Thomas McQueen Sr (abt. 1803 - 1861)

Husband of Mary (Mitchell) McQueen — married 20 Nov 1829 in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, Scotland

Descendants

Died 25 Jun 1861 at about age 57 in Goderich, Huron, Canada West

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Heather McCarthy [send private message]

Biography

Thomas McQueen was a Victorian poet in his native Scotland with three published books. After immigrating to Canada in 1842 he pursued journalism and politics.

Thomas was born in 1803 to Osborne and Elizabeth (Copeland) McQueen. Some reports give his birth location as Ayrshire, Scotland, where he was raised; some as County Down, Northern Ireland. No records have been located to confirm either location. Thomas was the third of six known children of Osborne and Elizabeth, his siblings being Hamilton (1800), Mary Ann (1802), Elizabeth (1806), Osburne (1817), and Marjory (1819).

As a child Thomas worked until an accident left him partially disabled. During his recovery he took up an interest in literacy. He resumed labor as a stonemason later in adolescence. Thomas achieved some small notoriety as a poet in Scotland, publishing three volumes of poetry between 1836 and 1850. These volumes were well received enough to have three editions each. He was also involved in politics, writing for local periodicals and lecturing on the rights of the working class.

Thomas was married on 20 November 1829 to Mary Mitchell in Kilbirnie parish, Ayrshire.^[1] To this union at least five children were born: Janet (1830), Allan (1832), Elizabeth (1832), Thomas II (1837), and Hugh (1844). The family immigrated to Canada about 1842, where they lived first near Renfrew. In Canada Thomas continued his writing pursuits as the editor of local periodicals. In 1848 he moved to Goderich, Huron County. Here he started a publication entitled the Huron Signal. Late in life Thomas purchased an 800 acre property in Huron and began agricultural research. He continued his political pursuits and ran for office several times. Canadian writer Margaret Fairley dubbed Thomas the "Socialist Poet of Upper Canada."

Thomas died on 25 June 1861 in Goderich township, Huron county, Canada West (now Ontario). He is buried there in Maitland Cemetery, plot A-18.

Links of interest

• Biographi.ca
• Digital Victorian Periodical Poetry
• PoetryAtlas
• University of Toronto - Jackson Bibliography of Romantic Poetry

Sources

1. ↑ "Scotland Marriages, 1561-1910", Familysearch: 11 February 2020. Thomas McQween to Mary Mitchel, 1829.

• "Scotland Census, 1841", Familysearch: Mon Nov 13 2023. Entry for Thomas McQueen and Mary McQueen, 1841. Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland.

• "Canada, Ontario Census, 1861", FamilySearch: Wed Oct 04 2023. Entry for Mary McQueen, 1861. Goderich, Huron, Canada West.

• Appletons' Cyclopedia of American Biography; Volume: Vol. IV. Thomas McQueen.

• H. J. M. Johnston, “McQUEEN, THOMAS,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 9, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed December 27, 2020, direct link.

• Canada, Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current. Memorial 37463989.

• "Canada, Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927", Familysearch. Entry for Hugh Mcqueen and Thomas Mcqueen, 10 Nov 1870. (Marriage of Thomas's son Hugh, names parents).

• "Michigan Deaths and Burials, 1800-1995", database, FamilySearch: 29 November 2023. Thos McQueene in entry for Thomas McQueen, 1911. Death cert for Thomas JR lists father's name.

Research Notes

The FamilySearch profile for Thomas cites his birth "9 October 1803; Down, Ireland" purportedly from "Huron Signal obit." However, the origin of this document is not provided, and this contributor cannot find it archived. (H McCarthy 2/6/24)