Peter3
Dougall (George2,
John1,
ThomasA,
JohnB)
was born 5 December 1855 in Montreal and baptized 13 January 1856 at
Erskine Presbyterian Church, son of George and Agnes (Moffat)
Dougall.[1]
He died 27 December 1939 at Pembina, Manitoba.[2]
He is buried at St Lukes Church cemetery, Pembina.[3]
On 9 March 1882 in Montreal, Peter married
Helen Anderson,
daughter of the late George Anderson and his widow Agnes;[4]
Helen predeceased Peter on 16 October 1935.[5]
 |
| See Note 7. |
Peter was
said to be a naval engineer with the Merchant Marine for some
years[6] and then migrated to Manitoba in 1880 to
farm. His location on both east quarters of Section 22, township 2,
range 9 west was nearby that of his older brother James Joseph.[7]
Peter returned to Montreal to marry, as did his brother, between
filing his land claim and receiving the 1886 patent for it. In 1881,
Peter was enumerated with brother James, both single farming men.[8]
Ten years later, he is with his wife and son, next to the Lea
relatives of my correspondent Felix Kuehn.[9]
 |
| Pembina Manitou Archive |
Peter's
father George likely also assisted his youngest son in building a new
frame home of Peter's own design. The tall narrow section featured
interior window seats for a fine view over the valley and his
property known as Kirkland Farm. Although not clearly discernible, I
would say the Dougalls posed for the photograph, with Helen in the
garden she was planning and Lorne on the porch, assuming the man in
front is Peter. Helen was probably well-educated; she was one of the
founders of the Pembina Crossing Literary Society. She brought
expensive wedding gifts with her from Montreal, possibly also
inheriting resources from her father. Their home was furnished with
many framed oil paintings, fine china, and a grand piano. Yet the
couple led unpretentious, hardworking lives, generally acknowledged
as exemplary and hospitable Christians―"incorruptibly
faithful in their attendance at church."[10]
 |
| Peel's Prairie Provinces (University of Alberta) |
The year
1902, about the time Peter was completing his new house, saw a solid
step toward a momentous religious transition in Canada. Some would
call it disruption. Formal talks were begun to unite three different
faiths: Presbyterians, Methodists, and Congregationalists (it was not
until 1925 that the United Church of Canada was officially formed).
Many Presbyterians were against the idea of merging with Methodists,
including our western Dougalls. Their early church building was
shared with a Methodist congregation on alternate Sundays. Then a
large new Presbyterian church was built at Manitou just after the
turn of the twentieth century; Peter Dougall became an elder.
The incumbent
of the new church spoke in favour of union, quickly falling out
of favour with some parishioners who resisted. Dr. Matthew Young,
friend of the Dougalls and great-grandfather of Felix Kuehn, was one
who made his objections plain. Eventually each church congregation in
the nation voted whether to join the United Church merger or not.
When his church voted to join, Peter Dougall switched his worship to
St Luke's Anglican Church at Pembina Crossing. He went so far as to
stipulate he would not be buried at the Manitou church, therefore he
and his family lie in St. Luke's churchyard.[11]
This is indicative of how strong the feelings ran; although solid
numbers of Presbyterians overall embraced the merger, it was
difficult for many members to accept the change, especially if they
felt bereft of the local church they loved. Nonetheless, the
Presbyterian Church in Canada still remains a stalwart, separate
entity.
Only child
of Peter3 Dougall and Helen Anderson:
i. GEORGE
LORNE4
DOUGALL was born at Manitou, Manitoba on 30 June 1883.[12]
He died, unmarried, before 1971 in LaRivière, Manitoba.[13]
Lorne maintained the family farm throughout his lifetime
except for draft service in the Canadian army from July 1918 until
his discharge in November 1919.[14] His parents
commissioned an oil portrait of teenaged Lorne in Highland dress, by
a Montreal artist.[15] He befriended local
natives, having a great interest in Indian lore, collecting artifacts
unearthed while ploughing. Much of his collection later went to
friends and neighbours; his cousin Agnes believed the Manitoba Museum
acquired some pieces--this last has not yet been verified or not. .
My thanks to Felix Kuehn who
considerably enlightened me on a corner of Manitoba history!
[1] "Quebec, Vital
and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967," digital
image, Ancestry.ca (www.ancestry.ca : accessed 20 August 2013); Peter
Dougall baptism, Erskine Presbyterian Church (Montreal, Quebec),
1856, folio 2.
[2] Peter
Dougall, Manitoba death registration no. 39-06-048423 (1939),
Manitoba Department of Health, Pembina division. Further information
in undated newspaper clipping kept by Agnes B. Dougall.
[3] Felix Kuehn to Brenda
Merriman, email, 2 February 2013.
[4] "Quebec, Vital
and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1627-1967," digital
image, Ancestry.ca (www.ancestry.ca : accessed 8 August 2013);
Dougall-Anderson marriage, Erskine Presbyterian Church (Montreal,
Quebec), 1882, folio 7.
[5] "Deaths,"
database, Manitoba Vital Statistics Agency
(vitalstats.gov.mb.ca : accessed 20 August 2013), Helen Anderson
Dougall, death registration no. 040416 (1935).
[6] Family story.
[7] "Western Land
Grants (1870-1930)," database, Library
and Archives Canada
(www.collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 15 August 2013), citing
microfilm C-5958; Peter Dougall, SE part section 22, township 2,
range 9W, 12 January 1886. A separate patent was issued for the NE
quarter.
[8] 1881 Census of Canada,
Manitoba, district 186, Marquette, subdistrict 3, Mountain, p. 6,
Peter Dougall; digital image, Ancestry.ca (www.ancestry.ca :
accessed 19 August 2013), from Library and Archives Canada (LAC)
microfilm C-13283.
[9] 1891 Census of Canada,
Manitoba, Selkirk District, subdistrict Louise, division 2, p. 16.
Peter Dougall; digital image, Ancestry.ca (www.ancestry.ca :
accessed 19 August 2013), from LAC microfilm T-6295.
[10] Felix Kuehn, Departed
Leaving Footprints in the Sands of Time, Chaper XI, "Our
Noble Neighbours," p. 9.
[11] Kuehn, op. cit., p. 9
note 27.
[12] George
Lorne Dougall, Manitoba birth registration no. 003913 (1883);
database, Consumer & Corporate Affairs, Vital Statistics
(http://web2.gov.mb.ca/cca/vital accessed : 10 April 2007). Note the
more recent change of the database title as per Note 5.
[13] Family
information. Manitoba death registrations are available only when
seventy years have passed.
[14]
“Particulars of Recruit,” service no. 528576 JO, 30 June 1916,
digital image, Canadian Genealogy Centre
(http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/index-e.html
: accessed January 2007).
[15] Kuehn,
op. cit., p 11. The portrait devolved into the possession of Felix's
family but was destroyed in a house fire in 1976.
©
2013 Brenda Dougall Merriman
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