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PETER HAGGART, ex-mayor of Blenheim, and a
leading business man of that town, is descended from Scottish ancestry,
his great-grandfather, Alexander Haggart, having been a native of
Argyllshire, Scotland. Alexander Haggart married Sarah McPhail, of
Argyllshire, who was born In 1752, and they had four sons, Angus, Neil,
Colen and John. The two elder sons, Colen and John, remained in the old
country, but in the year 1803 Angus and Neil came with their parents to
America, the family settling in Caledonia, New York, a place generally
known as Teasel Hollow. Angus remained in New York State, but the
parents, and Neil and his wife, moved to Canada, making a new home in the
township of Aldborough, County of Elgin. There Alexander and his wife
passed the remainder of their lives, Mrs. Haggart dying in September,
1820, at the age of 68 years. They were buried in the cemetery now known
as the New Glasgow burying-ground.
Neil Haggart, grandfather of Peter, was born
in Scotland in 1779, came to America with his parents, and for some years
lived in Caledonia, New York, where he was engaged in carpentering and
farming. In 1815 he and his family moved to Canada, making the journey by
boat, and landing at Port Stanley. They located on a farm in the township
of Aldborough, County of Elgin, on the Old Talbot street, and there passed
the remainder of their lives. In 1818 Mr. Haggart walked from Aldborough
to Caledonia, New York, and drove back several sheep over to Canada. He
married Isabel McDougall who was born in Athol, Scotland, and came to
America with her parents, who settled in Caledonia, New York. Mr. And
Mrs. Haggart had a family of nine children: Alexander, John, Angus, Neil,
Sarah, Duncan, Elizabeth, Mary and James. The only survivor, Duncan,
lives in Livingston county, New York. The father died in 1851, and the
mother in April, 1871, aged 84 years and they are buried in the cemetery
near New Glasgow, County of Elgin.
Alexander Haggart, father of Peter, was born
February 15th, 1813, in Livingston county, New York, and passed
his early life at the home in Aldborough. Going to New York State he
there learned the carpenter’s trade and followed same for several years.
In 1841 he married Elizabeth McDougall, a descendant of the royal family
of Stuart, who was born November 14, 1820, daughter of Neil McDougall, who
lived on a farm in Livingston county, New York, now occupied by his sons
James and peter. About the time of his marriage Alexander Haggart and his
brothers John, Neil and James settled in the locality known for some time
as the Haggart settlement (now the Guilds settlement), in the township of
Harwich, County of Kent, and they were among the first settlers in that
section. Alexander’s farm, on the Talbot road, is known as Lot 21,
Concession 3, Lake Erie Survey. Mr. Haggart’s life was devoted to
farming, and he and his wife died on the farm he had cleared, Mr. Haggart
on September 27, 1881, and Mrs. Haggart on January 25, 1888. They are
buried in Evergreen cemetery, at Blenheim. In politics he was a Reformer,
and religiously he was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs.
Alexander Haggart had six children born to them: (1) Isabella, born
December 7, 1844, is residing with her brother Peter, in Blenheim. (2)
Neil, born July 30, 1846, is now in the mercantile business in Topeka,
Kansas. He married Nancy Dodge, of Ridgetown, Howard township, and they
had three children – Alexander, M.D., of Ottawa, Kansas, who married
Jennie Oechsle; Theresa, who died in November 1881, and was buried in
Evergreen cemetery, Blenheim; and Bertha, living in Topeka. (3) John,
born December 1, 1850, married Della Thumb, of an old family of the
township of Harwich, and is a merchant of Pan Handle, Texas. (4) Peter
is mentioned below. (5) Elizabeth, born July 24, 1858, married Peter
Caughell, who was born and reared on a farm on Talbot street, and now
resides on the old Haggart homestead; and they have two children, David
Alexander and Mary Elizabeth. (6) Margaret, born February 13, 1861, died
in January, 1863.
Peter Haggart was born May 1, 1853, on the old
homestead in Harwich township, where he grew to manhood, and where in the
common schools he obtained his education. He was engaged in farming
continuously until 1889, when he came to Blenheim and began to handle
beans, seeds and grain. Starting in a small way, through good management
and enterprise he has increased his operations until he now owns two large
elevators on the Lake Erie & Detroit railroad, equipped with all modern
appliances for handling beans and grain, and gives employment to 50
people, his annual shipments aggregating 200 carloads, at a conservative
estimate. In 1899 Mr. Haggart erected a fine business block on Talbot
street, in which his commodious office was located, and the second story
of which is occupied by the Blenheim Tribune office. After being
very successfully engaged in the mercantile business for 17 years he
decided to retire, and in January, 1904, he sold his bean elevators and
business to the Kent Farmers’ Produce Co., Limited, and in April of the
same year he sold his brick block and office on Main street to the same
company, who are carrying on the business on similar lines, under a board
of directors, with Mr. Robert Cummings as manager.
Mr. Haggart takes an active interest in
municipal government. For six years he served as councilman at Blenheim,
and for two years from 1899 to 1901, he filled the office of mayor, giving
the people of Blenheim a clean, straight, business administration, and
upholding the principles of the Reform party. In December, 1902, he was
elected a county commissioner for two years, representing Division No. 6,
made up of the municipalities of Harwich and Blenheim. In religious
matters he is a Presbyterian and a member of the Session. Fraternally his
affiliations are with the A.F. & A.M., and the Royal Arch Masons, Lodge of
Perfection, Chapter Rose Croix of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite,
Valley of London, with the I.O.O.F., the A.O.U.W. and the Good Templars,
and he has always taken an active interest in fraternal organizations.
In 1894 Mr. Haggart married Miss Victoria
Shaver, a native of the County of Brant, and a sister of the late Dr.
Shaver, for some time a prominent medical man of Blenheim, who died in
1893. Her father, Hamilton Shaver, was a pioneer of the County of Brant,
and was of German descent. He married Euphonia Burns, who was born in
Sligo, Ireland, and whose father was a native of Scotland, and of the same
family of Burnses as that to which the poet, Robert Burns, belonged.
Mr. Haggart is one of the substantial and
representative men of Blenheim and enjoys in the highest degree the
respect and confidence of all who know him. |
