The following obituary appeared in the 23 Mar 1887 British Canadian newspaper

 OBITUARY

By the death of David W. McCall, Norfolk County lost an old and highly esteemed resident. He was born on the 21st of June, in the year 1816, on the homestead farm near Vittoria, and belonged to a family that has been prominently identified with the county since its first settlement in 1790.

He was a grandson of Donald McCall, a native of Argyleshire, Scotland, an officer in the 42nd Highlanders, who took part under Gen. Wolfe, in the capture of Quebec, and who, after the close of the French war, settled in New Jersey, until the breaking out of the Revolutionary war in 1776, when he took up arms in defence of the Crown. Not liking the new order of things, he availed himself of the offer of a grant of land and came to Canada, and settled under the old flag for which he had fought. After a great many dangers and difficulties he landed on these shores, and finally settled near Vittoria.

At his [Donald's] death, which occurred shortly after his son James succeeded to the homestead, and like his loyal father took up arms in the war of 1812, holding a Lieutenant's commission in the militia. He married Nancy McQueen and from this union sprang a family of seven sons and two daughters, one of the sons being David W. now deceased.

In the beginning of the trouble of 1837-8, at the age of 21 years, true to the record of his loyal forefathers, the deceased [David W.] took up arms to suppress what happily did not terminate in civil war. He married shortly afterwards Harriet Mann, of Port Dover, who, with five sons and three daughters survive him, and mourn for a loving husband and an affectionate father. Four of the sons are our respected townsmen, Messrs. Alexander, Thomas, Frank and Walter C. McCall.

He [David W.] cleared up a farm in Charlotteville, which was then an unbroken forest. Tired of farming, and being one of the first to recognize the great timber wealth of this county, built a saw mill in 1844 on the head of Young's Creek, and for a few years followed millwrighting as well as lumbering, and assisted in the erection of many of the pioneer mills of this county. He was for many years a Justice of the Peace, and was often elected a member of the Council of the township of Charlotteville.

In 1865 his eyesight failing, he left his business to his sons, and retired upon a farm near Walsh, where he lived until the Fall of 1886, feeling his advancing years, he moved to Simcoe, taking a severe cold soon after, from which he never fully recovered, and which terminated in his death on the 16th inst. from congestion of the lungs after a brief illness.

A large concourse of sorrowing friends and neighbors followed his remains to Oakwood Cemetery. A just and upright man he died in honor and peace.

Copyright 2002-2013 John Cardiff