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Note: Robert's lawyer was John Graham Harkness, K.C. from Cornwall, who wrote the book "Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry: A History 1784 - 1945" published first in 1946.
Robert J. Craig, one of the best known and popular residents of the East Front,
is sixty-four years of age and was born in Glen Walter where he now resides.
Mr. Craig is the owner of several large farms in the vicinity of Glen Walter, one of
which is the Stone House Pointe farm, on which is located the historic stone house
known all over Eastern Ontario as a landmark of early days. The history of this old
house, situated on the shores of the St Lawrence River, dates back over one
hundred years and is shrouded in a glamour of romance.
The farm occupied and operated by Mr. Craig is a splendid one and yields
900 bushels of grain and 130 tons of hay annually, besides 116 tons of corn,
an acre of potatoes and turnips. There is a fine orchard of 50 trees of all varieties
of apples. The farm is well stocked with 27 cattle, 17 yearlings and two year olds,
besides 6 horses, 12 swine and a large number of fowl.
Mr. Craig retired from active contracting - in which he has had a wide experience -
some time ago, and has been farming for the past ten years. In 1917, the total number
of pounds of milk drawn to the Cornwall City Dairy from his farm was 175,500 and
5,967 pounds of fat. Some of his individual cows gave 11,900 pounds of milk and
388 pounds of fat. Mr. Craig has been for ten years a patron of the Cornwall Cheese
and Butter Board.
Mr. Craig's residence and barns are among the finest on the Cornwall East Front.
Both are electrically lighted throughout, power being generated by a local power
plant.
Mr. Craig's father's name was John Craig and his mother was Mary Westley.
He married Anna Alberta Ferguson. There are four sons and three daughters.
He is a Presbyterian in religion, a Conservative in politics, and of Scotch descent.
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Note: HI1
Note: (Research):Born at Glen Walter, GC. Robert J. Craig "began his career as a railroad contractor at Fort William, on the CPR, with the firm Purcell and Ryan. Later, he held contracts for many years in Argentina, Florida, Jamaica, Mexico and Cuba, returning to Canada in 1902. Until 1914 his work was in Ontario and Quebec, building such railroads as the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario, the Gatineau and the La Tuque section of the Transcontinental. After 1914, he retired to his home in GlenWalter." The Cornwall Cheese and Butter Board book of 1920, in an entry which can be dated as composed a couple of years before, describes him as an active and successful farmer and retired contractor who is now "the owner of several large farms in the vicinity of Glen Walter," one of them being the property containing the ruins of the famous Glengarry House. The book notes that his "residence and barns are among the finest on the Cornwall East Front" and are lighted by electricity from "a local power plant." (electricity was unusual in the GC-area farm properties at this time.)
Robert J. Craig died in Montreal, at the Ross Memorial Pavilion. He was married in 1891 to Annie Alberta Ferguson (six children surviving him). He was a Mason. His membership of 67 years was believed at the time of his death to have been the longest membership in the Cornwall Masonic lodge. He was a Presbyterian elder in Salem Church, Summerstown.
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Note: NF38008
Note: THE CRAIG FAMILY AND SALEM CEMETERY
Two of the oldest tombstones in Salem Cemetery (in the South-West corner) are for James Craig Senior, born in Ayreshire, Scotland in 1788, died 1858 and his wife, Helen Frew, a native of Irvine, Scotland, born 1785, died 1860.
Their son, James, born 1823, was Reeve of Charlottenburgh, Warden of the County in 1842 and Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in 1867 until his death in 1874. He is also buried at here.
James Craig Jr.'s son, R.J. Craig was born in 1853 and died in 1942.
He and his wife, Annie Ferguson, born 1870 died 1958, lived in the large brick family home in Glen Walter which eventually became a well-known restaurant and sadly burned down.
In his early working career, R.J. was a famous and respected railway contractor. Among others, he was involved in railway building in northern Quebec, Florida, Jamaica and South America. Even when he was in semi-retirement on the farm in Glen Walter, he was often called upon to trouble shoot for problems with railways under construction.
At home, Annie Craig was known for her entertaining and generous support of community and church activities. R.J., Annie and their seven children were particularly active in the life of Salem church. Their home was open for lawn socials, church meetings and Women's Institute gatherings.
Cemetery Inscription:
Robert J. Craig died July 15 1942 age 89 years, his wife Annie A. Ferguson died April 9, 1956 (incorrect: should be 1958) aged 88 years
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