Dunlop

(submitted by Wilbert Dunlop)

My great, great, great grandfather was James Dunlop; my great, great, great grandmother was Jane (Campbell) Dunlop, both of Scotland. 

My great, great grandmother was Euphemia (Brandon) Dunlop of Scotland. My great, great grandfather was Duncan Dunlop Sr. (1793 - 1869), also of Scotland. They were married in 1816. Duncan Dunlop Sr. enlisted as a private in the 94th Regiment of Foot for the British military in 1813 where he became a rope maker. He fought in the Battle of Waterloo. His right leg was amputated above the knee after the battle of Toulouse, France in 1814. He was discharged in 1815. The signature of a X on the military records shows him to have received 100 acres of land in Canada as a discharged soldier. Duncan and Euphemia's son, Duncan Jr., was born in 1819. 

In 1832 Duncan Sr. immigrated to Canada, bringing his 13 year old son Duncan Jr. with him. His wife and one son, possibly other children as well, had died in Scotland. There was a cholera epidemic when they arrived in Toronto. 

On immigration to Canada, Duncan Sr. was listed as a commuted pensioner. After arriving, the two settled for some time near London and worked as road labourers in the Townships of Caradoc, Adelaide and Warwick, building a new road from Caradoc Twp. to Port Sarnia, under the leadership of surveyor Peter Carroll. Duncan Sr. was able to do this work in spite of his handicap. 

In 1838 Duncan Sr. applied for a crown grant of 100 acres on Lot 19, Con. 3 NER, Warwick Twp. Then, in 1841 he turned the farm over to Duncan Jr. (1819 - 1905). Records show that Duncan Jr. and Sr. cleared 245 acres of land. During the Rebellion of Upper Canada led by William Lyon McKenzie, the militia was called up. Warwick men, including Duncan Sr. were called up for duty. Duncan Sr. died on the farm.

In 1839 Duncan Jr. married Elizabeth (Eliza) Smith (1820 - 1917), whom he had met on the voyage from Britain to Canada. Together they raised 13 children on the east 1/2 of Lot 19, Con. 3 NER, Warwick Twp. Their children were: Mary Ann (1841 -), Louisa (1849 -), Harriet (1850 -), Charles (1852 -), Hannah (1853 -), Malcolm (1855 -), James (1857 -) Eliza Jane (1859 -), Matilda (1861 -) and John Lennard (1864 -). Duncan and Elizabeth lived on Lot 19 until 1897, when they retired to Arkona. When Elizabeth passed away, she had 183 descendants. This farm stayed in the Dunlop name until 1908, when John moved to Michigan. 

Duncan Jr. and Elizabeth's oldest son William had Lot 18, Con. 1 NER from 1864 to 1887 when he was killed in an accident. William is my grandfather. William Dunlop was a good horseman. He drew grain to the flour mills with his two-horse team, making extra money to support the family. William married Ellen Thomson ( - 1920). Their children were: Jane, Eliza, Mary, George (1870 - 1950), Charlotte, Jessie, William John, Tillie, Lillie and Edith. 

William and Ellen's son George got tubercular of the bone at age seven, in 1877. The doctors of the day wanted to cut the tendons in his leg. His mother said no to the procedure. He recovered, but his right leg was always a bit short and he had a limp. People recall that he could step dance using a chair on either side as supports. He never owned a car and couldn't drive. George married Alberta Louisa Muma (1880 - 1958), the daughter of Joseph and Rachel Muma.

Duncan Jr. and Elizabeth's second son Alfred Dunlop (1843 -) was a farmer. In 1870 he moved to Warwick Village and became a miller. He late moved to Watford, then Arkona, and then returned to Watford, continuing in both saw and flour milling. Alfred married Jane Eliza Smith in 1871. Their children were: Lorena, George Albert, Alvenetta May and Alfred Clair. 

In 1880 Duncan Jr. and Elizabeth's fourth son, Malcolm Dunlop, built the Arkona Flour and Grist Mill at Rock Glen. Recognizing a community need for converting locally grown grains into flour, he invented, engineered and constructed this steam power mill. Since electricity had not been heard of, he looked for some method of performing this task that had previously been done by hand. He picked this site, knowing that massive amounts of water were going to be needed. He owned and operated the mill for the next two decades. The building remained intact until the early 1940s. 

As mentioned previously, George (1870 - 1950) married Alberta Muma. They lived on the west 1/2 of Lot 18, Con. 1 NER for four years, until 1906. The family moved several times, until finally settling on the east 1/2 of Lot 25, Con. 5 NER. 

I (Wib, 1918 -) am the youngest of the eight children of George and Alberta. My siblings were: Joseph, Olive, Gordon, Elma, Hazel, Mildred and Dorothy. I started school at Easter just before my seventh birthday. I attended the White School (SS#8) for six years. I was always Miss Hazel York's favourite student. On one occasion she thought I was goofing off so Miss York checked my arithmetic. I appeared to have the wrong answer, so she asked me to do it again. When I arrived at the same sum yet again Miss York, knowing my ability, checked the answer to the sum herself, only to discover the answer in the back of the book was wrong! I took my Entrance Exams in Arkona, where the two year continuation school program was held. Out of 27 students I came in seventh. I never went on to the Arkona Continuation School; instead I worked on the farm until I was 20 years old. 

I enjoyed playing ball as a younster. My first car was a Model T. I drove a horse and buggy and also a cutter before that. I also owned a wireless radio when they were first available. 

I started farming on my own in 1938 in Plympton Twp., with my mother keeping the house for me. Then I rented a farm on Birnam Line for three years. I married June Brander in 1944. In 1945 I bought Lot 27, Con. 6 NER, where we have continued to live. In 1957 I lost my hand, reaching into a corn picker to unclog the chutes. I have worn a prosthesis ever since. In 1961 I became weed inspector for Lambton County, a position I held for 43 years. A week inspector is called out when there is a report of noxious weeds growing somewhere in the County. June worked at North Lambton Rest Home. 

Our children are Teresa Marie and Brander Hugh, both of whom have moved out of Warwick Twp. 

Chapter 24 of 25 - Dunlop Family

Back Next