Re: Matheson/Columbus, Ohio, and Perth Ontario
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In reply to:
Matheson/Columbus, Ohio, and Perth Ontario
Lori Smith 8/13/02
Check out the web page for the Matheson House in Perth, Ontario.The house now houses the Perth museum.There is a little bit of background on Roderick there.History of the Matheson family and their house.Hope this helps.http://www.superaje.com/~perth.museum/
Roderick Matheson was born in Scotland in 1794 and emigrated to Canada in 1806. During the war of 1812-14 he served in the Glengarry Light Infantry Fencibles and fought in 33 separate incidents. He came to Perth as a half pay officer in 1818 and established the business now known as Shaw's of Perth. Matheson's store prospered, and by 1840 he was able to build a fine Georgian home of local sandstone. The Matheson family resided there until 1930.
Roderick was one of the original Justices of the Peace for Bathurst District, became a member of the Legislative Council of Upper Canada and, at Confederation in 1867, was appointed to the Canadian Senate in Sir John A. MacDonald's Tory government.
Roderick married his first wife, Mary Fraser Robertson, in Montreal in 1823. She died shortly after giving birth to twins, Roderick Jr. and John, in 1825. John was killed on his way to school in 1833, at the age of eight, when he was struck by a log falling from a passing sleigh.
Roderick met his second wife, Annabella Russell, age 19 (1811-1854) while on a trip to Scotland and they were married in the Highlands in 1830. Over the years Roderick and Annabella had 11 children, 7 girls and 4 boys. Senator Matheson passed away in 1873 at the age of 79.
Following the death of Eliza Matheson, the last surviving offspring, the house was converted first to the Birkacre Tea Room and Inn and then the Vanity fair Tea House. In 1948 it was sold to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #224 and was used by them until 1966 when the town bought it, and in 1967 opened the Perth Museum as a Centennial project.