From the Commemorative Biographical Record of the County of York Ontario 1907
CHARLES FORSYTH, one of the prominent citizens and successful business men of Weston, County York, Ont., engaged in contracting and building, was born at West Fenton, in the parish of Dirleton, County of Haddington, Scotland, April 14. 1833, son of John and Charlotte Forsyth, natives of that country.
John Forsyth was born in 1804, and his wife in 1796. They came to Canada in 1863, settling on a farm in Muskoka, Macaulay town ship, County Simcoe [now Muskoka], where he died in 1885, three years after the death of his wife. They were both members of the Presbyterian Church in which he had been deacon in the old country. To John Forsyth and wife were born four children: Alice, born in Scotland, April 3, 1831, married James McNee, of Muskoka, Macaulay township, and at her death left four children, John, James, Ellen and Charlotte; John, born in Scotland in 1835, married and settled on a farm near the old homestead, where he has reared a large family; Charles; and Robert, born in Scotland in 1838, there learned the tailoring trade, which he is now following in Dundas, where with his wife and two children, Kate and Charlotte, he now makes his home.
Charles Forsyth received his literary training in his native country, where he was reared to manhood and learned the trade of a mill wright. On July 21, 1855, he sailed from Liverpool on the sailing vessel "Emerald Isle," but after being out six days the ship was compelled to return to port on account of being disabled. It finally reached New York, Sept. 13, 1855, from which city Mr. Forsyth made his way at once to St. Catharines, Ontario, and then engaged in work at the village of Weston, with a Mr. Laurie.
In 1857 Mr. Forsyth married Miss Margaret Pirritte, born in 1835, daughter of John and Joanna Pirritte. In 1858 Mr. Forsyth purchased real estate and erected a home on Maria street, where he lived for six years. In 1867 he purchased real estate on Main street, building two fine homes, and he is also the owner of other valuable property.
Mr. and Mrs. Forsyth are the parents of children as follows:
*Charlotte passed away in March, 1874 ;
*William R., born in "Weston in 1860, married to Miss Lizzie Jackson, of Weston, is now a resident of Medicine Lodge, Kansas, where he owns and operates a feed-mill;
*John K., born in 1862, a millwright, of Toronto, married at Toronto Elizabeth Hunter, of Markham, and has two children, Ray and Mary;
*Margaret Scott, born in July, 1865, is a music teacher at Weston, and also followed that profession for four years in Kansas, where she had gone to visit her brother;
*Isabelle Allison, born in 1868, married Thomas Jewell, who is engaged in the mercantile business at Enid, Oklahoma, and they have one son, Clifford F. ;
*Miss Annie Elizabeth, born in 1870, resides at home ;
*Charles, born in 1872, married Miss Annie Nixon, and they settled in Toronto, where he died in 1897, leaving one son, Charles L., now in Kansas, who was reared and educated by his grandparents in Weston; *James Pirritte, born in Weston, in 1875, married Miss Jessie Wilby, of Weston, and they now reside in Edmonton, Northwest Territory, where he is engaged as a hardware merchant, and they have two children, Charles and Margaret;
*Miss Mabel, born in Weston in 1877, resides at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Forsyth are members of the Methodist Church, of which for many years Mr. Forsyth has been a trustee. In politics a Reformer, he has filled the position of school trustee for a number of years. Fraternally he is connected with the Masons and Odd Fellows.
For over fifty years Mr. Forsyth has been a resident of Weston, and during this long period has done much to further movements of benefit to the village. He is a self-made man, and is highly esteemed by all with whom he has come into contact.
Received from C. Forsyth, Nov, 2012 (Decendant of James P. Forsyth)
