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JOSEPH
HORNAL, commissioner of the County of Kent, resides on Lot 22, Concession
9, of Orford township, owning and operating a fine farm of 100 acres. He
came to his present place in 1890, from the old homestead across the road,
and built his present brick dwelling in 1900, fitting it with all modern
improvements, including a hot air heating system.
Mr.
Hornal was born in Duart, Orford township, March 5, 1861, son of Robert
and Margaret (Corson) Hornal, of Dumfriesshire, Scotland, and grandson of
Samuel and Mary (Henderson) Hornal, of the same county, where they passed
all of their lives. Samuel Hornal was a weaver by occupation. William
and Margaret (Dinkell) Corson, the maternal grandparents of Joseph Hornal,
were also of Dumfriesshire; William Corson was a shepherd. Robert Hornal
was born April 20th, 1825, and died in April 1900, while his
wife was born in February, 1830, and died in May, 1900: they both are
buied in the Duart cemetery. They died in the faith of the Presbyterian
Church, in which Mr. Hornal served long as an elder. They were married in
1852, and came to Canada in 1853, living in Toronto for a year and thence
coming to the County of Kent. They lived at Duart for seven years and
then moved to the old homestead in Orford township, where their son Robert
now resides. Children as follows were born to their union: Margaret
married James Fleming, a farmer of the County of Elgin; William is a
farmer of the County of Elgin; Samuel is deceased; Mary married Andrew
Allen, a farmer in County of Elgin; Joseph is mentioned below; John died
young; Nellis married Rev. J. Barnett, and her twin brother, Robert, is a
farmer on the old homestead; Sarah is a milliner in London. In politics
the father of this family was a Reformer, and he was township councilor
for some years.
On
January 20th, 1890, in Orford township, Joseph Harnal married
Anna Lee, and one child, Shirlie, has come to them. Mrs.Hornal was born
in Orford township September 9th, 1866, a daughter of Thomas
Lee, a pioneer farmer of that township. Joseph Hornal remained with his
parents until his marriage, when he located on his present farm, which is
regarded as one of the best in the township, and which yields an excellent
income.
A Liberal
in politics, Mr. Hornal has taken a very active part in local affairs,
serving for two years as a member of the township council; two years as
deputy reeve; two years as reeve; and in January, 1900, was elected county
commissioner. For two years he served under the old county system, when
he retired and was again elected. He and his wife are consistent church
members, Mr. Hornal belonging to the Presbyterian Church, and Mrs. Hornal
to the Methodist. Throughout the community Mr. and Mrs. Hornal are highly
esteemed, and socially and in their church work they are leaders by reason
of their pleasing manners, courteous treatment of all, and their many
sterling traits of character. |
