Mayor John McVeagh Lumsden

1823 - 1898  (75 years)

• Name	John McVeagh Lumsden
  Prefix	Mayor
  Born	7 Sep 1823	Meerut, , Uttar Pradesh, India   [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Gender	Male
  Elected Office	1854
  	He represented South Ontario in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from 1854 to 1857.
  Residence	1864	Arran Township, Bruce, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  Occupation	1881	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	Farmer
  Elected Office	1886	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Councillor - Galt
  Elected Office	1886	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Councillor - Waterloo County
  Elected Office	1888	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Mayor - Galt
  Elected Office	1889	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Reeve - Galt
  Elected Office	1892	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Mayor - Galt
  Elected Office	1892	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Reeve - Galt
  Interesting	politics
  Name	John M. Lumsden
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-136254
  Died	27 Sep 1898	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Buried	Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Person ID	I136254	Generations
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2024

  
  

  Family	Margaret Ballengal MacKay,   b. 15 Apr 1835, , Caithness, Scotland ,   d. 4 Feb 1904, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 68 years)
  Married	2 Jun 1864	, Bruce Co., Ontario, Canada   [3]
  Children	1. Thomas Harry Lumsden,   b. 1865, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown   2. John Joseph Lumsden,   b. 16 May 1871, Arran Township, Bruce, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 2 Feb 1880, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 8 years)   3. Isabella Hay "Etta" Lumsden,   b. 2 Sep 1872, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. 8 Apr 1957, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 84 years)
  Last Modified	7 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F40706	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  John McVeagh Lumsden was the second son of Colonel Lumsden and was born on September 7, 1823 in Meerot, India where his father was stationed while serving in the British Imperial army. Mr. Lumsden immigrated to Canada in 1840 settling first in Quebec. In 1844 he moved to Upper Canada, living in Whitby for two years. He then moved to Pickering where he lived for twelve years and served as that town's reeve. In about 1858 he moved once again, this time to Arran in Bruce County. Here he also interested himself in local politics and served this community as reeve. In 1873 Mr. Lumsden moved to a farm near Galt and subsequently into the town itself. As he had in earlier communities, Mr. Lumsden took an active interest in municipal politics and served on the Galt council as reeve in 1886 and 1887 and as mayor in 1888, 1889 and 1892. As mayor he was described as a man of excellent judgment, undoubted capacity and pronounced executive talent. Mr. Lumsden died on September 27, 1898 and is buried in Mount View Cemetery. The wall clock in the City of Cambridge Council Chambers was donated to the City of Galt by then Mayor Lumsden. It is thought that Lumsden Cres. is named for him. Cambridge Mosaic, Jim Quantrell, 1998, City of Cambridge ________________________ DEATH OF JOHN M. LUMSDEN Sketch of the Life of the Distinguished Statesman and Townsman After months of weary struggle against the great destroyer, waged amidst the calmest assurance of a peaceful outcome, the spirit of John McVeagh Lumsden, ex-mayor of Galt, and ex-member of the Old Legislative Assembly of the Province of Upper Canada, passed into the presence of its maker at six o'clock on Tuesday evening at the beautiful family residence, "Coldstream," at the southern extremity of West Main Street. The tidings of his death created in the minds of the townspeople universally the profoundest regret, but at the same time inspired a feeling of intense respect and satisfaction at the career of one who had always stood for righteousness in the community and nation and whose life was as it were a book of precepts for the guidance for his fellows. Of Mr. Lumsden it may truthfully be said that he had imposed in him the confidence of the body of the people of Galt; that his integrity carried with it and commanded the respect and esteem of all classes, and that the fragrance of his associations in public and private life will live until the last of his acquaintances follows him into the great beyond. Born into one of the grand old families of Scotland, he lived to bring still greater honor upon its escutcheon and to mould for himself a place in the pages of the history of the Dominion of Canada. The following is a short sketch of the life of the deceased, which must necessarily exclude much that would be of public interest and importance, but incomplete as it is will be perused with interest by Canadians generally. John McVeagh Lumsden was born at Meerut, near Delhi, India, on September 7, 1823. He was the second son of the late Col. Thomas Lumsden, C B., of Belhelvie Lodge, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. His mother was Hay, second daughter of John Burnett, of Elrich, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. There were eleven of a family----six sons and five daughters. The sons, besides the deceased, who was the second, were General Sir Harry Burnett Lumsden, who died at Belhelvie Lodge, in September 1896; the late Thomas Lumsden of St. Francis Xavier, Manitoba, killed in September 1885, by being gored by a favorite bull; General Sir Peter Stark Lumsden, lately commissioner for the settlement of the Afghan boundary still living; William Henry Lumsden, killed in action, near Delhi, India, in August, 1857, a lieutenant in the 68th Native Infantry, and second in command of the 1st Punjaub Infantry; and Hugh David Lumsden, C.E., of Toronto at present on the CPR's, chief of the staff on the Crowe's Nest Pass extension. Of the five daughters, the eldest married the Rev. James Johnstone of Potterton, Aberdeenshire; the second married the late Col. John Paton, of Grandholme, Aberdeenshire; the third married Capt. George Cleghorn, an officer in the Scots Greys, now of Weems, Roxboroughshire; the fourth, Clementina died at Aberdeen in November, 1895, and the fifth married the late Capt. Frank Sherlock, of Brighton, England. The late John M. Lumsden received a thorough education, attending school at Bromeley, Kent, England and subsequently entered Marischal College, Aberdeenshire. He came to Canada in 1840, and resided at Quebec for four years, where he was associated with his uncle, David Burnett---who represented Quebec City in the legislature during Lord Sydenham's administration---in the export lumber business. Removing to Ontario, then Upper Canada; he resided for two years in Whitby, after which he went to the township of Pickering, of which township he became Reeve. He was a member also of the County Councils of York and Ontario and represented South Ontario and the Old Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada from August 1854, to November 1857, as a Liberal-Conservative but maintained his independence, when he was succeeded by Oliver (now Sir) Mowat. He remained in Pickering Township until 1858, when he removed to the Township of Arran, Bruce County. While there he was elected to the Reeveship of the Township, and was a member of the County Council of Huron and Bruce. In 1876 he removed to North Dumfries, purchasing form the late Wm. Robinson the farm now owned by Mr. George Hogg and Mr. Peter Gilles. He resided there for a few years, when he purchased the Crombie house, at the end of West Main Street, from Mr. Siddall, where he resided until his death. He was married in 1864 to Margaret Ballengal MacKay, of Caithnessshire, Scotland who survives him, and by whom he had three children. The eldest, Thomas Harry Lumsden is a resident of Memphis, Tennessee, being on the staff of the Memphis Scimiter; the second Miss Etta Hay Lumsden , resides at home, and the youngest, Joseph was killed by a fall while the family resided on the farm adjoining Galt. The subject of this sketch was always a prominent and active man during his residence in this town. He took a deep concern in municipal administration in all its branches, occupying a seat at the Council Board as Reeve for three years, 1885 to 1887 inclusive, and was elected Mayor on three occasions, in '88, '89, and '92. His regime was marked by clean legislation and steady advancement in the public weal. Having ample means of his own, he never accepted the monetary grant, that was made by Council to Mayors of the township for personal use, but spent it on something which he believed was needed by the municipality. He built the steps leading up to the eastern entrance to the Town Hall, presented the large clock which hangs in the Council Chamber, built the crossing from the Vegetable market to the Town Hall and made some improvements to Dixon Park. He was also one of the valued members of Knox Presbyterian Church, one of the connecting links between Presbyterianism in the days of the "Old Kirk" on Dixon's hill, and the present. With a number of others he joined Knox when the old church was closed. He took an aggressive part in the proclamation of the truths of Christianity, being President of the Galt Branch of the Upper Canada Bible Society for a number of years and always willing to encourage and lend his assistance to every good work. Of late years he had retired from public life of all branches, and his absence was severely felt at all public gatherings of whatever nature. He was chairman for several years of Knox Church Board of Managers. A good citizen, an honest and upright man has fallen, but the impression of his life's actions will remain and bear fruit. The Town Hall flag is flying at half mast as a token of respect to the honored dead. Galt Daily Reporter, September 28, 1898

  
  

• Sources

  [S336] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1881, Galt Division 2 Page 56. [S122] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Mount View CC#4495 Internet Link . John McVeagh/ Lumsden/ born at Meerot/ India/ September 7ths 1823/ died at Galt, Ont./ September 27th 1898/ Margaret MacKay/ wife of/ John McVeagh Lumsden/ born in Caithness-shire/ Scotland/ May 1835/ died at Galt, Ont./ February 4th 1904 [S69] Vit - ON, Bruce - Bruce County Marriage Register 1858 -1869. John M. Lumsden Age: 40 Birth Place: East India Residence: Arran Township Spouse Name: Margaret B. McKay Spouse Age: 28 Spouse Birth Place: Scotland Spouse Residence: Arran Township Marriage Date: 2 Jun 1864 Father Name: Thomas Mother Name: Hay Barnett Spouse Father Name: James Spouse Mother Name: Isabella McDonald County: Bruce Microfilm Roll: 1030055 [S1800] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1891, Sec. 1 Page 88. [S1450] Waterloo County Councillors A Collective Biography.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 7 Sep 1823 - Meerut, , Uttar Pradesh, India Residence - 1864 - Arran Township, Bruce, Ontario, Canada Married - 2 Jun 1864 - , Bruce Co., Ontario, Canada Occupation - Farmer - 1881 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Elected Office - Councillor - Galt - 1886 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Elected Office - Councillor - Waterloo County - 1886 - , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Elected Office - Mayor - Galt - 1888 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Elected Office - Reeve - Galt - 1889 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Elected Office - Mayor - Galt - 1892 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Elected Office - Reeve - Galt - 1892 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 27 Sep 1898 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth