Peter Jaffray^[1]

1800 - 1864  (64 years)

• Name	Peter Jaffray
  Born	1800	, Stirlingshire, Scotland   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
  Gender	Male
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/92435075
  Occupation	1851	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	Printer
  Residence	1851	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  	Episcopalian
  Occupation	1861	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  	Printer
  Residence	1861	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [8]
  	Church of England
  Died	15 Nov 1864	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4, 5, 9, 10]
  	Cause: fever
  Buried	17 Nov 1864	Trinity Anglican Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4, 7]
  Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region	Bef 2012	, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [11]
  Interesting	life story, newspaper
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-32382
  Person ID	I32382	Generations
  Last Modified	3 Mar 2025

  
  

  Father	Jaffray,   b. CA 1770,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F38460	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Mary Ann Gittins,   b. 1804, Shrewsbury, , Shropshire, England ,   d. 17 Apr 1873, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 69 years)
  Married	30 Oct 1829	Shrewsbury, , Shropshire, England   [12, 13]
  Children	1. Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" Jaffray,   b. 31 Jul 1830, Shrewsbury, , Shropshire, England ,   d. 21 Feb 1907, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 76 years)   2. Mayor William Jaffray,   b. 6 Mar 1832, Shrewsbury, , Shropshire, England ,   d. 28 Sep 1896, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 64 years)   3. Mayor Richard Jaffray,   b. 3 Feb 1834, Shrewsbury, , Shropshire, England ,   d. 4 Jul 1898, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 64 years)   4. Henry James Jaffray,   b. 1836, Shrewsbury, , Shropshire, England ,   d. 22 May 1878, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 42 years)   5. George Joseph Jaffray,   b. 21 Oct 1838, Shrewsbury, , Shropshire, England ,   d. 5 Sep 1895, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 56 years)   6. Kate Jaffray,   b. 1841, , England ,   d. Yes, date unknown   7. Mary Harriet Jaffray,   b. 10 Mar 1841, Shrewsbury, , Shropshire, England ,   d. 1 Jul 1873, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 32 years)   8. James Jaffray,   b. 1853, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Last Modified	4 Mar 2025
  Family ID	F23820	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Peter Jaffray from Waterloo Region Hall of Fame

  
  

• Notes

  PETER JAFFRAY 1800-1864 Married: Mary Ann Gittins Mr. Jaffray was born in Stirling, Scotland in 1800, was a graduate of the University of Glasgow and learned the printing business while in the employ of Oliver and Boyd in Edinburgh. He also worked for the Shrewsbury Chronicle for twenty-two years and started the Shrewsbury News. In 1844 Mr. Jaffray immigrated to the Goderich area with the intention of becoming a gentleman farmer. On his way west he passed through Galt and noted that the Dumfries Courier was looking for a printer. He continued on his journey but it soon became apparent that pioneer farming in Canada was neither to his expectations nor his liking and he soon began to contemplate alternatives. He considered an offer to join George Brown's fledgling Toronto Globe but decided instead to throw in his lot with Ben Hearle and the Dumfries Courier. After working for two years for the "shiftless" Mr. Hearle, Mr. Jaffray and his sons finally had enough of the publisher's shortcomings and announced their intentions to leave within a month. Faced with the loss of the cream of his staff, Mr. Hearle persuaded the Jaffray's to stay on for an additional three weeks while he sought qualified replacements. When it became apparent that none were forthcoming and that the demise of the Courier was inevitable, Mr. Hearle offered to sell his antiquated equipment to Mr. Jaffray. Although contemplating the formation of his own newspaper, Mr. Jaffray declined the offer, opting instead for newer, though more expensive, equipment. Having now severed his ties with the Courier, Mr. Jaffray, in partnership with James Ainslie, launched the Galt Reporter with the first issue appearing on Friday, November 13, 1846. Mr. Ainslie and Mr. Jaffray had a falling out over the conservative political content that was finding its way into the paper and Mr. Ainslie left the partnership in 1849 to start a rival weekly, the Dumfries Reformer. With the departure of Mr. Ainslie the Reporter came under the sole control of Mr. Jaffray and his sons William, Richard, Henry and George, and became more politically conservative in tone. Mr. Jaffray died on November 15, 1864 and is buried in Trinity Anglican Cemetery. Jaffray St. is named for him and perpetuates the memory of various family members. Cambridge Mosaic, Jim Quantrell, 1998, City of Cambridge ______________________ During the summer of 1844 the first newspaper ever published in Galt saw the light. It was called the Dumfries Courier, and thirty-five year after its publication, as the copy before us witnesses, it presents a very faded and unattractive appearance. It was published by the easy-going, genial but shiftless "Ben" Hearle, who felt his bosom swell with pride when he was called the editor, but who performed little but spoke much of the onerous duties of the chair editorial. Indeed, from " Ben's" easygoing habits, it is very doubtful if there would have been any editorials whatever on some occasions, or in fact any Courier at all, but for the fact that Mr. Peter Jaffray and sons had arrived in Galt from Shrewsbury, England, shortly after the office was opened, and were induced to take an active part in getting out the paper.....Mr. Peter Jaffray was born in Stirling, Scotland, in 1800. He learned the printing business with Oliver & Bojsd, Edinburgh, and afterwards obtained a responsible charge in connection with the Shrewsbury Chronicle, in England, with which he was associated for twenty-two years. After starting the Shrewsbury News, he emigrated to Canada, arriving in Galt in July, 1844, where he continued to reside until his death on the 15th November, 1864. His connection with the press of Galt, as well as his social and kind disposition, are too well remembered to require recital. Reminiscences of the Early History of Galt and the Settlement of Dumfries in the Province of Ontario, by James Young

  
  

• Sources

  [S1338] News - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Galt Reporter (1846-1973), Marriage of George Alfred Baker - Jaffray - 27 Apr 1866, Page 3. [S745] Book - A Cyclopedia of Canadian Biography being chiefly men of the time Vol. 1, pg 197 -biography of William Jaffray. [S313] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1851, Pg.40. [S505] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Trinity Anglican (Galt) CC#4497 Internet Link . Peter Jaffray/ died at Galt/ Novenber 15th 1864/ aged 64 years/ also his wife/ Mary Ann Gittins/ died April 17th 1873/ aged 69 years/ Catherine Elizabeth/ daughter of/ Peter & Jane/ Jaffray/ died Feb. 21st 1907/ aged 76 years/ Jaffray [S7] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berliner Journal (1859-1917), 17 Nov 1864. Peter Jaffray died 15 Nov 1864 in Galt, 64 yrs. [S1838] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1861. [S574] Church Records - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Trinity Anglican. Peter Jaffray, buried 17 nov 1864, cause fever, occ. newspaper proprietor, b. Scotland, buried St. Andrews [S1838] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1861, Galt 1861 Div. 2 Page 30. [S570] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1871, Div. 1, Pg. 68. [S31] News - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Dumfries Reformer (1850-1892), 16 Nov 1864. Jaffray, Peter died 15 Nov 1864 In Galt. Editor & proprietor of Galt Reporter. Age 64. Buried in Anglican Church Cemetery, Galt. [S220] Waterloo Region Hall of Fame Waterloo Region Hall of Fame. [S1803] zzEngland, Marriages, 1538-1973, ). Peter Jaffray Spouse's Name:Mary Anne Gittins Event Date:30 Oct 1829 Event Place:Saint Chad,Shrewsbury,Shropshire,England [S2734] England, Staffordshire, Church Records, 1538-1944. Peter Jaffray Event Place:Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, United Kingdom Event Place:Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England Age:21 Marital Status:Unknown Spouse's Name:Mary Anne Gittins Spouse's Residence County:Salop Spouse's Age:21 Spouse's Marital Status:Single Spouse's Birth Year:1808

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 1800 - , Stirlingshire, Scotland Married - 30 Oct 1829 - Shrewsbury, , Shropshire, England Occupation - Printer - 1851 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Episcopalian - 1851 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Printer - 1861 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Church of England - 1861 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - Cause: fever - 15 Nov 1864 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - 17 Nov 1864 - Trinity Anglican Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Hall of Fame - Waterloo Region - Bef 2012 - , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth