- "John Allan's birth in 1816 was synchronous with the first settlement on the Scotch Line, being the first male child in this settlement. He was engaged almost all his life in the milling business, having a sawmill and carding mill on the Scotch Line.
"Later, he ran a sawmill and a grist mill on the Tay River (formerly Pike), and also engaged in the milling business in Perth.
From Hilda Geddes' book, The First One Hundred Years, Snow Road Presbyterian Church 1885-1985 :
"In 1877, he moved from Perth to Palmerston Township at Snow Road, where he operated a sawmill for several years on Antoine Creek at what was later known as the Louis Tremblay place. In 1841, he was married to Anne McLean while still in the Perth area and this union was blessed with 11 children.... He died on May 5, 1900 at the home of his son Isaac Allan at Mississippi."
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- Death - Lanark Era - May 9,1900 -
At Mississippi, Mr. John Allan, at the home of his son Isaac. A resident of McLaren's Depot for more than twenty years. Funeral on Monday last to the Cemetery at Elphin (Crawford's). Aged 83 years. ---
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Death - Perth Courier - June 15,1950,(50 years ago column) -
John Allan, son of Francis Allan, writer to the Signet, came with pioneer settlers in 1816. Son John born Perth in 1816, was first male child born in new settlement. Mother was Janet Cowie, who was the first woman to cross the Rideau.
Obituary
The late John Allan - As the Late John Allan, who died on may 5th, 1900, at the home of his son Isaac, at Mississippi Station, was well known in Perth and its vicinity, a more extended sketch of his life may not be uninteresting to our readers, and especially so, as his birth is synchronous with the first settlement on the Scotch Line. He was born on August 24th, 1816, and was the first male child born in the new settlement. His parents were born in Corstorphinie, three miles from Edinburgh, and lived in Edinburgh after their marriage. Coming to Canada in 1815, they remained in Brockville the first winter, and settled on the Scotch Line in the spring of 1816. His father, Mr. Francis Allan, was a Writer to the Signet in Scotland. His mother, whose maiden name was Janet Cowie, was born in Scotland in 1798, and lived to an extreme old age. She was the first white woman to cross the Rideau River, near Perth.
John Allan was nearly all his life engaged in the milling business. He first had a saw-mill and a carding mill on the Scotch Line. Later, he ran a sawmill and a grist mill on the Tay river, and was also engaged in the milling business in Perth. In 1877 he removed from Perth to Palmerston, at Snow Road station, wher he owned a sawmill for several years.
In August 1841, he married to Ann McLean, whom he survived ten years. There were eleven children, seven of whom are still living: Francis, in Perth, Thomas in Vancouver, William John in the Lake Superior District, James, Robert and Isaac at Mississippi, and Mrs. S. Donaldson, at Donaldson 's Mills.
Mr. Allan always took an active part in Christian work, and was an enthusiastic and faithful Sabbath School worker. Hesuperintended the Sabbath School on the Scotch Line, and held that position also in Perth. At Snow Road he organized the first Sunday School, and faithfully performed the duties of Superintendant for many years until laid aside by illness from active work. It was largely through his efforts that the Snow Road congregation was established. He was an elder in the Presbyterian Church for 47 years, having been ordained in Knox Church, Perth on May 28th, 1853. He also took a warm interest in all affairs of a public nature, and for some years rendered good service as a member of the Palmerston council. In politics he was a staunch Reformer. The funeral services wer held in Snow Road church on May 7th, and was largely attended. The Rev. Jas. Binnie, the pastor, conducted the service and spoke from the text: "Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life" (Rev. 2, 10), and referred to Mr. Allan's faithfulness in the community, as a citizen, friend, and neighbor, his faithfulness in the home, in the S. School and in the church. Six of his fellow elders from the McDonald's Corners, Elphin and Snow Road congregations acted as pall-bearers, and his remains were lovingly followed by his children, friends and neighbours, and were interred in the Crawford Cemetery.
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1816 - 1900 (83 years)
