Neil Brown and his wife Sarah Henderson in 1889
Photograph of Neil Brown and his wife Sarah Henderson in 1889.
Courtesy of Mrs Isabelle Carter
Neil Brown, who was born in Heylipol in 1819, emigrated to Canada with his twin brother Donald and five sisters in the late 1840s. Donald became ill, probably with ‘ship fever’ (typhus transmitted by body lice), and died on their arrival in Port Whitby, Ontario.
In 1858 Neil married Sarah Henderson from Nova Scotia. The couple had twelve children over the next nineteen years, including one set of twins: Mary (1859), Janet (1861), Katherine (1863), Margaret (1864), Donald (1866), Flora (1868), Sarah Ann (1870), Isabelle (1874,) Angus (1875) Christena and Phemma (1876), and John (1877). Donald, Phemma and John died before the age of four.
In common with many Scottish emigrants in the 19th century, the couple were deeply religious. Worship was held every day in their home. Sarah read the scripture then Neil led in prayer using the Gaelic tongue.
Black and white photograph of Neil Brown and his wife Sarah Henderson in 1889.
Neil Brown (1819-1905) and his wife Sarah Henderson (1835-1922) of Egmondville, Ontario in May 1889. Neil, who was born in Heylipol in 1819, was the son of Angus Brown and Mary MacArthur. He, his twin brother and five sisters emigrated to Canada with his twin brother Donald and five sisters in the late 1840s. Donald became ill, probably with `ship fever` (typhus transmitted by body lice), and died on their arrival in Port Whitby, Ontario. In 1858 Neil married Sarah Henderson from Nova Scotia. The couple had twelve children over the next nineteen years, including one set of twins. They were deeply religious and worship was held every day in their home. Sarah read the scripture then Neil led prayers in Gaelic.