February 13, 2007:

    The McVeety and Best families came to the Lanark area in 1820 , according to family 
    records. I am a ggggrandaugter of James McVeety and Dorothea Best , who settled on 
    lot 29 con. 6 , North Elmsley.  I have visited that area a number of times but have 
    had limited success. 

    On one of my visits , the late Elsie (McVeety) Vass , who lived in the old stone 
    house on the homestead, told of "Old Tom" who lived at the back of their farm near 
    the lake.  According to Elsie, Tom went duck hunting one Sunday morning in the 
    rain. When he returned to his shanty, he stood his musket against the fireplace 
    and it exploded,  killing him.  Rev. William Bell , the Presbyterian minister, 
    refused to let Tom be interred in the local cemetery because of his grave sin of 
    hunting on Sunday. Consequently , Tom was buried beside  his shanty in the woods. 
    Elsie told of seeing the ring of stones outlining the grave and remains of his    
    old fireplace.

    I have inquired at the Perth Library and have been told that Rev. Bell's diaries 
    are stored at Queen's University library and that there copies, but these are not 
    available through inter library  loan.   If these diaries are available ,  they 
    could also confirm marriage and death  dates too.

    Can you suggest where I can search to determine if Tom was a family member? 
    James  McVeety and his younger brother Simon came to Canada with their mother, 
    whose maiden name was Waton ,in 1820.  We have no record of their father. 
    Any suggestions will be truly appreciated.  
    
    Sincerely, June (McVeety) Hampel 
   
________________________
Here is a McVeety family, including a Thomas, in the 1881 census.

1881 Census Place:	Elmsley North, Lanark South, Ontario, Canada
	Source:	FHL Film 1375869  NAC C-13233  Dist 111  SubDist C  Page 14  Family 73+
	Sex	Marr	Age	Origin	Birthplace
Elisha MCVIETY	F	W	47	English	Ontario
	Occ:	Farmer	Religion:	Church of England	
James MCVIETY	M		21	Irish	Ontario
	Occ:	Farmer	Religion:	Church of England	
William MCVIETY	M		20	Irish	Ontario
	Occ:	Son Farmer	Religion:	Church of England	
Thomas MCVIETY	M		13	Irish	Ontario
			Religion:	Church of England	
Elizabeth A. MCVIETY	F		10	Irish	Ontario
			Religion:	Church of England	

and another:
1881 Census Place:	Elmsley North, Lanark South, Ontario, Canada
	Source:	FHL Film 1375869  NAC C-13233  Dist 111  SubDist C  Page 45  Family 224+
	Sex	Marr	Age	Origin	Birthplace
Simon MCVIETY	M	M	39	Irish	Ontario
	Occ:	Farmer	Religion:	Methodist	
Mary MCVIETY	F	M	34	Scottish	Scotland
			Religion:	Presbyterian	
Mary MCVIETY	F		14	Irish	Ontario
			Religion:	Presbyterian	
James MCVIETY	M		12	Irish	Ontario
			Religion:	Presbyterian	
Elsie MCVIETY	F		10	Irish	Ontario
			Religion:	Presbyterian	
Margret MCVIETY	F		2	Irish	Ontario
			Religion:	Presbyterian	
George MCVIETY	M		1	Irish	Ontario
			Religion:	Presbyterian	
	Born:	Jan; 3m	
_______________
June:
If you think that the Thomas above, aged 13 in the 1881 census, is not your
"Old Tom", you could check the 1901 and 1911 census records. They are available
at http://www.automatedgenealogy.com .
... Al

 
E-mail June (McVeety) Hampel and Al Lewis



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