====== Cattanach, Angus ====== (1796-21 Feb. 1873), land surveyor, merchant. (Col. Cattanach) Born in Scotland. Parents: Mr and Mrs John Cattanach. John Cattanach, the father of the subject of the present entry, and described as a native of Badenoch, Inverness-shire, died 5 July 1862 at the home of his son Col. Angus Cattanach, Dalhousie Mills, GC, aged 93 years, 9 months. (//Witness// 16 July 1862; gravestone) Angus Cattanach, the subject of the present entry, came to Canada from Laggan, Inverness-shire, Scotland, and was living at Dalhousie Mills, GC, from about the 1820s. He was the brother of Donald Cattanach. Angus Cattanach, who had acquired skills as a land surveyor in Scotland, was appointed a land surveyor in Canada in April 1820. He surveyed part of Roxborough Township, also the west boundary of Lancaster Township, and all of Caledonia Township. Beginning dates for these surveys are all in the 1820s. He was made a JP in 1835. He is described in Lovell’s 1857 directory as a JP and storekeeper. He was a captain in the 3rd regiment of GC militia in the 1820s and 1830s, including in the Rebellion of 1837-1838, and was put in command of the 3rd regiment, with the title of lt-col., in 1853. He seems to have been commonly known thereafter by his title of Col. Cattanach. In 1827,1830 and 1847 he received the patents for 1609 acres of land in the Gore of Lochiel Township, and his will made 10 Feb. 1873 lists extensive landholdings in Lancaster Township and the Gore of Lochiel. He was interested in lumbering, and a preliminary survey of the Cattanach family papers (which are mainly Angus’ business papers) in the Ontario Archives suggests that the many contracts these papers contain relating to Angus’ lumbering activities are of 2 kinds, (1) contracts in which regular lumbermen, often receiving financial subsidies from Angus, agree to supply large quantities of timber for him at Quebec City or elsewhere, (2) the far more numerous contracts in which individuals who perhaps simply are local farmers agree to supply small amounts of timber to Angus on the River Delisle below the New Mills and in return are to get credit at his store, debts cancelled, etc. He died at Dalhousie Mills. An obituary notice in //The Presbyterian// (April 1873) said, “He was a very prince in his own house, where his unbounded hospitality was ever dispensed to friend and stranger alike with the gentleness and grace of a genuine Highland Laird.” He was married (1) to Margaret McDonald, of Kenyon Township, (2) Ann Hutcheson or Huchinson, of Scotland, who died 1857. According to a story which appeared in //Glengarry Life// 1982 a spectre appeared at Angus Cattanach’s door shortly before his (second) wife died in giving birth to twin sons. The twin sons were Angus Mackenzie Cattanach and Walter who both became physicians. Dr Angus Mackenzie practised medicine at Alexandria in his earlier years, and afterwards medicine for many years in Superior, Wisc., and was married to a daughter of George Harrison. His brother, who remained unmarried, spent his later years in the Cattanach house at Dalhousie Mills but did not practice medicine at that time. Angus’ daughter Margaret (by the first Mrs Cattanach) married “Preacher” Ferguson who practised medicine and preached sermons in the Dalhousie Mills area. ---- Short biog. (with portrait) in //OLS// (1934) 108-109 * MacGillivray & Ross 67 * Dumbrille, //U,// 79-83 on the Cattanach house and family (illust.) * Macdonell, //Sketches,// 284 * Ross, //Lancaster//, 73, 186, 316 * //Lovell 1857// 100 * Boss 26 * Cattanach gravestones, Dalhousie Mills * family papers as noted: Archives of Ontario * will: Archives of Ontario-SC Reel G. S. Ont. 1-1255 No. 234 * B. Corbett, “A Cattanach Ghost Story,” //Glengarry Life// 1982 * MacMillan, //Kirk// , 155 *, Dr Angus Mackenzie Cattanach: receives medical degree from McGill, //Cornwall Freeholder// 7 April 1882; marries, ASC, ii, 27; his obituary, //Glengarry News// 21 Sept. 1928 * Donald and Angus Cattanach included on list of new magistrates, //Cornwall Observer //30 Jan. 1835 [<6>]