(13 April 1844-15 Feb. 1943), witness to historical continuity. Described at the close of her life “St. Elmo’s ‘Grand Old Lady’ and its oldest resident.” Her maiden name was Annie Cameron. Parents: Angus Cameron and his wife Euphemia Begg. She was born west of Athol, and lived, during her long life, at Tayside, Maxville and St. Elmo. Married in 1863 to Duncan D. McKercher, she resided during her married life at Tayside, and became a widow in 1896. (eleven children, possibly thirteen) She “was present at the opening service in historic Gordon Church, St. Elmo, on July 20, 1864, and was present at the 75th anniversary service in July, 1939.” Also, she was present at her son’s golden wedding celebration at Moose Creek on 3 April 1939. She was survived by 7 sons and a daughter. At the time of her death the daughter, with whom she had made her home for many years, lived at St. Elmo, and the sons were living at Moose Creek, Ont., Portland, Ore., Valparaiso and Carmichael, Sask., Duluth (Robert D. McKercher), New Westminster, B. C., and Longview, state of Washington. Mrs McKercher was thus a highly involved witness of the remarkable dispersal during her lifetime of the old, large, GC-area families throughout North America. Presbyterian, later United Church. She and her husband are buried in St. Elmo Cemetery.

     A poem by her son Peter (who lived to be a centenarian) beginning “Are the elm trees in Fraser’s Lane?,” though somewhat amateurish as verse, has a naive charm and refers to the scenes of his childhood and to both his parents. He was the son who lived in Oregon.

Standard Freeholder (QF)16 & 18 Feb. 1943, Glengarry News 19 Feb. 1943 * Golden Wedding: GN 7 April 1939 * 75th Church anniversary: GN 28 July 1939 (does not include her name, but mentions two other members of the McKercher family who attended both this and the 1864 ceremony) * Maxville (1991) 506, 699-700 * wide dispersal of the old GC families: MacGillivray & Ross 134 (& 129-141 generally) * poem: printed in The Manor Chatter, May 2000 * observes 95th birthday, GN 14 April 1939