Alison Forsyth McNee 1830-1905

The 1878 Atlas of Muskoka District shows James McNee as the original land owner (probably by grant) on Lot 6 of Concession XIII, Macaulay Township. A current map of Muskoka showing the old lots and concessions indicates that this land is still accessible. On June 24th, 2009 my brother, Gary and I turned right off District Road #4 just north of the Falkenburg Union Cemetery onto Moore Road and then turned left onto the Little Road. There are very few houses on this road, and it is rough going, but the power lines run along it, so it is likely maintained by the district. We drove about two miles, and if the modern map is correct, came to the old McNee property on the left and the Clark land on the right at the end of the part which is accessible by car. The flies were too overwhelming to walk into the old McNee property but there was a road in. We could not see if there was a structure. On the right side of the road, old fence posts were visible. This would be a nice walk for another day.

Barb found the following on the internet:
"I'm Mark Lewis and I ran across your comments enumerating Forsyth
descendants on an internet search. John and Charlet Cockburn Forsyth's
dau. Allison, b. 1831 married James McNee in 1865. Their dau. Helen
(Ellen) Bowie McNee married my g grandfather John Clarke, (son of Rev.
John Clarke of West Favell, Northhamptonshire,Eng.) and moved to
central Mich. in the 1880s. The Clarke Centennial farm is still
producing. John and Helen's dau. Emma Clarke married my grandpa Fred
Lewis. Our fourth daughter who is now 3 is named Emma after her. The
Clarkes and the Forsyths and McNees converged at Muskoka in the 1870s."

Below are the records found to date for Alison Forsyth, Mrs. James McNee.

1871 Census - Head of Family - Macaulay Twnsp
James McKee, 38, b. Scotland, Presbyterian, Farmer

1881 Census - Macaulay Twnsp, Muskoka - Ontario

James MCKEE................... 49, ....b. Scotland, Farmer
Else MCKEE...................... 49, ....b. Scotland
Ellen MCKEE.................... 14, .....b. Ontario
John MCKEE..................... 12,.... b. Ontario
James MCKEE................... 11..... b. Ontario
Charlott MCKEE................. 8..... b. Ontario

All family members shown as Presbyterian and Scottish descent.

Order of enumeration - Shaffer, Lougheed, Forsyth (John Sr),
McNee, Forsyth (John Jr), Clark John & Jane, Galtey/Gathey

1891 Census - Macaulay Township

James McNee................................. 59, Presbyterian
Alison McNee..................................59
John McNee....................................23, b. Scotland (?)
James McNee..................................21, b. Ontario
Charlotte McNee.............................18, b. Ontario
Susan Rickett, 22

1901 Census - Macaulay Township

McNee, James, Head, Jan 28, 1832, 69
McNee, Else, Wife, Apr 3, 1831, 70
McNee, John, Son, Mar 5, 1868, 33
McNee, Charlotte, Dau, Jan 15, 1873, 28

This census states that Alison came to Canada in 1856.
The same date is given for her husband. Perhaps this is
the date for the McNees, for Alison appears in the 1861 census
in Scotland.

Neighbours in 1901 are John and Eliza Schafer, Robert (nephew) and Sarah
Forsyth, John (brother) and Mary Forsyth, widow Elizabeth Emery,
the McNees and then James and Amelia Bell

1911 Census Macaulay Township

McNee James, Head, W, Jan, 1832, 79
McNee, John, Son, Mar, 1868, 43
McNee, Charlotte, Dau, Jan, 1873, 38

Except for the Schafers and Robert Forsyth, all the neighbours are new in this census.

BIRTHS

1871, Jan 21, James Duncan McNee, Muskoka, Mother- Ellison Forsyth,
Father -James McNee

1873, Jan 15, Charlotte Robina Cockburn McNee, Father - James McNee

MARRIAGES

1887, March 28, Bracebridge
Ellen McNee, b. Macaulay, 1866, dau of Alison Forsyth and James McNee
= John Clark, b. England, son of John and Jane Clark

1916, June 14
Charlotte McNee , 41, b. Macaulay, dau of James McNee & Alison Forsyth
= William Joseph Hamilton, 35, b. Raymond, Watt Twp, son of Edward Hamilton and Sarah Taylor

DEATHS

1901, March 19, James McNee, 31 years old, Lot 6 Concession 13, Macaulay
Farmer's son, single, Tuberculosis

1905, May 22 -Alice McNee, 74 years old, Lot 6 Concession 10, Macaulay, Housewife, Married, Carcinomata of the bowel

1917, June 14 - James McNee, 85 years, 5 months, Farmer, Widower
b. Dunblane, Scotland, Father - Duncan McNee
Lot 6 Concession 13, Port Sydney
Cause of Death - senility, Dr. Peter McGibbon

1947, Jan 10 - Charlotte Hamilton - died Stanislaus, California