Aitken

(submitted by Doug Aitken)

John and Jane (Lang) Aitken of Renfrew County, Scotland were married in 1825. They had four children before emigrating to Chateauguay, Quebec, in 1831. Six more children (one died as a child) were born in Quebec.

The family moved to Warwick Twp. in the early 1850s. They settled on the west ½ of Lot 20, Con. 2 SER Warwick, when the township was still just being cleared and shortly after municipal government was formed in 1850. John and Jane died in 1885 and 1881 respectively. They are buried in the pioneer cemetery on the 4th line (Confederation Line) of Warwick Twp.

Ruth and Jack Aitken wedding. Courtesy D AItken.

Only three of their family — Robert, James and Andrew — remained in Warwick, although some were returned to be buried in the Watford Cemetery. Robert (1827–1915) and James (1847–1905) never married and farmed nearly all their lives, Robert on the home farm on Con. 2 SER and James on Lot 19, Con. 1 SER on the Main Road (Egremont Rd.).

Andrew (1844–1916) purchased Lot 21, Con. 1 SER in 1867. This farm has been in the Aitken name since then. Andrew married Mary Kersey (1849–1931), whose family came to live directly behind on Con. 2 SER. Andrew was a building framer as well as a farmer. Andrew and Mary had a family of six — a boy and three girls who lived to old age and twins who died as babies.

The boy, John Edward (1876–1964) and two of his sisters, Jean and Louisa married three McIllveen's from just down the Main Road. The girls and their husbands homesteaded to Alberta in the early 1900s. The fourth girl, Mary Elizabeth (Min), married Dave Ross from up the Main Road and lived out her life there.

John Edward lost his first wife in childbirth within a year of their marriage, and the child less than two years later. He then married Louvisa Waun of Warwick Twp. and raised a family of five.

Vera Aitken (1910–1994) married Cameron McKenzie of Con. 2 NER and had two sons William and Donald, who still live in Warwick.

John (Jack) Aitken (1912–2005) farmed on Lot 22, Con. 1 NER. He and Ruth (Smith) had a family of three: Douglas, James and Catherine. Doug, his wife Fran and their daughter Donna (m. Marcel DeSchutter) lived and farmed on the Egremont Road until 1991. Jim and Catherine Minielly moved away from Warwick.

Freida Aitken and her brother Andrew married and left the township.

Gordon Aitken and his wife Alma live on the home farm and have a family of two. Bryan and his wife Nancy live in a new house on the home farm and have a family of four boys. Janice moved from the township after her marriage.

At this writing, this makes six generations of Aitkens to live in Warwick, five of them along the Main (Egremont) Rd.

Chapter 24 of 25 - Aitken Family

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