Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.
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James Dixon

Male 1775 - 1871  (96 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name James Dixon 
    Born 1775  Ettrick, Selkirkshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3] 
    Gender Male 
    Residence 1820  Ettrick, Selkirkshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  [4] 
    Occupation 1852  Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5] 
    teacher 
    Occupation 1861  North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2] 
    Laborer 
    Residence 1861  North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2] 
    United Presbyterian 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-167589 
    Died 7 Jan 1871  [3, 6] 
    Buried Cedar Creek Cemetery, North Dumfries Township, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3] 
    Person ID I167589  Generations
    Last Modified 28 Jan 2025 

    Family Martha Burnett,   b. 1790, Ettrick, Selkirkshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 6 Sep 1878, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 88 years) 
    Married 21 Sep 1820  Ettrick, Selkirkshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  [4] 
    Children 
     1. James Dixon,   b. 23 Jul 1823, Yarrow, , Selkirk, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Feb 1904, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 80 years)
    Last Modified 29 Jan 2025 
    Family ID F48247  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • The establishment of schools throughout the settlement proceeded slowly at first. After much time and trouble spent over the matter, it is impossible to say with absolute certainty who was the first teacher in Galt, or in what building the first teaching took place.

      The first school erected by the villagers was the result of a "Bee," and was a diminutive log building, situated where the Merchants' Bank now is. A Miss Dobbyn, of Garafraxa, is said to have been the first teacher in it. Some time after this, the late Mr. James Dixon, Sr., commenced a school in a little log building at the west end of the bridge. Mr. Dixon had been a teacher in Scotland, at a place called " The Crag, " up the Yarrow river. Those acquainted with Selkirkshire will remember it as being just across the stream from the Ettrick Shepherds residence. Not finding bush farming altogether to his liking, Mr. Dixon naturally took to the ferule [an instrument (as a flat piece of wood like a ruler) used to punish children].

      1aReminiscences of the Early History of Galt and the Settlement of Dumfries in the Province of Ontario, by James Young

      _________________________

      The most noted of the schoolhouses of that period is the Waterloo log schoolhouse which was built about 1820 and, after school had been kept in it for 20 years, was removed to Greenbush where it was occupied as a dwelling house for about fifty years and then removed back to Waterloo where it may be seen today in the Public Park. The most prominent teachers of those early days were Benjamin Eby (Bishop), James Deary or Derry, William Tilt, James Dickson, James Milroy, William Veitch, Noah Bechtel, William Telfer, Isaac Z. Hunsicker, Jonathan Good and John Bowman (father of the late I. E. Bowman, M. P.).

      First Annual Report of the Waterloo Historical Society 1913

  • Sources 
    1. [S131] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1851, Div 5 Pg 2.
      James DICKSON teacher Birthplace: Scotland Age 67 Original Session
      Martha DICKSON Birthplace: Scotland Age 58 Free Church

    2. [S1778] Census - ON, Waterloo, North Dumfries - 1861, Div 5 Page 39.

    3. [S529] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, North Dumfries - Cedar Creek CC#4490 Internet Link.
      In Memory Of/ James Dixon/ Died 7th Jan. 1871/ Aged 95 Years/ Also His Wife/ Martha Burnett/ Died 6th Sept. 1878/ Aged 87 Years/ Natives Of/ Ettrick Scotland.

    4. [S1788] Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910, Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M11924-2 System Origin: Scotland-ODM GS Film number: 1067924.
      Name: James Dixon Spouse's Name: Martha Burnet Event Date: 21 Sep 1820 Event Place: Ettrick,Selkirk,Scotland

    5. [S131] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo Twp. - 1851, Div 5 Pg 2.

    6. [S355] Census - ON, Waterloo, North Dumfries - 1871, Div. 3, Pg. 31.

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 1775 - Ettrick, Selkirkshire, Scotland Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1820 - Ettrick, Selkirkshire, Scotland Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 21 Sep 1820 - Ettrick, Selkirkshire, Scotland Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - teacher - 1852 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Laborer - 1861 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - United Presbyterian - 1861 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Cedar Creek Cemetery, North Dumfries Township, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 


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