Bill and Gloria Hamilton currently live in Glasgow Station. Bill has amassed a large quantity of genealogical records, primarily concerning the Hamilton family. Due to all the interconnections in families, his records contain much information and photos of many other families that settled in and around McNab Township. The Airth family is one of these families. Bill is the great grandson of James and Jean Airth, grandson of Ellen. William (Bill) Hamilton's story of growing up is told in Jayne Campbell's book Windows of the Soul, published by General Store Publishing House, 2013.
Language
English
Acquisition Source
Information compiled by Bill Hamilton over the years. The Airth family history and images were donated in October 2011. The picture of James Airth was found by Nancy Cardozier of Austin Texas.
Scope and Content
The fonds contains photocopies of information and images concerning the Airth family; primarily of two brothers James and Henry. Most images have been scanned and are described separately.
Sergeant Henry Airth and his wife, Marion Park, came to Canada from Scotland in 1827 and settled in McNab Township. After quarrelling with Chief McNab he moved to what is now Renfrew in 1829.
James Airth, Henry`s brother, was born in 1800 and was blind from childhood. He studied music, preferring the violin, and made his living going from town to town playing the violin on the stage. He married Jean McNaught and they had seven children. After his wife died, he came to Canada in 1849 with 3 of his children, Ellen (became Mrs. Wm. Hamilton), Catherine (became Mrs. Jas. B. Leitch), and Harry (never married), as well as his sister Elizabeth and her spouse James Halliday. Leaving his children with his brother Sergeant Henry, James travelled to Toronto to pursue violin playing and giving lessons but died in 1851. He is said to be buried in Toronto, either in Potters Field, York Cemetery or Mount Pleasant Cemetery.
The fonds consists of:
1. large sheet (11 x 17) concerning James Airth`s life, with 4 photos (described separately).
2. two pages of synopsis of the lives of James and Henry Airth (some photos described separately)
3. page on James Airth and his tombstone (new tombstone photo described separately)
4. two pages Airth genealogy
5 page of 4 photos - 4 children of James Airth and the Leitch family
6. pages giving background genealogy of Airth family
7. family Group Sheet of David Halliday, married to Jane Lochead. David is the son of Elizabeth Airth, sister to Henry and James.
8. page of 3 photos, primarily Airth, Halliday, and Leitch families.
9 page giving genealogy information on Adam Airth and his oldest son, Henry.
10. page showing some obituaries of the sons of Serg. Henry Airth
11. 3 pages of houses, the Airth house in Renfrew, and Rutherglen and Airth Castle in Scotland.
Accruals
Accruals are expected.
Related Material
See also Cordozier books, part of the Peter Hessel Collection - 2 books on the Family History of Peter Fyfe and Ellen Hamilton - stored with family histories in the reading room
See also: Hamilton Airth file in the Peter Hessel Collection
See also: On the reading room family history shelf: A History of the John Hamilton and Anne McWilliam Families in Scotland and North America (2015), by Nancy Conn