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

James Shiel

Male 1811 - 1872  (61 years)


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

  • Name James Shiel 
    Born 1811  , Roxburghshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3, 4
    Gender Male 
    Occupation 1861  North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Farmer 
    Residence 1861  North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Free Church 
    Land - Directory 1864  North Dumfries Concession 09 Lot 17, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    Occupation 1871  North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Farmer 
    Residence 1871  North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    C. Presb. 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-70473 
    Died 20 Jan 1872  North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 4
    Cause: Paralysis (6 weeks) 
    Buried Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Person ID I70473  Generations
    Last Modified 26 Feb 2024 

    Father James Shiel,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Family ID F21981  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Margaret Miller,   b. 9 May 1822, , Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 29 Jun 1900, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 78 years) 
    Children 
     1. John Shiel,   b. 5 Jan 1845, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 7 Mar 1924, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 79 years)
     2. Walter Shiel,   b. 2 Jun 1850, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 Jun 1932, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 82 years)
     3. Robert Shiel,   b. 1852, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     4. James Shiel,   b. 1856, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     5. Jane Shiel,   b. 14 Nov 1856, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 May 1858  (Age 1 years)
     6. George Shiel,   b. 1858, , Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     7. Ida Shiel,   b. 3 Apr 1862, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 Feb 1871  (Age 8 years)
     8. Ellen Barrie Shiel,   b. CALC 13 Sep 1863, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 May 1937, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 73 years)
    Last Modified 2 Mar 2024 
    Family ID F19204  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Children 
     1. John Shiel,   b. 5 Jan 1845, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 7 Mar 1924, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 79 years)
     2. Walter Shiel,   b. 2 Jun 1850, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 Jun 1932, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 82 years)
    Last Modified 2 Mar 2024 
    Family ID F34212  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Letter from the donor (July 20, 1974):

      Dear Sirs,

      I am writing this for Mrs. T.H. Wholton, and in answer to the Certificate of Gift forms you recent sent to her.

      My mother's maternal grandfather was James Shiel, born 1912, in Roxboroughshire, Scotland. He came to Canada ca. 1820-30 and was deeded land on the 10th Concession of North Dumfries Township. Mr. James Shiel made the violin (item no. 3 on the list) from wood he found at Abbotsford, the estate of Sir Walter Scott, in Scotland. He later gave the violin to one of his sons, John, who was my mother's uncle, and he gave it to my mother. My mother gave the violin to Mr. Andrew Taylor to give to the museum

      Mr. James Shiel married Margaret Miller (her family had also come from Scotland and we think they went to New Jersey first but are not sure of this. Margaret Miller had several siblings. One was Isobel who married Adam Ainslie. Another sister married Dickie of the Dickie Settlement, cf. old school out Blenheim Rd. from Galt at the road which leads to Blair. There is an old graveyard on this road with her tombstone. These Miller sisters were the daughters of a gentleman farmer of Hawick, Scotland.

      Items 1 and 2 on your list were made by the sons of James Shiel we think. The wooden pig was used as a foot stool. Item no. 5, the spoon, belonged to Adam Ainslie. I believe it has the family crest on it. They had a whole set, most of which was stolen when their house at Leith (near Own Sound) Ont. was broken into.

      The picture, Item no. 7, old school house on the site of the old stone school S.S. 19, (was) also the site of the North Dumfries Township office.

      The watch, item no. 4, belonged to a brother of Margaret Miller. It was in the possession of my mother's Uncle Jack, one of the sons of James Shiel and Margaret Miller. The Shiels had several children: John, George, James, Walter, Robbert (and) Ellen, my mother's mother. We think there were others who died young. George, James and Robert went out west....

      (signed) Pamela Walter/Pamela Wholton (Mrs. John A. Walter, for her mother Mrs. T. Hilliard Wholton.

      Doon Heritage Crossroads

  • Sources 
    1. [S122] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Mount View CC#4495 Internet Link .
      In/ memory of/ James Shiel/ died Jan. 19, 1872/ aged 64 years/ Margaret Miller/ his wife/ died June 29, 1900/ aged 78 years/ 1 mo & 20 dys/ Natives of/ Roxburghshire, Scotland /

    2. [S1778] Census - ON, Waterloo, North Dumfries - 1861, Div 6 Page 48.

    3. [S355] Census - ON, Waterloo, North Dumfries - 1871, Div. 2, Pg. 78.

    4. [S713] Vit - ON - Death Registration, death certificate.
      James Shiel Gender: Male Age: 65 Birth Date: abt 1807 Birth Place: Scotland Death Date: 20 Jan 1872 Death Place: North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Cause of Death: Paralysis #026754

    5. [S330] Directory - ON, Waterloo - 1864 - County of Waterloo gazetteer and general business directory for 1864.

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 1811 - , Roxburghshire, Scotland Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Farmer - 1861 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Free Church - 1861 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsLand - Directory - 1864 - North Dumfries Concession 09 Lot 17, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsOccupation - Farmer - 1871 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - C. Presb. - 1871 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - Cause: Paralysis (6 weeks) - 20 Jan 1872 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth