The story of Alexander's brother, Matthew Currie

Back to Family Story page

Matthew is only mentioned briefly in JCC's diary and in a letter of 1863. However, from 1895 to 1900 there are a series of letters from himself and wife Jeanie from Perth, Ontario to his brother Alexander. Other parts of the story have been found from census, immigration and cemetery records as well as the Perth Courier newspaper. Many thanks to Lynne Rooney of Ontario for her invaluable research help.

England and Canada 1835 - early 1900s

Matthew is the sixth child of James Charters Currie and Rosanna, 3 years younger than Alexander and born in September, 1835. The first we hear of him is in the 1851 census when he has finished his schooling and is an assistant in a warehouse, age 15, living with his father (his mother had died the year before) in High Street Deptford, along with Alexander and Margaret (older than him) and 4 of the 5 younger children. (Little Archie was staying with cousin Janet in Southampton).

In 1855, age 19, he travels to the Crimea with his younger brother McDowall. We know this because he has to take his leave of Rosanna (sister) before she dies in July of that year. The next we hear of him he is back in England (a brief mention in a letter from Alexander to his wife Jessie, who is on holiday in Dalbeattie, in 1863 telling her that Matthew is on his way up to Kirkcudbrightshire).

It may have been during that very visit that he meets his first wife Margaret Findlay (age 30, Matthew was 28), daughter of a master joiner, and marries her in her home town of Catrine in Ayrshire on 29 July 1863. The couple move in to a house in Twickenham where Matthew works as a draper, following his father's occupation. Their son James Charters Currie (Jim) is born on 16 September 1865. In 1867 their second child Margaret is born and dies as an infant. Matthew rushes his despairing and desperately ill wife back to her parents' house in Ayrshire, but she dies there on October 3rd of fever and ague (likely to be puerperal fever). Matthew is suddenly a widower with a two year-old son to look after.

He must have needed someone to help him look after his little son. In 1871 he is listed in the census as a widower, living in Twickenham with his 5 year-old son James and a servant, his housekeeper Jane Robertson, also from Ayrshire. It is this Jane who is to become his companion in his emigration to Canada where he lives the rest of his life.

Perhaps his burgeoning relationship with Jane decides him to start afresh across the Atlantic. Perhaps he hears from Archie of the great possibilities in Ontario. What we do know is that on the 21st May 1872 he boards SS Hector at London along with his 7 year old son Jim and 230 other passengers, bound for Plymouth and Quebec, saying goodbye to family and country for the last time. Three weeks later on 11th June, they step off the ship and start their life in Canada, ending up in Ontario and the town of Perth in Lanark County, where Archie is already.

Read about Hints to Emigrants from 1824 on the Lanark County Genealogical Society website

Read about a visitor's impression of the Perth area in 1873 (pop up window)

We don't know when 32 year-old Jane joins him, but only 4 months later the Perth Courier records Matthew's marriage to her -

"18 Oct 1872 at Perth by the Rev T Brock, marriage of Matthew Currie late of Swickenham [Twickenham] Middlesex to Jane Robertson, second daughter of Jas Robertson, Mill Street, Ayr, Scotland"

The Lanark County marriage records of 1872 add the details that Matthew Currie is 38, a widower and a painter [did he say 'draper' and was misheard?] and that the witnesses are A Robertson [a brother?] and Maggie Lillie, both of Perth. It is interesting to note that brother Archie (who is living in the same town of 3000 inhabitants) is not a witness, also that Jane, at 32, is quite an elderly bride. They certainly waste no time in having children - Matthew is born next year and is followed by Jeanie M S in 1878 and Rose Ann Clement in 1879. They live in Perth and Matthew has a succession of jobs, including caretaker at the Collegiate Institute where his children are pupils.

Letter from Matthew 1895, mentioning Alexander and Jessie's Cape visit
"...we are all in good health here..." is poignant in view of what is to come.

We do not know what Jeanie makes of her stepson Jim. He is not in the house at the time of the 1881 census, when he would still have been only 15 or 16 (although he did live in Perth until he was about 19, according to his obituary). Jeanie never mentions him in her letters, though Matthew is proud of his progress.

Matthew and Jeanie are delighted with their 3 bright hard-working children, all qualifying with teaching certificates, and son Matthew might even be a candidate for College if they can afford to send him. But things start to go wrong in 1896 when Matthew (son) fails to recover from a cold and it settles on his lungs. Soon it is apparent that he has consumption. Perth's cold climate is blamed and they wish they could get him to Colorado or California, but they cannot afford it and he is too ill to be moved anyway. Two doctors have done all they can for him. He spends a few days holiday with step-brother Jim at Smith's Falls. Matthew (father) writes to his brother Alexander that he takes plenty of Cod's Liver Oil and nourishing food and that they are living in hope, but it is to no avail.

Matthew (son) finally dies in November 1896. The Perth Courier of 6 Nov 1896 records his obituary -

Currie - Died at Perth on Wed Nov 4, Matthew Currie, aged 23. After a long illness, Matthew Currie Jr dies at his father's residence on Church Street on Wednesday at the age of 23. Deceased was a young man of fine character and for a time was secretary of the YMCA at Sherbrooke, Quebec. He taught school for a time but he had to give up both of these due to failing health. The cause of his death was consumption. He was a member of the Canadian Order of Foresters and carried in it an insurance of $1000.

Better news from Jim who has been working driving freight trains and living in a hotel in Smith's Falls owned by J McLaren. Mr McLaren's daughter Ada, "a very nice young woman" is 9 years younger than him. A presumably rushed marriage takes place in May 1895 -

"Currie McLaren. Married on 2nd May, by Rev John Wilson, Mr James C Currie to Miss Ada McLaren, eldest daughter of Mr J M McLaren, both of Smith's Falls"

- as their baby daughter Geraldine is born in November, just 6 months later.

Meanwhile the priority back in Perth is to keep alive Matthew's 2 delicate sisters, but history repeats itself with Jeanie also dying of consumption, age 22. Another obituary is found in the Perth Courier of 9 Feb 1900.

MISS JEAN CURRIE - This young lady, who had been ill for many weeks, died on Monday night, at the residence of her parents, Church-st, aged 22 years. Possessed of a gentle and amiable disposition, she was beloved by all her acquaintances, whose sympathy goes out to her parents in their bereavement. Deceased was a member of Knox church. The funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon to Elmwood cemetery.

They must have felt that they had to do everything for their last daughter Rose, who is also showing signs of the dreaded disease.

Muskoka Cottage Sanatorium

The first TB Sanatorium in Canada, the Muskoka Cottage Sanatorium, has opened in Gravenhurst at Lake Muskoka in Simcoe East. Rose travels the 200 miles west of Perth for treatment but the encouraging signs of improvement do not last when she returns home.

Meanwhile, there are problems with her parents' marriage. By April 1901, Matthew has moved away to live with his son Jim in Smith's Falls and the Canadian census records his presence there with son Jim, wife Ada, 5 year old Geraldine and her 2 little brothers Cecil McL and James O. (Note that Jim, a locomotive engineer, is well enough off now to have a servant girl too.)

Whatever the reason for the break-up, it must have been a desperate and devastating separation and it is striking that Matthew is not mentioned at all in the lengthy obituary for his daughter Rose in the Perth Courier of 30 September 1901. We do not know if he attended her funeral.

 

MISS ROSE CURRIE - On Friday last death claimed for its own, Miss Rose Currie, only surviving child of Mrs Matthew Currie, of this town, at the age of twenty-two years. More than two years ago, symptoms of consumption began to manifest themselves in Miss Currie, and she went for treatment to the Sanatorium at Gravenhurst, where she stayed for a considerable time, with manifest signs of improvement. She returned home after her stay there, but her improvement did not continue, and she gradually faded away, with the usual insidious and deadly accompaniments of that disease, until the end came last Friday morning. Her remains were taken for interment to Elmwood cemetery on Sunday last, a large concourse of sorrowing friends and acquaintances following the body to the grave. Rev D Currie, of Knox church, conducted the funeral services. Deceased was a beautiful character, and her sadly-afflicted mother has the general sympathy. In the last few years she has lost three children by this disease: Matthew, who up to his death was Secretary of the Canadian Young Men's Christian Association, who died in early manhood; Jean, also budding into womanhood, a year or more ago; and now her only other child, Rose. All were of the same lovely character, and above all, pure Christians.

Meanwhile another notice goes into the Rideau Record Newspaper at Smith’s Falls, Montague Twp., Lanark Co.

At Perth, on Friday, Sept, 6th, Miss Rose Currie, daughter of Mr. Matthew Currie of Smith’s Falls, aged 22 years

Matthew continues to live with his son until his death in 1903, when he is buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Perth with his children. It is another sign of the estrangement that there is no reference to his widow in the Perth Courier obituary of 16 Jan 1903.

CURRIE - Mr Matthew Currie, formerly of Perth , died in Smith's Falls last Wednesday at the residence of his son. He was born in London , Eng., 67 years ago, and came to Perth in the early seventies. For a number of years he was caretaker of the Collegiate Institute. About two years ago he went to reside with his son in Smith's Falls. The funeral took place last Saturday from Smiths Falls to Elmwood Cemetery .

In the space of 7 years, Jeanie has lost all her children and her husband. Her strong religious faith carries her through and she lives on for 22 more years in Perth until her death in 1925, age 86. The November 13th issue of the Perth Courier describes her life. Her husband Matthew has taken a very back seat by this time and, according to the obituary, did not outlive his children, though we know that this is not the case.

Currie - The death of Mrs Matthew Currie occurred at the Memorial Hospital on Monday night of this week. Deceased had been in failing health for some time and finally passed out at the advanced age of 86 years. Mrs Currie was born in Ayr , Scotland , and when a young woman came to Canada she and her husband taking up residence in the East end of the town. Mr Currie passed away many years ago and later on the family, consisting of one son, Matthew, and two daughters Jean and Rose, all in early manhood and womanhood answered the call of the grim reaper, Death. Loneliness was truly characteristic of her life but the presence of her Saviour with her comforted her in her sorrow. A few years ago she moved to the West end of the town to be near the church for she loved the House of God and seldom if ever was absent if able to attend. Her funeral, which was held from Knox church on Wednesday afternoon, was very largely attended for she truly had drawn to her in life a host of friends. The pastor Rev J H Miers, conducted the service and referred to the truly exemplary life of deceased. Interment was made in Elmwood Cemetery. The pallbearers were Messrs R A Brown, James Dolan, G B Farmer, Robert Reid, Alex Armour, and Norman Miller.

The only surviving child of Matthew, James (Jim), goes on to become an upstanding citizen of Smith's Falls, retiring from the railroad in his mid-fifties and enjoying retirement until his death in 1932 age 66. His obituary is a lengthy one and reflects his standing in the community.

Currie - Widespread regret was occasioned in Smith's Falls and throughout this district in the death of James Charters Currie who passed away at his home here on July 8th , following an illness of about eight weeks' duration. The late Mr Currie had been in better health recently but suffered a relapse shortly before his death. Born in Twickenham, England , sixty-seven years ago, the late Mr Currie came to Canada in his youth and settled in this district where he spent the greater part of his life. For some years he resided in Perth but in 1885 he moved to Smiths Falls and entered the C P R [Canadian Pacific Railway] shops here. Later he became a fireman and in 1892 an engineer. He followed this occupation until in 1921 when he retired from the railroad to enjoy years of well earned rest. Deceased ... [misprint repeated section]...Falls and throughout the district and was held in high esteem by a wide circle of friends who sincerely regret his passing. A member of the United Church and previous to the time of Union a staunch adherent to the Presbyterian faith the late Mr Currie was also a member of the B. of L. E., St Francis Lodge A. F. & A. M., Rideau Lodge, I. O. O. F., and the Independent Order of Foresters. He leaves to mourn his loss besides his sorrowing widow, two sons, Olin J, Smiths Falls, Rev C M Currie of Edinburgh, Scotland, former pastor of Balderson United Church, and two daughters, Miss Christine Currie and Mrs H B Gray, both of Montreal. Largely attended by sorrowing relatives and friends, the funeral was held on Sunday afternoon from his late residence, 30 George street west , to the United Church where Rev Dr James Semple preached an impressive funeral sermon. The funeral was under B. of L. M. auspices and representatives of other organisations of which Mr Currie was a member were also present in the lengthy cortege. Interment was made in Elmwood Cemetery, Perth. Mute testimony to the high regard in which deceased was held were numerous beautiful floral expressions of sympathy received by the bereaved relatives. - Record News [the Smiths Falls newspaper].

We presume that Mrs H B Gray is Geraldine, the oldest child of the family and that there must have been a fourth child (born after the 1901 census), the unmarried Christine, both now moved to Montreal. Note that the son who is called James O in the 1901 census has now become Olin J of Smith's Falls and that son Cecil has returned to the old country and ended up a minister in Edinburgh!

Questions: When did Jeanie emigrate? They must have arranged the emigration together, so why not marry in London first? Where were Jeanie and Rose at the time of the 1901 census - at Gravenhurst? How did Jeanie live, financially, after her husband's death? Can we find the Rev C M Currie of Edinburgh?

Back to Family Story page

 
Email: jo@curriefamily.org.uk to find out more or to share information