1. | Duncan DEWAR was born on 4 Oct 1780 in Row, Dunbartonshire, Scotland (son of Peter DEWAR and Christin SINCLAIR); died on 4 Sep 1869 in Chatham, Argenteuil County, Quebec. Notes:
From "History of the Counties of Argenteuil, Quebec and Prescott, Ontario", by Cyrus Thomas (1896 -pages 288-289), as related by Colin Dewar, Duncan's son:
Duncan and his family settled on a farm on Lot 4 on the front of Chatham, next to Duncan's brother John. Duncan also leased, from local Indians, an island in the Ottawa River in front of his property. It was later named after him. He raised most of the crops and animals for his family's subsistence on that island, giving him more opportunity to clear his main farm of timber. He took pride in raising top quality cattle and horses.
After a first log home where most of the children were born, Duncan completed a two-story stone farmhouse in 1819.
Duncan's son Colin wrote in 1894 that "The face of the country is very much changed since then. At that time the main road ran along the bank of the river from Carillon to our place. The view from our house was splendid; away to the west, the river and farm houses were in full view; down the river could be seen the rapids and part of the village of Point Fortune; nearly in front of the house was a most magnificent elm tree.."
About 1830, the government expropriated the land for enlarging the canal and highway, and Duncan and his family moved to a rented farm a short distance away, and then purchased another, uncleared, farm on the Lachute Road. In 1862 Duncan retired to the old family homestead in Chatham.
Duncan married Margaret MCCALLUM on 1 Mar 1807. Margaret was born about 1781; died on 11 Oct 1826 in Front of Chatham, Argenteuil County. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
Children:
- Christian DEWAR was born on 6 Oct 1809 in Front of Chatham, Argenteuil County; died on 10 Jul 1858.
- Mary DEWAR was born on 14 Apr 1811 in Front of Chatham, Argenteuil County; died on 28 Sep 1872.
- Helena DEWAR was born on 14 Nov 1813 in Front of Chatham, Argenteuil County; died on 26 Nov 1887.
- Margaret DEWAR was born on 2 Jan 1815 in Front of Chatham, Argenteuil County; died in Feb 1883.
- Peter DEWAR was born on 26 Apr 1817 in Front of Chatham, Argenteuil County; died on 22 Nov 1847 in Chatham, Argenteuil County, Quebec.
- John DEWAR was born on 26 Apr 1817 in Front of Chatham, Argenteuil County; died on 14 Aug 1841 in Chatham, Argenteuil County, Quebec.
- Daniel DEWAR was born on 28 Mar 1819 in Front of Chatham, Argenteuil County; died in Jul 1827 in Front of Chatham, Argenteuil County.
- Catharine DEWAR was born on 3 Jan 1821 in Front of Chatham, Argenteuil County; died on 19 May 1883.
- Colin DEWAR was born on 12 Sep 1823 in Front of Chatham, Argenteuil County; died after 1896.
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