Eliza Maharg ^2231,2232

  General Notes:

Mahargs-Huron Tract Pioneers by Harry J. Suter, 20 October 1992
Archibald Maharg senior was born in Ireland. “Maharg” is Graham spelled backwards and there is a whimsical story about a feud in the homeland pitting one branch of the family against the other. His gravestone is in the Mono Mills Cemetery.

Archibald Maharg, the son, was born in the U.S.A. He lived in the States and came to the Huron Tract with his brother Clarke. Why they left U.S. civilization for the privation of the bush is hard to fathom unless it was for the promise of free land. Archie settled on Lot 25, Concession 1, Amaranth Township where he is shown living during the 1871 census. He was married to Grace Anne Freeland who had been born in Ireland. They were shown with seven children in 1881.

Tragedy struck them a colossal blow just during the Christmas season of 1874. Grace died December 27th, 2 days after the birth of a son, George. The baby died at 22 days of age and Archibald followed 2 months after Grace. All three perished within 62 days. The stark story is chiselled in the granite of the gravestones in Mono Mills Cemetery on Highway 10 about 2-4 kilometres north of Orangeville.

Eliza was approximately 16 years old at the time. She married Thomas Myers 3 months after her father’s death and her first baby was born within the year. Her husband was 11 years older than she.

Pioneer life was not easy and there are many stories about the untamed state of the country in those days. The living conditions were primitive and especially hard on the women. Wild bears were common intruders and the forest was uncut. Roads were scarce and rough as only Canadian roads could be.

But this same lady lived to be 80 years old and my great-grandmother whom I still remember. She travelled the breadth of Canada, lived in Saskatchewan and Ontario and had 11 children and their families to cherish. She was alert and bright right up until her passing.

She was a grand old lady, one of whom I am very proud.

CHAN: _WT_USER phild

Eliza married Thomas Watson Myers on 6 Apr 1875 in Amaranth, Dufferin, Ontario, Canada. (Thomas Watson Myers was born on 6 Apr 1848 in Trenton, Ontario, Canada, christened on 13 Aug 1854 in Trenton, Ontario, Canada, died on 11 Mar 1926 in Alliston, Ontario, Canada and was buried in Kitchener Mausoleum, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.)

  Marriage Notes:

MARR: _UID 58ea71d72873c1e7b0ea080027c34ada
MARR: RIN MH:FF1594