Adam Ainslie^[1]

1807 - 1896  (~ 90 years)

• Name	Adam Ainslie
  Born	Between 1806 and 1807	, Scotland   [2, 3]
  Gender	Male
  Residence	1847	North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Occupation	1852	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Attorney at law
  Elected Office	1854	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Councillor - Galt
  Elected Office	1856	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Councillor - Galt
  Elected Office	1856	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Reeve - Waterloo Township
  Residence	1857	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7, 8]
  Died	16 Sep 1896	Owen Sound, Grey Co., Ontario, Canada   [3]
  Elected Office	1955	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Years on local council: 1854 Councillor 1856 Reeve; declined nomination as mayor Years on Waterloo County Council; 1856
  Rebellion of 1837	In the spring of 1838 the militia of Beverly was summoned to muster at Babcock s tavern, west of Sheffield, for the purpose of being enrolled. That was the first call out of the kind Adam Ainslie, (later of Galt), was the Captain of No. 3, or north-west quarter
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-27653
  Person ID	I27653	Generations
  Last Modified	7 Nov 2024

  
  

  Father	Alexander Ainslie,   b. Abt 1780, of, Scotland ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Mother	Margaret Weir,   b. Abt 1780, of, Scotland ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F19741	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Isabella Millar,   b. 1829, , Scotland ,   d. 16 Sep 1918, Owen Sound, Grey Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 89 years)
  Married	19 Jan 1847	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Children	1. Helen Ainslie,   b. 27 Mar 1847, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 24 Apr 1913, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 66 years)   2. Alexander Ainslie,   b. 1849, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 16 May 1887, Leith, , Midlothian, Scotland  (Age 38 years)   3. Captain John George Ainslie,   b. 26 Mar 1858, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 7 Jan 1923  (Age 64 years)
  Last Modified	12 Nov 2024
  Family ID	F7199	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos		Adam Ainslie
  		Adam Ainslie original in Cambridge Archives

  
  

• Notes

  Moving to Canada in 1834, he settled in Galt. He served on village council starting in 1854 and also reeve starting in 1856. He also served as chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Dundas and Waterloo Macadamized Road (Highway 8) which at that time was a toll road. He was a lawyer and important land owner, ______________________ About the year 1821, what is apt to be one of the earliest "institutions" of a new settlement was erected, namely, a tavern. It was a small one-and-a-half story frame building, situated near the corner of Main and Water Streets, a little north of where Woods and Taylor's store now stands. It was first opened by one Morgan L. Hermonts; two years afterwards one John Clark* become the landlord, and subsequently it fell into the hands of a man named James Taylor. Some idea of the value of property over half a century ago, may be obtained from the fact, that Taylor offered the hotel, stables and lot, to a gentleman still living in Galt, for $300, and failed to find a purchaser. Ten years afterwards, however, we find their value had greatly increased. *Clarke long went by the name of "Old Johnny Clarke," and is well remembered for his loquaciousness and other peculiarities. He owned the farm of Rosehill, adjoining Galt, at one time, but sold it, and took up Lot No. 7 in the 5th Concession of South Dumfries. Becoming old, he subsequently went to reside with some friends at Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he, survived until a few years ago. This acre of ground, situated in the very heart of Galt, was one of the first parts of Dumfries deeded away by Mr. Dickson, and ultimately gave rise to most vexatious legal proceedings. Taylor was related to, and ultimately disposed of the property to Mr. Thomas Lepard, of Woolwich (afterwards of Dundas), who, at his death, willed it to his daughter, Mary Ann Lepard, who was his only child. Mr. Thomas G. Chapman was appointed executor. Finding the personal estate inadequate to liquidate the debts, he advertised the lot to be sold by public auction, when it was knocked down to Mr. Thomas Mackenzie, who was a millwright by trade, and had recently arrived in Galt from Nova Scotia. This was about the time of the rebellion, and the price obtained was $1,600 - a very considerable rise above the modest sum at which Taylor had offered to sell it some years previously. Mr. Mac-kenzie subdivided the acre into lots, and erected a small frame house on one of them for his own use. Some time after this, Mary Ann Lepard married a shiftless fellow named Benjamin Tribe, who resided near Elora. Matters had proceeded thus far, when the ques-tion arose as to whether the executor, Mr. Chapman, had the right to sell the lot, although it was for the payment of the debts of the estate. A case was submitted to Mr. W. If.. Draper, of Toronto, for his opinion. He decided adversely, which was a most unpleasant discovery for Mr. Chapman, and still more so for Mr. Mackenzie, who, with buying and building, had sunk all his hard-earned money. There was a general consultation held by Messrs. Mackenzie, Chapman, Shade and Adam Ainslie (the latter is now a resident of Leith), and it was arranged that the three gentlemen last mentioned should go on an expedition, combining pleasure with business, namely, to drive to Elora, see Tribe and wife, endeavour to get a confirmation of Mackenzie's title, and then fish down the Grand River home again. To make a long story short, Tribe agreed to confirm the title for $150, and came down to Mr. Ainslie's office the following week for the purpose. Mr. Ainslie appointed 3 o'clock that afternoon for him and his wife to come and execute the necessary papers. The hour arrived, but they did not. The next day it was ascertained that Tribe had sold out all his own arid his wife's interest to Mr. John Miller, Barrister, had executed a deed for the acre lot, and left the village This was sad news for Mackenzie, and made the difficulties far greater than ever. Two legal suits immediately ensued. Miller began a Chancery suit to dispossess Mackenzie, and Mr. Ainslie retorted by commencing an action against Mr. Miller for Champerty, or buying a disputed title. We need not follow the legal proceedings further than to say, that they occasioned much interest in the courts of the Province, and quite excited the little village whilst the result was pending. Unlike many lawsuits, however, all came out right in the end. Mr. Mackenzie was confirmed in his title, and Mr. Miller, whom the jury amerced in the sum of £500, had the verdict set aside at the next term, as being contrary to law. After the Dumfries Mills had been running for some time, Mr. Dickson, who found that his lands required all his attention, endeavoured to sell them to Mr. Shade. The latter was unwilling to purchase unless a guarantee was given for a specified number of years, that no lands would be sold in the village by Mr. Dickson for mills, stores, or other businesses which would enter into competition with his (Mr. Shade's) occupations. It is under-stood this condition was ultimately agreed to; at any rate, Mr. Shade purchased the mills, two hundred acres of land, covering what is now the most valuable part of the town on the west side of the river, and an additional hundred acres in the township. The deed was not obtained for these properties by Mr. Shade, until the 11th August, 1838, and in that document, the consideration money is stated to have been £2,500. In deeding the 200 acres to Mr. Shade, Mr. Dickson made the following reservations : (1) One lot to Dr. Robert Miller, corner west of Water and north of Main Street. (2) One acre to James Taylor, north of Main and east of Water Street. (3) One lot to Adam Ainslie, north of Main and east of Ainslie Street. (4) One lot to Isaac Sours, adjoining Ainslie's lot. (5) The school-house lot, corner of Church and Main Street. (6) The market-house lot on Dickson Street. How much is the same property, with all its mills, machinery, stores, and residences, worth at the present day? Reminiscences of the Early History of Galt and the Settlement of Dumfries in the Province of Ontario, by James Young, 1880 Toronto: Hunter, Rose Pg. 45-47

  
  

• Sources

  [S29] Church Records - ON, Waterloo, Galt - St. Andrews Presbyterian, christening of daughter Helen. [S313] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1851, Div 1 Pg 12. Adam AINSLIE Attorney at Law Scotland Presbyterian 45 Isabella AINSLIE Scotland Presbyterian 22 Ellen AINSLIE Upper Canada Presbyterian 5 Alexander AINSLIE Upper Canada Presbyterian 2 Margaret TURNBULL Spinster Scotland Presbyterian 14 not a member of the family [S116] Vit - ON - Death Registration. Name:Adam Ainslie Gender:Male Age:89 Birth Date:abt 1807 Birth Place:Scotland Death Date:16 Sep 1896 Death Place:Owen Sound, Grey, Ontario, Canada Religion:Presbyterian Cause of Death:Debility Dead Old Age [S798] Church Records - ON, Waterloo, Galt - Associate Presbyterian (First United). Adam Ainslie of Dumfries married 19 Jan 1847 by license to Isabella Miller of Dumfries [S313] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1851, Div 1 Pg 12. [S1450] Waterloo County Councillors A Collective Biography. [S14] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berlin Chronicle (1856-1860), 25 Nov 1857. 18 Oct 1857 In Edinburgh, Scotland, on the 18th Oct. Christina relict of the late Archibald Ainslie, Esq., of Preston, and aunt of Adam Ainslie, Esq. Of Galt [S31] News - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Dumfries Reformer (1850-1892), 25 Nov 1857. Ainslie, Mrs Christina 18 Oct 1857 Relict late Archibald Ainslie, of Preston, East Lothian. Aunt of Adam & James Ainslie, of Galt. Died at 48 Street, Edinburgh, Scotland.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - Between 1806 and 1807 - , Scotland Residence - 1847 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Married - 19 Jan 1847 - , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Attorney at law - 1852 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Elected Office - Councillor - Galt - 1854 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Elected Office - Councillor - Galt - 1856 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Elected Office - Reeve - Waterloo Township - 1856 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1857 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 16 Sep 1896 - Owen Sound, Grey Co., Ontario, Canada Elected Office - 1955 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth