John F. MacEwen, son of John MacEwen, was born December 24, 1856. He attended school at the 5th concession of Roxborough. The inspector of the County at the time was Rev. Mr. Gordon, father of Ralph Connor . He (John) was married in Knox Church in Montreal, March 20, 1889, by Rev. James Fleck, B.A. to Ellen Flora MacRae. For eighteen years after the marriage they lived on a farm in the 7th concession of Roxborough, two and a half miles west of St. Elmo. After this they moved to Ottawa, where they lived five years.
They then went to the West in 1912, settling on a farm near Craik, Saskatchewan. The farm consisted of a section 640 acres. When they went to it, it had been just newly broken, and had only a shack on it. There they experienced the life of the pioneer settlers in the West. During those early days, the land bore abundant harvest. In the year 1915, three years after beginning work on his farm, he had no less than 11,000 bushels of wheat, and 3,000 bushels of oats. He became a very successful farmer. He built two houses, and a barn in this section. He was a deacon in the Congregational Church. At the Union they entered the United Church. He is a man of sterling worth, strong and kindly.
In the eventide of life he made his home with his son (Hawley) on the old farm in the West, but is frequently found a welcome guest in the home of his other children. He died in 1939.
Their family are as follows:
- John Hawley born in Roxborough, 1890 d 1961. Married Alice McBurney, Wed. January 31, 1917. They lived on the old farm near Craik. She was a very talented singer. After the Second World War they sold the farm and retired to run a grocery store in Haney, B.C. Alice died in 1963.
- Christy Violet (later)
- Janie Helen won her A.T.C.M. degree and taught in the Regina Normal School. During the Second World War she lied about her age and eventually went overseas to help the repatriating soldiers in The Netherlands pass the time until they were brought home to Canada. She was an ardent bridge player. Janie died in 1970.
- Duncan MacRae born June 9, 1898 d 1977. Married Gladys Stalker, a trained nurse, June 26, 1926 in New York. He graduated as Bachelor of Science from Saskatoon University, and obtained a PhD from Columbia University. He taught mathematics in New York City College. Gladys died in 1988.
- Peter Blythe born Tuesday, May 28, 1901 d 1988. Married Melina Adele Chadwick, a graduate of Toronto University, September 3, 1928 in Hart House, Toronto. He received his education in Saskatoon and Toronto. From the University of Toronto, he graduated a Mechanical Engineer. After graduation, he served seven or eight years with General Motors, Oshawa. He lived in Ottawa, Ontario during the War and returned to Toronto in 1946. Melina died in 1982.
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