Bryce, Robert

(submitted by Dorothy Johnson, with additional information from Settlers and newspaper clippings)

Robert Bryce (1815–1892), Elizabeth McKeown (1826–1906), and their twelve children came to Warwick Twp. from Sherbrooke, near Ottawa, in response to government advertising. As soon as a township was surveyed, the Government would advertise for settlers. Robert Bryce's grandfather had been a shepherd in the lowlands of Scotland and had come to Canada when he was eighteen. He had settled near Ottawa. Robert's father came to Warwick Twp. in the early 1840s and settled on the farm, which was called the “old Bryce Place”. Robert Bryce was the second youngest of the eight children of William and Mary (Wright) Bryce.

Robert and Elizabeth Bryce's family included: William (1844–) who married Margaret Glendinning; Mary (1845–1847); Hugh (1847–) who married Sarah Jones; John (1850–) who married Catherine Duncan; Mary (1851–) who married James Higgins; Robert (1853–1945) who married Letitia “Tish” Moffit (1867–1964); Elizabeth (1855–) who married Robert Fleming; Caroline (1858–) who married Gideon Morrow; Margaret (1860–) who married Christopher Willoughby; Martha (1862–) who married Duncan Ward; and twins James (1865–) who married Mary Ann Shannon and Violet who married Thomas Kerr.

John Bryce was born on the farm where he later lived. In a 1922 interview he spoke of his memories. He noted that the 200 acres next to the Bryce farm was solid bush, as was Fifteen Sideroad. The settlers lived off the land, mostly vegetables, eggs, milk, butter, fire-wood and meat. These things did not cost money, but they did cost labour. In the early days if it hadn't been that every farmer had a flock of sheep, he couldn't have lived at all.

Grain crops were harvested with a scythe or cradle. Wheat would bring about 60 cents a bushel and eggs were taken to the general store where they got 10 cents a dozen. They received a shilling for a pound of butter.

As far as women's work, there was the spinning to do after the regular work was done — spinning and weaving the cloth for bedding and clothes. The men's clothes were made out of “full cloth,” and they wore forever.

Robert and Letitia Bryce had a family of seven children: Walter (1892–1979) who married Oala Irene Routley; Robert John (Jack, 1893–1969); Margaret Elizabeth (1895–1895); Lottie Belle (1897–1903); Mabel Gertrude (1899–1985) who married Hugh “Nick” Nickleson; Lena Mae (1906–1969) who married Richard “Dick” Moore; and Leyden Ariel (1912–) who married Samuel Lowery “Sam” McClung (1895–1960).

Chapter 24 of 25 - Bryce, Robert

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