(died 22 Oct. 1891, aged 34), teacher, author. (Colin A. MacLaurin) His place of birth was presumably Craignavie house, Breadalbane, GC. Parents: Colin MacLaurin and his wife Sarah McIntosh. Colin A. MacLaurin attended normal school, and was a teacher for several years, had a reputation as an athlete and wrestler, and died young, from tuberculosis, being, it is said, registrar for GC at the end of his life. No documentary evidence has been found to prove that he was registrar, but he may have held the office briefly in the interval between Angus Mcdonald and John Simpson, or perhaps he was only acting registrar, or had a promise of the position which remained unfulfilled when he died. He was married in 1880 to another of the MacLaurins, Margaret MacLaurin (1860-1951), who outlived him by 60 years. (four children) On 15 March 1886, a certain McCuaig, who dated his letter at Dalkeith, wrote to R. R. (Big Rory) McLennan, proposing a young man, Colin A. McLaurin, “a relative who was teaching School” and whose “health failed him at that occupation,” as a suitable employee on Big Rory’s expected railway-building operations. McCuaig pretty crudely indicated that if the appointment came through a bloc of friends and relatives would change their votes in gratitude. At this time, MacLaurin was teaching school west of Kirk Hill. In the celebrated trial contesting the 1887 election of Patrick Purcell as GC’s MP, one “Colin McLaurin” of Lochiel Township, a “School Teacher,” presumably the subject of the present entry, was accused of helping to bribe voters on Purcell’s behalf. On 20 Oct. 1888, a Mrs McDougall at Dalkeith wrote to Big Rory saying “I must notify you that Colin A McLaurn. Bailiff of Alexandria was here and cheized on every thing on the Place.” (all spelling thus) He was, presumably, the author of a little book: Colin A. MacLaurin, A Few Hints on How to Preserve Your Health (Ottawa, “Free Press” Printing and Publishing Establishment, 1877; pp. 26). The preface is dated at Dalkeith, 20 Aug. 1877; apart from this one-word reference to a GC village, the publication has no Glengarry content. A biographical note in the Newsletter of the Glengarry Historical Society, Feb. 1995, states that MacLaurin taught school in Alexandria. He was the grandson of John MacLaurin the pioneer and he was the nephew of the Rev. John MacLaurin (d. 1855).
Donald A. MacLaurin, Some of the Craignavie MacLaurins (1990) 69, 70, [77] * [M or W?]. R. McCuaig, and Mrs Roderick McDougall, Archives of Ontario-RRM, letters as dated above * Purcell 1887 16