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McNaughton of Puslinch

The McNaughton Family of Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario

Important Note:

I HAVE RESUMED ACTIVE RESEARCH ON THIS FAMILY

I had initially begun researching this family as it appeared that Peter McNaughton, below, was the sister of my own ancestor, Catharine McNaughtan.  However subsequent research proved that Catharine's brother, Peter, was not the same Peter as below, which led me to suspend research on this family.  However, recent findings now seem to indicate that Peter McNaughton, below, was a cousin of my ancestor Catharine.  Thus I have resumed active research of this family.

Introduction

Welcome to my page on the McNaughton Family of Puslinch.  This page was at one time part of my personal family history website.  It was also a cousin page to the Stewart Pioneers of Puslinch, but remains a website for Puslinch researchers in cooperation with the Puslinch Historical Society.

Peter McNaughton and Janet McLeod

Peter McNaughton was born around 1775 in Scotland.  Family tradition accords that Peter was born two miles from Doune and worked as the overseer of Kirkline Flander's Moss on the Blair Drummond estate (which is about two miles from Doune).  No corresponding birth record has been found.  However it would appear that too much has been read into this tradition.  It appears that Peter lived his later life two miles from Doune and that the family tradition has been extrapolated to include his birth.  Blair Drummond did not begin to develop the mosses until the late 18th century.  Many of the moss farmers were drawn from the southern Highland areas of Perthshire.  As Peter was probably born about the same time as the Mosses were being developed then it's unlikely he was actually born there.  It's far more likely that he was born elsewhere and that his parents moved to Blair Drummond when Peter was just a boy.

Recent research has uncovered an 1814 census of the Mosses, which shows Peter's family as follows:

Residence: #28 Kirk Lane
Former Possessor: Peter McNaughton
Present Possessor: Peter McNaughton, 35 years, Isobel (sic) McLeod, 32 years
Children:

  1. John, 9 yrs

  2. Angus, 8 yrs

  3. Peter, 6 yrs

  4. Donald, 4 yrs

  5. Jean, 2 yrs

No. Males – 5,     No. Females - 2       No. Deceased - 0       Total; = 7
Years Settled in the Moss: 10 years
Where they came from: Breadalbine
Livestock: 1 Cats, 2 Chickens, 1 Cow

Despite the error in Peter's wife's name, there is no question this is the same family as presented further below.  This record, taken from the estate records of Blair Drummond, would seem to indicate that Peter came from Breadalbine about 1804.

The following family comes from two LDS member submitted IGI entries and has not been verified.  There are no corresponding OPR records.  I offer it here as a plausible birth family for Peter McNaughton:

John MCNAUGHTON married (according to one entry) on 8 MAR 1771 in Kenmore, Perthshire, Scotland (an adjacent parish to Kincardine) to Janet ANDERSON.  They had the following family:

  1. Christian MCNAUGHTON, b. 1760/61 in Breadalbin*, Perthshire, Scotland
  2. Kathn. MCNAUGHTON, b. 1763/64 in Breadalbin*, Perthshire, Scotland
  3. Duncan MCNAUGHTON, b. 1766/67 in Breadalbin*, Perthshire, Scotland
  4. John MCNAUGHTON, b. 1771/72 in Breadalbin*, Perthshire, Scotland
  5. Kathn. MCNAUGHTON, b. 1771/72 in Breadalbin*, Perthshire, Scotland
  6. Elizabeth MCNAUGHTON, b. 23 JAN 1772 in Kenmore, Perthshire, Scotland (OPR entry)
  7. NN MCNAUGHTON, bap. 23 MAY 1773 in Kenmore, Perthshire, Scotland (OPR entry)
  8. Janet MCNAUGHTON, b. 1773/74 in Breadalbin*, Perthshire, Scotland
  9. Daniel/Donald MCNAUGHTON, b. 1773/74 in Breadalbin*, Perthshire, Scotland
  10. Angus MCNAUGHTON, b. 1773/75 in Breadalbin*, Perthshire, Scotland
  11. Peter/Patrick MCNAUGHTON, b. 1773/75 in Breadalbin*, Perthshire, Scotland

* The original entries say "Broad Albion, Perth, Scotland".  There is no such place as "Broad Albion".  This is a common error in the IGI for Breadalbin, which means "middle of Scotland" and is a district that runs across Perthshire encompassing the northern portions of Balquhidder and Comrie parishes and the southern end of the Atholl region.  There is no parish nor village named Breadalbin.

An onomastically matching birth for John McNaughton can be found on my McNaughtan Family of Comrie Page.  This connection is not verified.

Peter McNaughton was a tailor by trade and was described as "above average" in education.  He married on 18 DEC 1803 in Kincardine Parish, Perthshire, Scotland to Janet MCLEOD of Kincardine parish. They had 10 children in Kincardine, one of whom died as a child.  In 1831 Peter and Janet along with their remaining 9 children immigrated to Canada where they settled in the pioneer community of Puslinch township, Wellington County, Upper Canada (present-day Ontario).

Peter and his family travelled on the ship, Commodore Preble. Sailed (with this group of people) in 1831 from Greenock. The following were in Peter McNaughton's party:

Peter McNaughton 50
Mark 45
John 27
Peter 27
Hugh 27
Jean 24 female
Janet 17
Malcom 11 male
Alexander 9
Janet 2 female
John McFarlane 27 m Taylor
Marg " " 25 female
(Thank you to Megan MacFarlane for this information. - Ryk)

When Peter and Janet arrived in Puslinch it was still primarily uncleared land.  As pioneer settlers they were given 100 acres and required to clear sufficient land to live on and have a dwelling of some description erected within the year in order to secure the title to their land.  Many pioneers lived their first winters in little more than lean-tos or rudimentary log cabins.  Peter and Janet settled on the front of lot 25 of concession 7, which they cleared and lived on for the rest of their lives.

A Founder of Duff's Presbyterian Church

Peter was clearly a man of strong faith.  When Peter arrived in Puslinch there was no Presbyterian church in the area.  The closest Presbyterian churches at that time were in Guelph, Galt, and West Flamborough.  Just shortly after arriving in Puslinch, and probably while he was still clearing his land as a pioneer settler, Peter was already trying to organize his Scots Presbyterian neighbours together to form a congregation.  On December 29, 1835, Peter McNaughton was chosen to chair the committee responsible for securing the land and forming the congregation.  It was a slow and difficult task.  Four years later, when the congregation was finally formed, Peter McNaughton was elected as one of the two founding elders of the congregation.  He served in that capacity until he died in 1852.

Meanwhile, in 1837, a Secession Presbyterian Church was also formed in Puslinch.  This church was formed, in part, by elder Hugh Gillespie.  The story of the Gillespie family is told here.

These two initially competing congregations later merged together to become the church that is today known as Duff's Presbyterian Church in Morriston village, Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  The church stands at the corner of highways 401 & 6-South.  Worship services at this church were initially conducted only in Gaelic.  More on the history of Duff's Church can be found here.

Of Peter and Janet's ten children, the following is known:

  1. Has No Children John MCNAUGHTON b: ABT 30 OCT 1803 in Blair Drummond, Kincardine, Perthshire, Scotland.  The Wellington County Historical Atlas, 1906, says, "John, who bought 100 acres, front lot 24, con. 7. None of his family are in the country."  From this entry it is interpreted that he married and had children who had all moved outside Wellington County by 1906, however no record of these children has been found.  In 1851 he is shown living next door to his brother Hugh with no wife and no children.  So, if he married it was after 1851.
  2. Has No Children Angus MCNAUGHTON b: ABT 24 MAR 1805 in Blair Drummond, Kincardine, Perthshire, Scotland.  He apparently moved to Bruce County.  He has not been found in the 1851 census. He may have remained in Kilmadock -- check OPR
  3. Has No Children Peter MCNAUGHTON b: ABT 15 MAR 1807 in Blair Drummond, Kincardine, Perthshire, Scotland.  He apparently remained in Puslinch.  He has not been found in the 1851 census.
  4. Has No Children Daniel MCNAUGHTON b: ABT 2 APR 1809 in Blair Drummond, Kincardine, Perthshire, Scotland.  He died young in Scotland.
  5. Has Children Jean MCNAUGHTON b: ABT 20 APR 1811 in Blair Drummond, Kincardine, Perthshire, Scotland.  She married Alexander MCKENZIE b: ABT 3 APR 1802 in Lochbroom, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland.  They had the following children:
    1. Has No Children Janet MCKENZIE b: 5 FEB 1835 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada
    2. Has No Children Isabella MCKENZIE b: 29 MAY 1839 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada
    3. Has No Children John MCKENZIE b: 29 MAY 1839 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
    4. Has No Children Margaret MCKENZIE b: 24 MAR 1841 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada
    5. Has No Children Henny MCKENZIE b: 1 SEP 1845 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada
    6. Has No Children Kenneth MCKENZIE b: 7 DEC 1847 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
    7. Has No Children Jane MCKENZIE b: 13 MAR 1852 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada
    8. Has Children Peter MCKENZIE b: 14 APR 1843 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada.  He married in FEB 1868 in Ontario, Canada to Elizabeth VALENS b: 1846 in Ontario, Canada.  She was the daughter of Robert Valens and Marjory Stewart of the Crieff Stewart Family.  They had the following children and moved to Kinloss, Bruce County, Ontario.
      1. Has No Children Robert MCKENZIE b: 1869 in Ontario, Canada
      2. Has No Children Alexander MCKENZIE b: 1871 in Ontario, Canada
      3. Has No Children Janice MCKENZIE b: 1874 in Ontario, Canada
      4. Has No Children Hugh MCKENZIE b: JUN 1880 in Huron-Kinloss, Bruce County, Ontario, Canada
  6. Has Children Margaret MCNAUGHTON b: ABT 16 MAY 1813 in Blair Drummond, Kincardine by Doune, Perthshire, Scotland.  She married on 3 APR 1831 in Kincardine by Doune, Perthshire, Scotland to John MCFARLANE b: 1803 in Perthshire, Scotland.  They had the following children:
    1. Has No Children Peter MCFARLANE b: 3 JAN 1839 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada
    2. Has No Children John MCFARLANE b: 28 SEP 1841 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada
    3. Has No Children Mary MCFARLANE b: 8 JAN 1844 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada
    4. Has No Children Margaret MCFARLANE b: 4 MAR 1846 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada
    5. Has No Children Agnes MCFARLANE b: 6 JUL 1851 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada
  7. Has Children Hugh MCNAUGHTON b: ABT 28 MAY 1815 in Blair Drummond, Kincardine, Perthshire, Scotland.  He married on 28 MAY 1840 in Duff's Presbyterian Church, Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario to Elizabeth STIRTON b: 1816 in Forfarshire, Scotland.  They had the following children:
    1. Has No Children Peter MCNAUGHTON b: 23 JUL 1841 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  He moved to Teeswater, Bruce County, Ontario.
    2. Has Children Janet MCNAUGHTON b: 1843 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada.  She married to Duncan MCKENZIE b: 1831 in Scotland.  They had the following children and moved to Huron-Kinloss, Bruce County, Ontario.
      1. Has No Children John MCKENZIE b: 1864 in Ontario, Canada
      2. Has No Children Hugh MCKENZIE b: 1866 in Ontario, Canada
      3. Has No Children Margaret MCKENZIE b: 1869 in Ontario, Canada
      4. Has No Children Elizabeth MCKENZIE b: 1871 in Ontario, Canada
      5. Has No Children Isabella MCKENZIE b: 1873 in Ontario, Canada
      6. Has No Children Jeanette MCKENZIE b: 1876 in Ontario, Canada
    3. Has No Children Margaret MCNAUGHTON b: 29 OCT 1845 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario. She married Allan MCDIARMID b: 19 MAR 1845 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.
    4. Has No Children James MCNAUGHTON b: 1 MAR 1848 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada
    5. Has No Children Daniel MCNAUGHTON b: 11 OCT 1850 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
    6. Has No Children Hugh MCNAUGHTON b: 18 MAR 1853 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
    7. Has Children David MCNAUGHTON b: 24 AUG 1855 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  He married Catherine Annie STEWART b: 1 NOV 1870 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  She was a daughter of Peter Stewart of the family of Comrie Stewarts in Puslinch.  They moved to Carberry, Manitoba and had the following children:
      1. Has No Children James MCNAUGHTON b: ABT 1890 in Manitoba or Ontario
      2. Has No Children Elizabeth Vinnie MCNAUGHTON b: 5 JUN 1893 in Manitoba
      3. Has No Children Minnie MCNAUGHTON b: 28 APR 1897 in Manitoba
      4. Has No Children Annie MCNAUGHTON b: MAY 1903 in Manitoba
    8. Has No Children Mercy MCNAUGHTON b: ABT 1853 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  It is believed that she married to Hugh CAMERON b: 1843 in Ontario. A later obituary records that one of Hugh McNaughton's daughters was "Mrs. Hugh Cameron of Russell, Manitoba". An 1881 census match can be found with a Hugh and Mercy Cameron in Eastern Extension, Manitoba, both born in Ontario. However, it is not certain that Mercy is the daughter of Hugh McNaughton.
  8. Has No Children Janet MCNAUGHTON b: ABT 4 MAY 1817 in Blair Drummond, Kincardine, Perthshire, Scotland.  She married James ARMSTRONG, b. 1803 in Scotland.
  9. Has Children Malcolm MCNAUGHTON b: 31 MAY 1819 in Blair Drummond, Kincardine, Perthshire, Scotland.  Malcolm, b. in Scot., was 10 years old when he came to Puslinch with his parents in 1831. He early acquired pioneer habits, as we find he built one of the corners of the first log church (now Duff's) in 1835, being at the time between 14 and 15 years of age in evidence of his handiness with the axe. He worked with his father to get ready money, and made shingles for which he received $1 per thousand. In 1841 he purchased 93 acres, rear lot 23, Gore of Puslinch, from Capt. De Grassi, at $4 per acre, cleared it, and later bought front of lot 33, and later again, bought 35 acres, lot 34, front of con. 7. He has never held municipal office, but was Trustee S.S. No. 8, over 20 years, and has been Elder of Duff's Church since 1874. He is a Presbyterian, and a Liberal. H m. Janet, dau. of Jas. Stirton. Issue: Janet (d. infancy); Daniel, Mrs. Chris. McBeath, Aberfoyle; James, in Galt; Peter, near Qu'Applle, Sask.; William, Sask.; John, Mrs. Angus Stewart, Sask.; David, on the homestead; Malcolm (d. young), and Mary E., at home.  Malcolm married on 26 MAR 1846 in Duff's Presbyterian Church, Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontarioin Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario to Janet STIRTON b: 15 APR 1830 in "Lillie Farm", Marden, Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  They had the following children:
    1. Has No Children Janet MCNAUGHTON b: 28 DEC 1846 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  She died at birth.
    2. Has Children Daniel MCNAUGHTON b: 11 FEB 1849 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  The Wellington County Historical Atlas, 1906, says: "Daniel, born on the homestead, in 1877, bought 200 acres, lots 23 and 24, con. 2, where he carries on mixed farming. He is a Presbyterian, and an Ind. Liberal. He was in the Township Council for one or two years, and has assessed the township for about five years. He is a very capable officer, giving satisfaction by his equitable judgment. He m. Jane Cowan. Issue: Janet, William G., Margaret, and John M., Toronto."  Daniel married on 21 DEC 1877 in Puslinch, Wellington County, Ontario to Jane COWAN b: 1856.  They had the following children:
      1. Has No Children Janet MCNAUGHTON b: BEF 1906 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
      2. Has No Children William G. MCNAUGHTON b: BEF 1906 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
      3. Has No Children Margaret MCNAUGHTON b: BEF 1906 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
      4. Has No Children John M. MCNAUGHTON b: BEF 1906 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
    3. Has No Children Janet MCNAUGHTON b: 7 JAN 1851 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  She married Christopher MCBEATH b: 1845.
    4. Has No Children James MCNAUGHTON b: 4 JAN 1853 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  He moved to Edmonton, Alberta.
    5. Has No Children Peter MCNAUGHTON b: 22 OCT 1855 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  He moved to Fort Qu'appelle, Saskatchewan.
    6. Has No Children William MCNAUGHTON b: 3 NOV 1860 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  He also moved to Fort Qu'appelle, Saskatchewan.  William fought for the government in the Riel Rebellion.

    7. Has Children John MCNAUGHTON b: 9 OCT 1862 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  The Wellington County Historical Atlas, 1906, says "John, b. on the homestead, worked there with David until 1900, when he bought 180 acres, front lots 31, 32, con. 7. He has never held office of any kind, carries on mixed farming; is a Presbyterian, and a Liberal. He m. Jane Reid, Issue: Eva (d. in infancy); Mabel, Lyla, and Malcolm G. David, unm. , works the homestead."  John married on 25 DEC 1895 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario to Jennie REID b: 25 DEC 1869 in West Flamborough, Wentworth County, Ontario.  They had the following children:

      1. Has No Children Eva MCNAUGHTON b: ABT 1896 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
      2. Has No Children David MCNAUGHTON b: AFT 1896 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
      3. Has No Children Gordon MCNAUGHTON b: AFT 1896
      4. Has No Children Grace MCNAUGHTON b: AFT 1896 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
      5. Has No Children Malcolm G. MCNAUGHTON b: AFT 1896 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
      6. Has No Children Mabel MCNAUGHTON b: 18 APR 1898 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
      7. Has No Children Lila Mae MCNAUGHTON b: 13 MAR 1902 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
      8. Has No Children Reid Stirton MCNAUGHTON b: 1911 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
    8. Has No Children Margaret Janet MCNAUGHTON b: 9 NOV 1865 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  She married on 28 DEC 1887 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario to Angus STEWART b: 5 JUL 1860 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  He was the son of John Stewart of the Crieff Stewarts of Puslinch.  They moved to Fort Qu'appelle, Saskatchewan.
    9. Has Children David A. MCNAUGHTON b: 10 MAR 1868 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  He married AFT 1901 to Margaret MCGEACHY b: 1873.  They had the following children:
      1. Has No Children Catherine MCNAUGHTON b: AFT 1901 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
      2. Has No Children Margaret MCNAUGHTON b: BET 1901 AND 1908 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
      3. Has No Children M. Stirton MCNAUGHTON b: 1908 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
    10. Has No Children Mary Elizabeth MCNAUGHTON b: 2 APR 1874 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  She married A. W. ELLIOTT and moved to Alberta.
  10. Has Children Alexander MCNAUGHTON b: ABT 26 AUG 1821 in Blair Drummond, Kincardine by Doune, Perthshire, Scotland.  He married 1850 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario to Mary MELVIN b: 1 JAN 1831 in Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland.  They had the following children:
    1. Has No Children Janet MCNAUGHTON b: 16 FEB 1851 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
    2. Has No Children Daughter MCNAUGHTON b: BET 1852 AND 1865 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  She married J. H. CULL.
    3. Has Children Jennie MCNAUGHTON b: 28 OCT 1855 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario.  She married to John ROSS b: 4 JAN 1853 in Ontario.  They had the following child:
      1. Has No Children William ROSS b: 2 NOV 1880 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada.
    4. Has No Children Peter MCNAUGHTON b: 1861 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario
    5. Has No Children Robert A. MCNAUGHTON b: MAR 1863 in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario

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Legend

Has Children = This person has known descendants.

ABT = "about" and is used in three ways:

  1. Where it precedes a precise date of birth, such as "ABT 3 DEC 1855", then it means that the person was baptized on 3 DEC 1795, but his/her exact date of birth is unknown.

  2. Where it precedes a semi-precise date of birth with the month only given, such as "ABT DEC 1855", then that means that the birth is recorded in the civil birth registrations for the quarter ending with that month.  Thus the person's birth was registered sometime between the beginning of October 1855 and the end of December 1855, but no baptism record has been found nor any more precise birth record.

  3. Where it precedes a year only, such as "ABT 1855", then it means that there is no information on the person's birth date at all and an educated guess has been made that he/she was probably born sometime around 1855.

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This page was last updated on August 26, 2007

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