The original McColm farm

Where John McColm, his wife Margaret Sinclair and their seven children first settled in New Richmond, I do not know. In the McColm book, I suggested that it may have been in the concession where John and Margaret's son John "Jock" brought up his family and which stayed in that family for about 150 years. However, another possibility is that it may have been on a farm located on the road up to Grand Cascapedia where Alex Brown lived for his entire life until he passed away several years ago. After you leave Route 132 it is about a mile up Route 299 on the right hand side of the road.

My circumstantial evidence is as follows. Three of John and Margaret's sons married women who lived in this area. Their oldest son John "Jock" married Catherine Turner whose family lived a quarter of mile south of the junction of routes 132 and 299. William married Jane Stewart whose family lived and still lives about a half a mile south of what I will call Alex Brown's farm. And finally Alexander "Sandy" McColm married Mary Willett whose family lived on another farm in the same area. Alex Brown was of course, the grandson of Alexander "Sandy" and Mary. Finally, someone in this area told me that Alex's farm is the original McColm 'place'.

The problem with this latter possibility is that the patent on Alex's farm was obtained in 1836 by Alexander Calder. Alexander McColm purchased the property from Davey Mowatt on June 24, 1868. But then it is also noted that Alexander McColm is shown on an 1861 map as the occupant of this farm. This map is with the 1861 census records. Had the family been a tenant on this farm prior to the June 1868 transaction? Another strange twist is that in the 1861 census John and Margaret were living with their son Thomas on the concession road, a short ways in from where Bert Dimock's old garage use to be. So the mystery continues! Should any one have more information in this regard I would appreciate hearing from you and knowing of your source of information.

William R. "Bill" McColm
June 2001



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