Hi list I went to the library yesterday and found a couple of interesting obituaries. In case anybody is interested in McEachnie. Hopeville Some time ago we mentioned the death of Mr. Archibald McEachnie in the Western States, an old Proton boy, but we now send you the account of it as taken from the Bozeman paper of the 23rd November. "The Miner" "Mr. Archibald McEachnie, one of the best known freighters of this state, died here this morning at the Gallatin Hotel, where he had been staying for about two weeks. The cause of death was heart disease, with which he had been suffering for some time. His illness became serious about two days ago, his wife was with him, also his brother John, of Billings, at the time. For seven years Mr. McEachnie had been engaged in the freighting business with headquarters at Gardiner. Recently he brought his team to Belgrade. He was visiting in Bozeman at the time he took sick and died. He was 34 years of age and stood six feet, three inches in height. He had a host of friends here and was generally well liked. Besides his wife, he is survived by a mother, four sisters and three brothers, who live in Grey Co., Ontario, only John, who is here. The funeral will be held here tomorrow afternoon, 24th, and the body will be buried in the Bozeman cemetery." We can add to the above that this young man was born and raised in Proton on a farm, where his widowed mother, brother and sister now lives, 1 1/2 miles west of Hopeville. His mother was a Miss Ferguson and they have many relations in Proton and neighborhood. They have the sympathy of the people here in their sad bereavement. (The Durham Review Dec. 24/08) (this was exciting to find because he was one of my many brick walls) Hopeville Died at his residence 2 miles west of Hopeville, on Wednesday the 28th Nov., Mr. John McEachnie, one of the pioneers of Proton township, aged about 80 years. The funeral was on Friday the 30th to Swinton Park cemetery and was very large, friends coming from Durham, Priceville, Egremont and some from Toronto. The ministers in attendance were the Rev. Mr. Gibson of Hopeville, The Rev. Mr. Matheson of Priceville, and Mr. Baird, the former pastor of the Hopeville church, but now of Toronto. All officiated at the house services and Mr. Gibson and Mr. Matheson at the cemetery. Mr. McEachnie was one of four brothers who came into Proton about 50 years ago and settled on four wild lots on the 12 and 13 concessions, all adjoining each other. They were Neil, now living in Proton, but confined to the house, John, who we now write about, Alexander, who moved into Osprey a few years ago but since died, Roderick who a few years ago moved from here into Keppel township near Owen Sound. This family of McEachnie's came from Glenelg township, where they lived for a few years after coming from the Highlands of Scotland. When they went into Proton very little of it was settled upon and they got four good lots, which by their industry made good farms. They had to bear the hardships of early settlers, but being strong robust men were well fit for the heavy task of pioneers life. Often they had to go to Durham Mill, nearly 20 miles and carry a bag of flour on their back with some other groceries in a bundle without any road but a path through the bush by the blaze of the surveyor, then around a Proton swamp, for a few years, but they were a contented people and lived to see the foot path turned into a road fit for oxen and a jumper to go on. Then they begin to see other and better improvements, good roads, fine buildings, etc, before their departure from this life. Mr. John McEachnie was married to a daughter of the late Archibald Ferguson who lived on the 15th concession. She and a large family of children, most of them married are left to mourn his departure. (taken from the Durham Review, December 1906) I don't know if this helps anybody, but thought they were both very interesting obits. Sandra _________________________________________________________________ Your Space. Your Friends. Your Stories. Share your world with Windows Live Spaces. http://spaces.live.com/?mkt=en-ca