachern) Jackson and Mary (MacEachern) MacMillan
Seated: Neil MacEachern, Agnes (Jackson) Parliament and Annie (MacEachern) Scott
Farquhar, son of Neil and Mary (Smith) MacEachern, was born in 1847. On 2 December 1873, at Lindsay, Ontario, Farquhar married Katie Graham. Katie was born in Fenelon Township in 1855, a daughter of Duncan and Ann (Currie) Graham.
They had a family of three daughters and a son. The girls were, Annie, born 1875, Mary, born 1879 and Christina born in 1880. Neil, born in 1877, was the only son of Farquhar and Katie. The family farmed in Fenelon Township in the 1880s. On the 2 June 1883, Farquhar died, at the young age of 37 years. He left Katie with four small children to raise, their youngest being only three years old at the time. She also died at an early age. Katie died in Toronto General Hospital on 4 April 1913. He death was due to heart disease.
Farquhar MacEachern with his wife, Katie (Graham).
Donald, son of Neil and Mary (Smith) MacEachern, was born in 1849. He remained living at home into his early twenties.
Gilbert, son of Neil and Mary (Smith) MacEachern, was born in 1852. He was still living at home as a teenager in the early 1870s.
Neil, son of Neil and Mary (Smith) MacEachern, was born in 1854. He was still living at home as a teenager in the early 1870s.
Of these youngest three children, nothing further was learned about their lifetimes.
The Family of Malcolm MacEachern and Elspie Smith
Neil MacEachern had a brother Malcolm, born 1800 in Scotland. History passed down through the generations, records that the brothers, Neil and Malcolm, married to Smith sisters, Mary and Elspie.
Malcolm’s family was known locally in Eldon Township as the Callum Eachern’s or the Malcom Hector’s MacEacherns. Malcom and Elspie had a family of thirteen children. Elspie and Malcolm farmed in Eldon Township throughout their lifetime together. Malcom died on 28 June 1875. Elspie (Smith) MacEachern died on 25 July 1892. They rest in the Argyle Cemetery, Eldon Township.
Angus , son of Malcolm and Elspie (Smith) MacEachern and husband of Mary McDonald.
Descendants of Malcolm and Elspie
Farquahr, son of Malcolm and Elspie (Smith) MacEachern, was born in Islay, Argyllshire Scotland in 1825. He was a lad of seven years when the family immigrated to Upper Canada in 1832. When he had grown to a young man, he married Sarah Montgomery. She was born 12 July 1822 in Scotland, the daughter of William and Mary (Campbell) Montgomery. Sarah and Farquhar married on 4 February 1858 in Victoria County. They eventually had a family of five sons and three daughters.
Mary, daughter of Malcolm and Elspie (Smith) MacEachern, was born 23 March 1826 in Islay, Argyllshire, Scotland. She never married. Mary died at their family home, Lot 20 Concession 4 Eldon Township on 23 March 1907. She rests in Argyle Cemetery.
Catherine, daughter of Malcolm and Elspie (Smith) MacEachern, was born in Scotland on 5 July 1827. She did not marry. Catherine died at the family home in Eldon Township on 28 August 1912. Her remains were interred in Argyle Cemetery.
Margaret, daughter of Malcolm and Elspie (Smith) MacEachern, was born in Islay, Argyllshire, Scotland on 30 June 1831. She was just a year old when the family immigrated to Upper Canada in 1832. Margaret did not marry. She died at the family home in Eldon Township on 21 September 1917. Her remains rest in Argyle Cemetery.
Flora, daughter of Malcolm and Elspie (Smith) MacEachern, was born in 1834 in Eldon Township, Upper Canada. She married a Mr. Johnston.
Sarah, daughter of Malcolm and Elspie (Smith) MacEachern, was born in Eldon Township on 25 January 1835. Sarah did not marry but lived at home on the family homestead throughout her lifetime. Sarah died on 25 September 1917. She rests in Argyle Cemetery.
John, son of Malcolm and Elspie (Smith) MacEachern, was born in 1838 in Eldon Township. He married Mary McCullogh and they had a family of five children.
Elspie, daughter of Malcolm and Elspie (Smith) MacEachern, was born in 1839 in Eldon Township. She died in 1924 and was buried in Argyle Cemetery.
Agnes, daughter of Malcolm and Elspie (Smith) MacEachern, was born in Eldon Township in 1842. Agnes married William Kilpatrick at Toronto on 1 July 1876. William was born in Ireland, a son of William and Margaret Kilpatrick.
Christina, daughter of Malcolm and Elspie (Smith) MacEachern, was born in 1844 in Eldon Township. On 19 May 1873, in Thorah Township, Ontario County, she married Dougald Mathieson, son of John and Catherine (Graham) Mathieson. Christina (MacEachern) Mathieson died in Toronto on 21 March 1925. Her husband, Dougald, died on 3 May 1915 in Toronto. They rest in Prospect Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario.
Elspie MacEachern, 1839-1924
Sarah, Christina and Agnes MacEachern, daughters of
Malcolm and Elspie (Smith) MacEachern
Christina, daughter of Malcolm and Elspie (Smith) MacEachern, was born in 1844 in Eldon Township. On 19 May 1873, in Thorah Township, Ontario County, she married Dougald Mathieson, son of John and Catherine (Graham) Mathieson. Christina (MacEachern) Mathieson died in Toronto on 21 March 1925. Her husband, Dougald, died on 3 May 1915 in Toronto. They rest in Prospect Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario.
Donald, son of Malcolm and Elspie (Smith) MacEachern, was born 28 January 1947 in Eldon Township. He married Julia Davis on 21 December 1875. She was born 2 June 1855, a daughter of Enoch and Mary J. (Graham) Davis. Julia and Donald had a family of eleven children, being seven sons and four daughters. Donald MacEachern died in Eldon Township on 20 July 1931. Julia (Davis) MacEachern died in 1939. They rest in Argyle Cemetery.
Angus, son of Malcolm and Elspie (Smith) MacEachern, was born in 1850 in Eldon Township. He married Mary McDonald, born in 1857. She was reported to be a relative of the first Prime Minister of Canada. Angus and Mary had six children. Angus died 6 November 1934 at their home in Eldon Township. Mary (McDonald) MacEachern died 8 February 1942 in Eldon Township. They rest in Argyle Cemetery.
Mary (McDonald) MacEachern, wife of Angus
