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Buckley, Menzie and McMurray Families - Niagara Falls, Ontario ...

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About this time he met the youngest child of Andrew <strong>and</strong> Louisa <strong>Menzie</strong>, Grace Greenwood<br />

<strong>Menzie</strong> who had just graduated from the Wesleyan Ladies’ College in Hamilton. The occasion in<br />

the studio photo below is uncertain but a young Grace<br />

Greenwood <strong>Menzie</strong> is seated in front on the left <strong>and</strong><br />

William John <strong>McMurray</strong> beside her.<br />

The <strong>Menzie</strong>’s came from Wampsville in the Oneida,<br />

New York area to Stamford Township in 1850<br />

purchasing a large tract of l<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> building a house<br />

fronting on what is now <strong>Menzie</strong> Street<br />

It is not clear why Andrew left New York State. Perhaps the death of his first wife Juliett Warren<br />

in 1844 had something to do with it. He had remarried<br />

Louise Ratnour <strong>and</strong> they arrived with three children, Myron,<br />

the son of his first wife, Eugene <strong>and</strong> Rosco. They had six<br />

other children over the years, the youngest Grace <strong>and</strong><br />

touchingly he named his first daughter Juliett (Etta) after his<br />

first wife. Myron returned to New York State to enlist on<br />

the Federal side at the outbreak of the Civil War in 1860<br />

<strong>and</strong> survived to be buried in Fairview at the young age of<br />

forty four in 1886, perhaps from the toll of the war.<br />

Five of the nine children married but only Grace <strong>and</strong> Etta are recorded as having children. Etta<br />

married Dr.Emmett Pyle but their only child Jennie Louise, died at thirteen in 1890.<br />

Records on the <strong>Menzie</strong>s are scarce. The burial book at Fairview under ‘Occupation’ defines<br />

Andrew as ‘Gentleman’ which suggests he was a man of means <strong>and</strong> may have been a speculator<br />

of real estate in his purchase of l<strong>and</strong> in Stamford. He seems to have earned money by selling off<br />

lots as The Town of Clifton <strong>and</strong> then the Town of <strong>Niagara</strong> <strong>Falls</strong> exp<strong>and</strong>ed to the west along<br />

Bridge Street until the original large property shrunk to its present size. His daughter Grace still<br />

held mortgages into the late 1940’s which may well have been on parts of that property.<br />

-34-<br />

The <strong>Menzie</strong> House <strong>Menzie</strong> Street

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