On March 17, 1803, Andrew Moffatt was born in Upper Tunny Wall, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland. He was the son of Thomas Moffatt (1755-1850) and Ann Speirs/Spears (1760-).
In 1828, he was living in Lenmoyle, Ireland. While in Ireland, he had been a member of the Orange Lodge in Inniskillen and had been attacked one evening while returning home and was thrown over a hedge. It took him a while to recover.[i]
In 1829, Andrew came to New York to visit his brother and returned again a few years later. He was taken on by the Connecticut Missionary Society and was post to Orillia in 1833.[ii]
In 1832, his wife Mercy arrived in Orillia as an Indigenous teacher to the women and girls. C. Harold Hale wrote that the Manwaring family could be traced back to 1623 in England. Mercy was proficient in Chippewa and had been a missionary teacher in 1828 on Grape Island in the Bay of Quinte. Two of the Indigenous men from that community brought her to Orillia from Holland Landing by canoe.[iii]
Andrew was the first unofficial postmaster in Orillia. He collected the mail at the Narrows in a birch bark basket and handed it out while sitting on the ground. His son Thomas would later become the official postmaster until the Sir Samuel Steele building was constructed.[iv]
The school was located “on the brow of the hill between Mississaga and Colborne Streets”.[v]
On December 28, 1834, he married Mercy Miner Manwaring in Orillia. She was born on May 4, 1809 in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Her parents were Jabez Manwaring (1775-1824) and Susannah Waite (1775-1825). The Rev. Samuel Belton performed the Wesleyan Methodist ceremony witnessed by James Moffat and Alice Belton.
James Moffatt was Andrew’s brother who lived in Orillia as a Methodist lay preacher.[vi]
They were both part of the Indian Mission at the Narrows. The couple had three children who died in infancy and three sons and three daughters who survived to adulthood.[vii]
In 1834, Andrew built the first house in the village on the north side of Mississaga Street between Matchedash and Front. It was torn down in 1959 to make a city parking lot.[viii] The year given by Mr. Hale was unlikely as this was Chief Yellowhead’s Reserve Land at that time. Michael Bowers also claimed to have built the first log cabin on Colborne Street.
On December 27, 1835, Thomas Spear Moffatt was born in Orillia. In 1857, he married Sarah Emily Dean (1833-1873). The 1861 Orillia Census recorded Thomas S. Moffatt, 26, a merchant, with his wife S.S., 38, and their children Horace 3, and Miss M. Moffatt, 22. All were Wesleyan Methodists and born in Canada. In 1867, he moved to Minnesota where he operated at grocery business. On April 28, 1875, he married Margret S. World (1846-1937). The 1881 Orillia Census recorded Thomas W. Moffat, 37, a merchant, and his wife Sarah, 36, Dutch, both born in Ontario, and their children Esther, 12, born in the US, Nettie, 9, Leonard, 5, and Wallace, 1, all 3 born in Ontario. There was a comment after Wallace’s name that was not legible. They were Canadian Methodists. On November 25, 1916, he died in Colfax, Washington and was buried in Colfax Cemetery.[ix]
About December 6, 1837, Jabez Manwaring Moffatt was born. In 1847, Jabez received the deed to town lot 6 on the north side of Mississaga Street. On May 6, 1860, he died and was buried in St. Andrew’s and St. James’ Cemetery.[x] He was employed as a consulting lawyer in Regina and the Chicago.[xi] He died of pneumonia after qualifying as a lawyer at Victoria College, Cobourg.[xii]
About 1839, when the Indigenous community left Orillia, Andrew became a merchant. The first store was on the north east corner of Mississaga and Front Street.[xiii]
On December 26, 1839, Margaret Ann Moffatt was born in Orillia (1901 Census). On March 6, 1862, she married Charles H. Clifford in Orillia. On October 10, 1870, she married Alfred Margrett in Orillia. The 1871 Orillia Census recorded Alfred Margrett, 31, born in England, a painter, with Margeret, 31, born in Ontario, married in October. Both were Wesleyan Methodists. In 1873, Margaret Margett was an heir in Andrew’s will. The 1881 Orillia Census recorded Alfred Margrett, 41, a cabinet maker, with his wife Margaret Ann, 41, and their children Helen, 9, Ella Mainwaring, 7, Alfred Norman, 5, and Laura, 3. The children were all born in Ontario. Also with them was Lloyd Charles Clifford, 3, born in the US. They were all Canadian Methodists. The 1891 Orillia Census recorded Alfred “Margaret”, 51, a cabinet maker, with his wife Margaret, 51, and their children “Hellen”, 20, Norman, 15, and Laura, 13, all Methodists. In 1892, Alfred Margrett had a furniture manufacturing business in Orillia until at least 1895 that was located “a few doors north” of the old fire hall.[xiv] [xv] He may have been at the same address until his death in 1935. The 1901 Orillia Census recorded Alfred Margrett, 61, born Oct. 18, 1839, a furniture merchant, with his wife Margaret A., 61, born Dec. 26, 1839, and their daughter Helen, 29, born Apr. 11, 1871, an accountant, all Methodists. The 1911 Orillia Census recorded Alfred “Margarett”, 84, born May 1826, and his wife Margret, 84, born Dec. 1826, both Methodists. On December 13, 1914, Margaret died in Orillia and was buried in St. Andrew’s and St. James’ Cemetery.[xvi] The 1921 Orillia Census recorded Alfred Margrett at 34 Peter Street, 80, immigrated in 1862, retired and a Methodist. He was living on Peter Street North and was still opposite of the English Church. On May 22, 1935, Alfred died in Orillia.
On May 20, 1842, Susan Wait Moffatt was born in Orillia. In 1871, she married Frank Bowen Hugg. Frank had a business on Mississaga Street. In 1873, she was an heir in Andrew’s will as Susan Wait Huigg/Hugg. On April 11, 1920, she died she died in Winnipeg and was buried in the Elmwood Cemetery.[xvii] [xviii]
In 1843, he became a Justice of the Peace.
James John Moffatt was born. The 1871 Orillia Census recorded a James Moffatt born about 1843, born in Ireland, and a commercial traveller.
On April 17, 1844, Andrew held a mortgage on all 200 acres of Lot 11, Con. 5 and later gained title to that land. In 1873, his will left this land to his son Charles.
On August 30, 1845, Andrew received the deed to all 200 acres of Lot 6, Con. 4, South Orillia Township.
On January 20, 1846, Andrew sold the west 100 acres of Lot 6 to James Donaldson.
In 1846, Andrew received the deed to town lots 1 to 3 on both the east and west sides of Front Street and town lot 8 on the north side of Mississaga Street.
On July 4, 1847, Catherine Isabella Moffatt was born in Orillia. In 1873, she was an heir in Andrew’s will as Kate. On March 16, 1926, she died in Orillia.
The 1847 Survey Map showed Andrew’s second store on the north east corner of Mississaga and Peter Streets. The family lived on the second floor and the back of the store.[xix]
In 1853, Andrew received the deed to town lot 1 on the north side of Mississaga Street.
On January 31, 1854, Andrew sold the east 100 acres of Lot 6 to James L. Robinson. On August 21, 1862, Andrew purchased this land from James. On August 21, 1866, he sold it to William Calverley.
On May 31, 1854, Charles Henry Moffatt was born in Orillia. In 1873, he was an heir in Andrew’s will and received Andrew’s farm on Lot 11, Con. 5, South Orillia Township. On May 4, 1874, Charles H. Moffatt and Alfred Margrett obtained a patent 3401 for a “Machine for opening and Securing Window Sashes.”[xx] On September 23, 1878, he married Emily Esther Nelson (1854-1914) in Orillia. They had four children, Grace, Andrew, Harry (Charles Henry), and Frank.[xxi] In 1884, Charles began selling small lots of his farm land. Charles then farmed near Ardtrea and at Prices Corners and then retired in the town.[xxii] In 1918, Kate J. Moffatt sold the last of the farm land. On March 20, 1936, Charles died in Orillia and was buried in Marchmont Baptist Baptist Cemetery.[xxiii]
In 1857, Mercy was “instrumental in the erection of the first Methodist church.”
In 1858, Andrew built the Elephant House on the north west corner of Mississaga and Front Streets. It was 30 x 60 feet. Thomas became the manager and received title to it in Andrew’s will.[xxiv]
The 1861 Orillia Census recorded Andrew Moffatt J.P., 56, a yeoman, with his wife Mercy, 50, and their children Catherine, 10, and Charles, 6, and their servant James Burger, 20, born in England. They were all Wesleyan Methodists.
About 1868, Andrew set up his nephew Thomas Moffatt in a grocery store at about 170 Mississaga Street East. He was the son of James Moffatt. Thomas later became a constable. In 1898, a mob tried to lynch Thomas for police brutality, a crime that he was proven innocent of later (David Town). OMAH has a photo of this store. Note that Andrew’s son Thomas left Canada about this time.
The 1871 Orillia Census recorded Andrew Moffatt, 67, a justice of the peace, with his wife Mercy, 62, and their children Susan, 28, a teacher, Catherine, 22, Charles H., 16, and James, 28, born in Ireland, a commercial traveller. They were all Wesleyan Methodists.
On January 21, 1873, Andrew died in his home in Orillia. He had been a merchant, magistrate for Simcoe County, and a Mason. A number of profiles have his death in July but his obituary was in January, 1873. He was buried in St. Andrew’s and St. James’ Cemetery in Orillia.
Andrew had established the first pork packing business in Orillia in a large warehouse on Peter Street. Three coopers worked all winter to make the barrels. He had also been a Mason in Ireland and established the first lodge of the Royal Arch Masons in Orillia with John Hipwell.[xxv]
Mercy and Kate moved into the house on Neywash Street next to the old St. James’ Rectory. This house was built by Andrew sometime earlier.[xxvi]
The 1881 Orillia Census recorded Mercy M. Moffatt, 72, with Kate S. Moffat, 32, with no employment, Canadian Methodists.
On October 12, 1891, Mercy died in Orillia and was buried in St. Andrew’s and St. James’ Cemetery, Orillia.
[i] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[ii] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[iii] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[iv] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[v] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[vi] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[vii] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[viii] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[ix] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104053250/thomas-spear-moffatt, accessed Mar. 31, 2021
[x] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104053250/thomas-spear-moffatt, accessed Mar. 31, 2021
[xi] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[xii] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[xiii] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[xiv] http://orilliaheritage.com/orillia-companies/list/1?resetfilters=0&limitstart1=100, accessed Mar. 31, 2021
[xv] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[xvi] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104053250/thomas-spear-moffatt, accessed Mar. 31, 2021
[xvii] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104053250/thomas-spear-moffatt, accessed Mar. 31, 2021
[xviii] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[xix] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[xx] The Canadian Patent Office Record and Mechanics’ Magazine, Volumes 1-2, https://books.google.ca/books?id=LVwbRYpGrAkC&pg=RA1-PA23&lpg=RA1-PA23&dq=%22alfred+margrett%22+orillia&source=bl&ots=K6EwuGyLGt&sig=ACfU3U3B7K5-PdyE7uuqvkeq802lgSu5oA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiFhejNv93vAhVgFVkFHXN9DsUQ6AEwBXoECAYQAw#v=onepage&q=%22alfred%20margrett%22%20orillia&f=false, accessed Apr. 1, 2021.
[xxi] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[xxii] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[xxiii] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104053250/thomas-spear-moffatt, accessed Mar. 31, 2021
[xxiv] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[xxv] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
[xxvi] C. Harold Hale, The Moffat Family
| Additional Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 1st Mar 1803 | |
| Date of Death | 1st Oct 1891 | |
