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THE Old Parochial Registers of the Church of Scotland |
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Sgt Henry Airth, Esquire
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THE Old Parochial Registers of the Church of Scotland |
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At this point, not much is known of the family's life or Henry's early years.
Adam and Elisabeth were married in Wishaw,
a small town which has since become indistinguishable from Glasgow itself.
Courtesy of an AIRTH 'cousin',
we know that Adam was a weaver of tartan stockings in Anderston, north of Rutherglen.
These were the days when people produced one particular type of article at home,
for sale later in the larger market
rather than working in a central place like a factory.
WEAVING was one of the largest of the cottage industries
and a loom sat in the common room of many a Scottish home.
Like his father Adam, young Henry was a weaver prior to his enlistment
in the ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY
which took place on March 10th 1803 at the age of 16.
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Marion was the daughter of |
Henry and Marion were married Jan 29 1813
in Greyfriars & Alexandra Street Parade Church Glasgow.
In those days, officers were allowed to have their wives accompany the regiment,
so the Airth's first child,
Agnes,
was born in Brussels, Belgium, on May 12 1814.
She grew up to marry David BARR in 1834 in Renfrew Ontario.
(David was the son of William BARR & Isobell HART)
* *
His discharge from the Royal Artillery Drivers on April 9 1816
came as a result of a reduction in British forces after the Napoleonic Wars.
He received a pension of 5 pence per day as of April 10 1816,
and lived in Rutherglen as a hosier for a number of years.
* *
In Rutherglen, several more children were born:
2) Elisabeth b Aug 2 1816,
married Angus McINNES in Castleford Horton Township (9 children)
(He was the son of John McINNES & Mary McPHAIL)
3) Adam b Apr 6 1818 / d May 20 1819
4) Henry b Jun 24 1819
married 1st to Catherine McNAB on Nov 1st 1841 in Horton Township,
where mother & infant twins died in childbirth;
married 2nd to Rachel McINTYRE in 1844 in Horton (6 children)
(Rachel was born May 1st 1816 in Balquhidder Perthshire,
the daughter of John McINTYRE & Rachel McGREGOR)
*5) David b Apr 30 1821
married Margaret McLaren BEAUCHAMP on Jun 23 1845
in Horton Twp (4 children)
(She was the daughter of Antoine BEAUCHAMP & Margaret McLAREN)
6) Robert b Apr 30 1821
married Jessie SOMMERVILLE on Jul 22 1868 in Surrey England (3 children)
(She was the daughter of John SOMMERVILLE & Elizabeth SMITH)
*7) Marion Park b Jan 7 1824
married William JAMIESON on Sep 15 1840 in Horton Township (8 children)
(He was the son of James JAMIESON & Isobell GRAY)
8) Catherine b Nov 12 1825
married Alexander JAMIESON,on Mar 28 1856 (11 children)
(He was the son of James JAMIESON & Isobell GRAY)
Alexander was a widower with 3 little children from his 1st marriage to Isabella GRAY
* * *
SGT Henry served for some years in the Ordnance Department in Rutherglen.
In June 1827,
he sailed from Glasgow
for Montreal,
with his wife,
their 7 children
and cash ~ 40 pounds.
Marion brought a church letter of commendation with her
which stated that
'she was of exceptional moral character
and would be an asset to any society in which she found herself'.
During the voyage,
which would have been extremely difficult and crowded,
another child was born June 27th.
Sadly, the little boy, named James,
died and was buried at sea a couple of days later.
Twin sons, Joseph & John, were born in 1828 in Canada,
only to die almost immediately.
Their son William, born Jul 30 1829
was the 2nd non-native child born in the embryo settlement of Renfrew Village.
(He married Johanna MURPHY on Dec 14 1866 in Horton Township (8 children)
(Johanna was the daughter of Thomas MURPHY & Mary McCARTHY)
James followed on Aug 3 1833
(He married Ophelia Angelina WRIGHT on Mar 7 1865
in Farmersville (Athens) Renfrew Ontario and had 2 children,
the last born just 2 months after James died in 1867
(Ophelia was the daughter of Israel Howland WRIGHT & Fanny Maria STEVENS)
Mary completed the family on Oct 30 1835.
(She married Robert McLAREN on Feb 12 1862 in Horton Township (6 children)
(Robert was the son of James McLAREN & Catherine McLAREN)
* *
ACCORDING to 'family history',
SGT Henry was met at the dock in Montreal by Archibald, Laird McNAB
and was persuaded to go to McNab Township as one of the Laird's settlers.
This is confirmed by a return submitted by McNab on January 1st 1828
showing Airth as the occupant
of the rear of Lot 25 in the 6th Concession of McNab Township.
(Twins Joseph & John were buried here ~ Joseph was stillborn while John died at 2 days)
The feudal Laird of McNAB was demanding and dishonest.
Henry did not like his autocratic rule and after a disagreement with him,
Henry left McNab Township and moved to Horton Township.
His first petition for land there was lost.
He applied again on January 4 1830 and received
Lot 9 / Concession 2 of Horton Township,
later part of the town of Renfrew.
He was still on the same lot when he was enumerated in the census taken in January 1852.
* *
Thus, Henry Airth was the 1st 'permanent' settler
on the site of what is now the town of Renfrew Ontario.
There had been a number of arrivals prior to that,
but they had moved to other locations.
Henry and Marion named their homestead, built in 1847,
RUTHERGLEN,
after their native home in Scotland.
SGT Henry Airth prospered.
He became the first Senior MAGISTRATE
and was commissioned on June 23 1847 as a
CAPTAIN in the 1st BATTALION of the RENFREW COUNTY MILITIA.
He was a DIRECTOR of the Renfrew County Agricultural Society
and won a number of awards at the annual fairs in Renfrew.
He was also an ELDER of the Kirk
and
COUNCILLOR and REEVE of the village of Renfrew.
* * *
SGT Henry's blind brother, James, a talented violin player, died in Ottawa in 1853,
leaving several children orphans since his wife had predeceased him by several years.
As a result, Catherine, Helen (Ellen) and Henry (Harry)
lived with their Uncle Henry and Aunt Marion
for a number of years
in the 'stone house on the hill' ~ Rutherglen.
Sgt Henry was one of the people who completed a questionnaire
for the Minister of Agriculture
and in the endorsement of his replies by the Reeve, William Faichney,
he was referred to as
~ Henry Airth, Esquire ~
There is an AIRTH Boulevard in Renfrew.
His 14 children and numerous grandchildren are listed in
Carol Bennett's book Founding Families of Admaston, Horton and Renfrew Village.
SGT Henry AIRTH died May 10 1870
as a result of 'infirmity of old age', being ill 1 month.
His last will and testament was dated May 2 1859,
naming his dear wife and sons as beneficiaries.
His beloved wife, Marion Park AIRTH, died Sep 24 1870
as a result of 'decay of nature', being ill 3 months.
(Info gleaned from BRITISH ARMY PENSIONERS ABROAD: 1772-1889 by Norman K. CROWDER, 1995
and FOUNDING FAMILIES of ADMASTON, HORTON and RENFREW by Carol Bennett
as well as shared research by various searching descendants)
~ SGT Henry AIRTH and Marion Park AIRTH were my GR GR GR grandparents ~
[ According to a descendant of SGT Henry,
"two of Adam AIRTH Sr's children went to Australia, one to Africa and three to Canada."
The goal is to attempt tracing all of his children!! ]
Return to AIRTH Direct Ancestor Line
Henry Airth ~ Last Will & Testament
Henry Airth & Isobell Alexander - Grandparents of Sgt Henry
Adam Airth & Elisabeth Gardner - Parents of Sgt Henry
David Airth ~ Poetic Pioneer - Son of Sgt Henry
James Airth ~ Blind Musician - Brother of Sgt Henry
Elisabeth Airth Halliday - Sister of Sgt Henry & James Airth
