Torrens and Allied Families

This book by Robert McIlvane Torrens
was originally Published in 1938.
This is a reproduction of it.
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Torrance, Canadian branch

401. Thomas Torrance1

the earliest name of record in this branch of the family, was born in 1735, at Larkhall, in southern Scotland, where he died in 1805. Larkhall is a picturesque town situated on the left bank of the River Clyde, almost midway between East Kilbride and Hamilton. It is very interesting to note that Larkhall, his home, was in the same county, and within a few miles of the places mentioned in the testaments and records quoted in connection with the other Torrences, who have been spoken of in the earlier chapters, as having first lived in Scotland, later going to Ireland, and from there to America.

This branch of the family uses, in connection with the Torrance coat-of-arms, a bull's head, for its crest, whereas, the earlier-mentioned branch uses for its crest, crossed laurel branches.

Children of Thomas Torrance, five:

  1. i. Thomas Torrance2 was born in 1776; died in 1818 (see note); settled in Montreal, Canada; married, and had issue, eight:
    1. 1. Margaret Torrance3 married a Mr. Eckhard, and had eight children.
    2. 2. Marion Torrance3 married James Gibb.
    3. 3. Catherine Torrance3 married a Mr. Shaw.
    4. 4. Eliza Torrance3 married a Mr. Orkney.
    5. 5. Amelia Torrance3 married Thomas Gibb.
    6. 6. Marie Torrance3 married Dr. Wishart, of Toronto.
    7. 7. Andrew Torrance5 unmarried.
    8. 8. Isabella Torrance3 married Dr. Stephenson, and had issue.
  2. ¶2. ii. John Torrance2 married Elizabeth Fisher.
  3. iii. Benjamin Torrance2 was born in 1788; resided in Toronto; married, and left three daughters.
  4. iv. James Torrence2 was born in 1789; married, and left issue, one:
    1. 1. David Torrance3 who died in 1876, married Jane Torrance, his first cousin. Issue, ten: Names will be given under Jane Torrance, daughter of John Torrance.
  5. v. William Torrance2 born in 1790.
15th of February, 2022 Justin Bur informs me: There is a death notice for Thomas Torrance, esq., merchant of Montreal, in the Montreal Gazette, 4 February 1826, saying he died at Quebec City the previous Sunday (29 January).

Ancestry.com has a burial notice from St. Gabriel Street Presbyterian Church, Montreal, for Thomas Torrance, esq., of Montreal, stating death on 30 January 1826 in Quebec City, age 47, burial 5 February 1826. The register is signed by William Torrance and John Henderson. Henderson appears as "acting executor" in newspaper advertisements attempting to lease Torrance's properties in 1827 (e.g. Montreal Gazette, 9 April 1827).

402. John Torrance2

(Thomas1), born in 1786; died in 1870; came to Canada as a young man. In 1811, he married Elizabeth Fisher, who was born in 1794, and died in 1862. His home, "St. Antoine Hall", a spacious stone house which stood in grounds of many acres, surrounded by a high wall and iron gates, in Montreal, was noted for its beauty, but having been located in the path of industrial development, has met the fate of many beautiful estates. 166

Children of John and Elizabeth (Fisher) Torrance, fifteen:

  1. i. Jane Torrance3 born in 1812; died in 1875; married David Torrance, her first cousin. Issue, ten:
    1. 1. John Torrance4 married Margaret Watson Ferrier, in 1860. Issue, two:
      1. i. John Torrance5
      2. ii. James Torrance5
    2. 2. Selina Torrance4 unmarried.
    3. 3. Elizabeth Torrance4 married Alexander MacKenzie Forbes. Issue, six.
    4. 4. Caroline Torrance4 married Lewis Black and had two children.
    5. 5. Jane Torrance4 married William Miller Ramsay, leaving issue, four.
    6. 6. David Torrance4 unmarried.
    7. 7. Emily Torrance4 married William Miller Ramsay, leaving issue, three.
    8. 8. Katherine Torrance4 unmarried.
    9. 9. George Torrance4 married Minnie Cameron.
    10. 10. Edward Fraser Torrance4 married Helen Grant Dennistown, leaving issue, three.
  2. ii. Selina Torrance3 born in 1814; died in 1880; married John Fraser.
  3. iii. Daniel Torrance3 born in 1815; died in 1885; went to New York to live and in 1846, married Sophia Vanderbilt. Issue, three:
    1. 1. Adelaide Torrance4 born in 1848; died in 1932; married Merideth Howland of New York.
    2. 2. Alfred Torrance4 married Louise Anthony, who later married Frederick William Vanderbilt (born 1855, died June 29, 1938). She died in 1927.
    3. 3. Marie Torrance4 who died in Europe, married John Haddon.
  4. ¶3. iv. James Torrance3 married Jane Fraser.
  5. ¶4. v. Andrew Torrance5 married Batey Maria Rigney.
  6. vi. Catherine Anne Torrance3 born 1820; married Thomas Vaneck.
  7. vii. Elizabeth Fisher Torrance3 born 1821; married John Wood.
  8. viii. Judge Frederick William Torrance,3 born in 1823; died 1887; married Laura J. Pugh, or Laura Genevieve Hershey.
  9. ix. Jessie Therese Torrance3 born 1824; died 1851; married William Forbes.
  10. x. Robert Alder Torrance5 born in 1826; died in 1848.
  11. xi. Elliot Torrance3 born 1828; died 1850; married Sir Alexander Galt, of Scottish stock, born 1817, in Chelsea, England; died 1893, in Canada, where he had gone as a young man, and became a leading Statesman; builder of railroads, and in short, one of Canada's greatest men. Issue, one:
    1. 1. Elliott Galt4 born 1850; died 1928; succeeded his father as the head of his family and a leader in Canada's development.
  12. xii. Mary Eaking Torrance3 born 1831; died 1907.
  13. xiii. Amy Torrance3 died 1936; married her sister Elliott's widower, Sir Alexander Galt, and had twelve children, two of whom died in infancy. Issue given, ten:
    1. 1. John Galt4 died 1933; one of Winnipeg's pioneers, married, first, Isabelle Atkinson; married, second, Mabel Henderson, of Kingston. Issue, one:
      1. i. John Galt5 killed in World War.
    2. 2. Amy Gordon Galt4 married, in 1883, Robert Grant, a writer and lawyer, of Boston, Massachusetts. Issue, four:
      1. i. Robert Grant5
      2. ii. Alexander Grant5
      3. iii. Patrick Grant5
      4. iv. Gordon Grant5
    3. 3. Kate Galt4 unmarried.
    4. 4. Mabel Galt4 married Charles Alexander Magrath; resided in Leithbridge. Issue, two:
      1. i. Amy Gordon Magrath5
      2. ii. Mabel Laura Magrath5
    5. 5. Selena Galt4 unmarried.
    6. 6. Alice Galt4 Unmarried. 167
    7. 7. Oneida Galt4 died in 1912; married, in 1896, Augustus Decimus Durnford. Issue, three:
      1. i. Philip Durnford5
      2. ii. A. T. Galt Durnford5
      3. iii. Elliot Augustine Durnford5
    8. 8. Muriel Galt4 became a trained nurse and served on many fronts throughout the World War.
    9. 9. Anne Prince Galt4 married William Harvey Smith, a prominent physician, of Winnipeg. Issue, two:
      1. i. Henry Gordon Smith5
      2. ii. Muriel Harvey Smith5
    10. 10. Evelyn Cartier Galt4 authoress of "My Children's Children", published in Montreal, 1932; married, May 6, 1893, Arthur Richard Springett, of the Springett family from which came William Penn's wife. They spent many years on ranches in Southern Alberta. Issue, two:
      1. i. Amy Louise Springett5 married, October, 1923, Theodore Bigelow Heney.
      2. ii. Margaret Evelyn Springett5 married, September, 1925, Captain Eric Elkington, R. A. M. C., in the village of Ringmer, Sussex, England.
  14. ¶5. xiv. Henry Torrance3 married Sarah Creighton Peet.
  15. xv. Alexander Hutchinson Torrance3 born 1837; died 1880; unmarried.

403. James Torrance3

(John2 Thomas1), born in 1817; died in 1910; married, in 1846, Jane Fraser, born in 1827; died in 1870.

Children of James and Jane (Fraser) Torrance, six:

  1. i. Charles Torrance4 born 1847; died 1925; married Caroline Jackson. Issue, one:
    1. 1. W. Jackson Torrance5 a clergyman in Tunbridge Wells, England; married and left issue, three.
  2. ii. William Fraser Torrance4 born at Montreal, 1849; has given much information for this branch of the family; resides at 2045 Metcalf Street, Montreal. He married Miss J. T. Wood, born in 1852; died in 1924. Issue, one:
    1. 1. Marjorie Torrance5 born in 1886; unmarried.
  3. iii. Forbes Torrance4 born in 1851; died in 1895; married Alice Stewart. Issue, four:
    1. 1. Donald Torrance5 was killed during the World War.
    2. 2. Samuel Torrance5 was also killed in World War.
    3. 3. Stewart Torrance5
    4. 4. Lilias Torrance5 a well known portrait painter in Canada, married a Mr. Newton.
  4. iv. Fraser Torrance4 born in 1852; died in 1902; married May Jack. No issue.
  5. v. Lilias Torrance4 born in 1855; died in 1892; married Dr. Shepherd, of Montreal, a distinguished surgeon. Issue, three:
    1. 1. Cecilia Shepherd5 born in 1881; married Percy Nobbs, an architect.
    2. 2. Dorothy Shepherd5 born in 1886; unmarried.
    3. 3. Ernest Gordon Shepherd5 born in 1879; was killed in the World War.
  6. vi. Frederick Torrance4 born in 1858; died in 1924; married, in 1884, Julia Jarvis, born 1859; died 1932. Issue, two:
    1. 1. Percival Victor Torrance5 born April 4, 1887; married, in 1915, Marjorie Coombes, and resides in Winnepeg.
    2. 2. Marion Torrance5 Note 168-1 born in 1886; married, in 1911, 168 Edward S. Sherwood, whose home is "Maitland," Rockliffe Park, Ottawa, Canada. Issue, three:
      1. i. Edward Torrance Sherwood6 born in 1912.
      2. ii. Frederick Henry Sherwood6 born in 1914.
      3. iii. Margaret Penelope Sherwood6 born in 1921.

404. Andrew Torrance3

(John2 Thomas1), born in 1818; died in 1896; married, in 1854, Batey Maria Rigney.

Children of Andrew and Batey Mana (Rigney) Torrance, eight:

  1. i. Emma Torrance4 born in 1855; married Robert Cassels; resides in Ottawa. Issue, three:
    1. 1. W. L. Littleton Cassels5 married in November, 1915, Kate Lawrence.
    2. 2. Madeline Stewart Cassels5 unmarried.
    3. 3. James Kennedy Cassels5 died in 1935; married Mary Sejak. Issue, two:
      1. i. James Kennedy Cassels6
      2. ii. Joan Cassels6
  2. ii. Jessie Torrance4 unmarried.
  3. iii. Elizabeth Torrance4 married Dr. Robert Powell, and left issue, seven.
  4. iv. Madeline Torrance4 resides in Toronto; unmarried.
  5. v. Beatrice Torrance4 unmarried; died at Toronto.
  6. vi. Dudley John Torrance4 died October 14, 1936; married Isabella, surname unknown to the compiler; lived in Santa Monica, California. Issue, one:
    1. 1. Wilfred Torrance5 who resides in Detroit, Michigan.
  7. vii. Wilfred James Torrance4 said to have gone to the "States".
  8. viii. Herbert Torrance4 went to the "States".

405. Henry Torrance3

(John2 Thomas1), was born in 1835, and died in 1910. About 1860, he removed to the United States, by way of Montreal; lived and died at Tenafly, New Jersey. He married Sarah Creighton Peet, who was born in 1837, and died in 1896. Children of Henry and Sarah Creighton (Peet) Torrance, seven:
  1. i. Bertha Torrance4 born in 1861; married, in 1886, George Hamilton, of Elizabethtown, New York, born in 1844, and died in 1929. Issue, four:
    1. 1. Margaret Hamilton5 born in 1887.
    2. 2. Kenneth Hamilton5 born in 1888; married, in 1931, Mary Morphy.
    3. 3. Minard Hamilton5 born in 1890.
    4. 4. Amy Gordon Hamilton5 born in 1891.
  2. ii. Kenneth Torrance4 born in 1863; died in 1916; married Louise L. Meisel, who resides in New York, New York.
  3. iii. Alexander Torrance4 born in 1865; married, in 1907, Anna Bushnell; resides at "The Oaks", Headley Road, Morristown, New Jersey.
  4. iv. Norman Fraser Torrance4 born in 1868; is unmarried, and resides in New York City.
  5. v. Henry Torrance4 born March 7, 1870; married, in 1917, Mary Hedges Fisher. They reside at 112 East 17th Street, New York City.
  6. vi. Amy Gordon Torrance4 born in 1871; married, in 1901, Arthur Nelson Taft, born in 1867.
  7. vii. Ethel Torrance4 born in 1876.
169
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Torrence and Allied Families Written by Robert McIlvane Torrence, published 1938
Document URI: https://genealogy.torrens.org/Torrens/books/RMT/rmt14.html
Last modified: Mon, 17 Mar 2025 11:51:26 GMT
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