Obituary of William Airth


DEATH of Mr William AIRTH
THE SECOND WHITE CHILD BORN in RENFREW

The remark has been made that on Aberdeen Day
- less than two years ago -
no healthier, stronger looking couple stood upon the grounds of the Park,
than Mr and Mrs William Airth.

Now, both have gone to their last rest
while many who seemed likely to go the way of all flesh before them,
still remain to partake of the joys and sorrows of this world.

Our note of a week or two ago, regarding Mr Airth's serious illness,
will have somewhat prepared our readers for the announcement of his death:
yet it came almost suddenly.
The immediate family had known for a few days
that unless he soon took a decided change for the better
there was little hope of his recovery.
On Sunday the turn came, but it was for the worse;
and then the decline was rapid:
and his spirit passed away a few minutes before 10 o'clock on Monday morning.

Mr Airth's history is the history of Renfrew to the present day.
He was the 2nd white child born within the limits of what is now the town.
His father, Major (SGT) Henry Airth,
came out from Lanarkshire, Scotland, in the summer of 1827
and settled on a farm in what is now known as Goshen.
There the family spent two New Years,
and early in 1829 they removed to Renfrew,
and took up housekeeping in a double house
situated on the hill between what are now Dean's and McAndrew's stores
and the Roman Catholic Church.

Here, on the 30th of July, 1829, was born William, the 12th child of the family;
and here he spent his lifetime.

His school days were under the rod of Dominies Duncan Ferguson and John McIntyre;
the school house being situated on the NE side of the Barr farm, on the 3rd line.
As a youth and young man, William worked at farming for his brother David,
and as all the young men of that time did,
he "teamed" for the lumbering shanties in the winter.

In 1864, when he was about 35 years of age,
he thought there was an opening for him in the mercantile line,
and although somewhat dissuaded by his relatives,
he opened up a general store in the premises now occupied by Mr H Coolican as a tinshop.
The times were propitious, and as a merchant he was well liked.
Consequently he prospered, and 6 years afterwards
he sold out to Messrs. Barr & Wright -
(Mr David Barr, of the new firm, having served him as a clerk).

For some years, Mr Airth lived a quiet life in town,
but eventually purchased the fine Coumbes farm alongside the town,
which he has since operated and improved.

Though he never sought public office,
his neighbors conceived him to be a sensible man,
and withal, having much plainness of speech, to be a useful man also,
and so it was that for many years he sat as a school trustee,
and at different times served as a member of the Municipal Council:
of which body he was a member at the time of his death.

Though a man of large and strong frame,
and for 42 years without need of the doctor's aid,
still he had failed visibly since Mrs Airth's death last year:
and when he was taken ill a few weeks ago,
it was but the commencement of a general break up of his system
and towards the end he suffered much, and wasted away.

His death makes the 6th break in the older generation of the Airth family now with us --
there having preceded him to the grave,
his brothers James and Robert,
and his sisters
Mrs David Barr Sr (Agnes),
Mrs. Angus McInnes (Elisabeth)
and Mrs. William Jamieson (Marion),
while there survive
Henry and David,
Mrs Alexander Jamieson (Catherine)
and Mrs Robert McLaren (Mary).
Four others had died in infancy.

Mr Airth leaves a family of 4 sons and 3 daughters, comfortably provided for.

The funeral of Mr Airth on Tuesday afternoon
was largely attended by friends and relatives from all parts of the county
and after an impressive service at the house and cemetery by Rev Dr Campbell,
there was lowered into the grave
all that was mortal of one who had been
an honest, plain living, plain spoken, good citizen.

BACK