Fred Thomson Weir (1898 - 1966)

Born 23 May 1898 in Scarborough Township, Ontario, Canada

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1966 at about age 67 in Saltcoats, Saskatchewan, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Fred Nix [send private message]

Biography

Fred Thomson is born on May 23, 1898, in Scarborough Township, Ontario, Canada [1]. This is now in the city of Toronto. His parents are Alexander Weir (1860-1939) and Janet Thomson (1863-1930) [1][2][3]. His paternal grandparents were born in Lanarkshire, Scotland. His maternal ancestors were the earliest Scottish settlers in Scarborough Township – the first ones arriving in Upper Canada in 1796 and settling in Scarborough in 1799. Others arrived in 1818-1820.

Fred is a two-year old boy on the family farm in the 1901 census, living with his family on the farm in Scarborough [4].

In April 1902, the family packs up and moves west to Saskatchewan. They settle near Saltcoats. The farm is in Section 25, Township 23, range 2, west of the second meridian which puts it a few kilometers directly south of Saltcoats and just to the west of the Yellowhead Highway. Construction on the Yellowhead Highway did not start until 1921, long after the Weir family settled. They are near the small town of Bredenbury. This is 35 kilometres southeast of Yorkton and about 42 kilometres via the Yellowhead Highway west of the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border.

Fred is eight-years old on the new farm in Saskatchewan in the 1906 census [5] and he is 13-years old on the farm in the 1911 census [6]. In the 1916 census, Fred is 18-years old, still living with his parents and one sibling on the farm in Saskatchewan [7]. He and his brother, William, are now labeled “farmers.” In the 1921 census records, Fred is 23-years old and still living on the farm in Saskatchewan [8]. And in the 1926 census records, at the age of 28. Fred is the last of the Weir children still living at home [9].

In 1928, Fred marries Leila M. Gamble (1904-1976) [10]. They have three children:

• Lucille Weir + Russell Sanderson

• Donald Weir + Shirley McDonald

• Carole Jean Weir + Keith Gabert

As far as is known, Fred and Leila stay on the farm in (or near) Saltcoats until they die. It is known that, in 1957, their address was still Saltcoats [11]. Fred dies in 1966 and Leila dies in 1976 [12]. They are buried together in the Saltcoats Community Cemetery.

Sources

[1] familysearch: Ontario Births and Baptisms 1779-1899: Fred Thomson Weir is born on 23 May 1898 in Scarborough, Ontario. His parents are Alexander Weir and Janet Thomson.

[2] The 1968 Paterson family tree by Marjorie Paterson shows Fred as the 6th child of Margaret Thomson & Alexander Weir. It shows his spouse, Leila Gamble and it shows 3 children: (1) Lucillle + Russell Sanderson; (2) Donavan + Shirley McDonald; and (3) Carole + Keith Gabert.

[3] Ian Glendinning’s web site: https://www.glendinning.name/ancestry/thomsfam/pafg106.htm#5309 Fred Thomson Weir born 23 May 1898 in Scarborough, Ont. Died 16 July 1966 in Saltcoats, Sask. He married Leila Gamble and they had 3 children: (1) Lucille + Russell Sanderson; (2) Donald; and (3) Carole.

[4] 1901 census, Ontario, 129 E York, Scarboro Twp, pg 3, household 27: Alexander Weir (40), born 4 May 1960, farmer; Janet (38) born 8 June 1862; Ada ? ? [possible G.E.] (11), born 24 Nov 1889; Winnifred J. (9), born 11 Feb 1892; William W. (6), born 11 Feb 1895; Fred T. (2), born 23 May 1897. The family members are labelled “Scotch” and their religion is shown as Pres [Presbyterian]. All members of the family were born in Ontario. In addition to the family members there is a Charles Milner who is a farm labourer and there is a Neil D McFadyen born 27 May 1880 who is a teacher. This second person is of interest as one of the children of Alexander and Janet would eventually marry a person with the surname McFadyen. It is not known if there is a connection with this Neil D. McFadyen (born in Ontario, also labelled Scotch but his religion appears to be (?) Bapt [writing unclear but possibly Baptist]

[5] 1906 census, Saskatchewan, Assiniboia East, Townships 21-24, ranges 2 & 3, pg 1, household 4: A?? Weir (44); Janet (40); Ada (16); (?)Minnie (14); Wm (11); Fred (8). All household members were born in Ontario. The farm is located on Section 25, township 23, range 2, meridian 2 [this means west of the 2nd meridian]. The family has 15 horses, 3 milk cows, 15 other horned or meat cattle, & 8 hogs. (The head of the next farm appears to be a 25-yr old J. Lennox [writing difficult to read. If so, this is the person who marries Annabelle Young, a relative of the Weir family.)

[6] 1911 census, Saskatchewan, Saltcoats, Townships 23, 24 in range 2 west of the 2nd Meridian, township 24 in range 1 west of the 2nd Meridian, and Saltcoats Town, pg 19, household (??number not readable): Alexander Weir (51), born May 1860, farmer; Janet (58) [?they must mean 48], born June 18??; Ada G. E. (21), born November 188?; Winnie J. (19), born February 1892; William J. W. (16), born February 1895; Fred T. (13), born May 1898; + 2 labourers and 1 lodger. All members of the family are labelled “Scotch” and their religion is shown as Presbyterian.

[7] 1916 census, Saskatchewan,Township 23 range 1 to 2, pg 8, household 77: ?? Weir [not possible to read his first name] (56), farmer; Janet (54); William J. W. (21), farmer; Fred T. (18), farmer. The family lives in township 23, range 1 [the 1906 census had them in range 2?]. All household members were born in Ontario; they are “Scotch;” their religion is shown as Presbyterian.

[8] 1921 census, Saskatchewan, district 226, Saltcoats, pg 1, family #5: Alexander Weir (61); Janet (59)’ William (26); Fred (23). All members of the family were born in Ontario. The family lives in section 25, township 23, range 2 [?W2 – can’t read it but think it is west of the second meridian]. The occupation of the 3 men is shown as “farmer.” They are all labelled “Scotch” and their religion is Presbyterian.

[9] 1926 census, Saskatchewan, 26 Melville, Saltcoats, pg 1, family #3: Alexander Weir (66)  ; Janet (63); Fred (28); the family lives in section 25, township 23, range 2, W2 [west of 2nd meridian]. In addition to the family members, there is one 28-year Norwegian labourer living on the farm (he had just arrived in 1926, the same year the census was taken).

[10] 1928 -- http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/index/CAN-SASKATCHEWAN/2002-01?m=c&s=Redisplay – shows year of marriage of Fred Thomson Weir & Leila Gamble.

[11] 1957 Paterson reunion contact list: Mr. & Mrs. Fred Weir, Saltcoats, Sask.

[12] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/240649355/fred-thomson-weir: accessed 9 January 2023), memorial page for Fred Thomson Weir (1898–1966), Find a Grave Memorial ID 240649355, citing Saltcoats Cemetery, Saltcoats, Melville Census Division, Saskatchewan, Canada; Maintained by RememberMe (contributor 48362602). “In Loving Memory of / [LHS] Fred Thomson / 1898-1966 / [RHS] Leila M. / 1904-1976 / [bottom] WEIR”

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Katharine E for creating WikiTree profile Weir-724 through the import of archibald d thomson.ged on May 29, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Katharine and others.

The current biography was prepared by Fred Paterson Nix on Oct 4, 2014. It was revised in January 2023. Fred Nix and Fred Weir are third cousins, twice removed. They are both descendants of Christopher Borthwick (1760-1818) and Joanna Borthwick (1772-1825) in Westerkirk, Dumfries, Scotland.