The baptism registrations of his children record that Adam Crozier was a shepherd -- in 1807 in Catslackburn, Selkirkshire; in 1811 and 1814 in Sundhopeburn, Selkirkshire; and in 1820 and 1826 in Orchyard Mains, Peeblesshire. He immigrated to Canada with his family, probably in 1831. (4 May 1831 was recorded as the immigration date of one of Adam’s sons-in-law, William Waldie.) Most likely, the move was facilitated by agents working for the land speculator William Dickson, who had bought land in the Grand River valley and encouraged settlement there. In 1832, Adam was in the process of clearing the 100 acres he was settled on. In 1842, Adam was paying rent to Robert Dickson.
Events
Date of Birth: about 1778.
Place of Birth: Scotland.
His age at death is given on his gravestone.
Date of Baptism: 5 February 1778.
Place of Baptism: Ewes, Dumfriesshire, Scotland.
The parish register records his baptism.
Date of Death: 22 July 1844.
From his gravestone, now at the Pioneer Pergola in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.
Relationships
Father: William Crozier (1745 - 1823).
Mother: Christian Little.
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Margaret Beattie (1785 - 1847). Married 2 December 1804 in Yarrow, Selkirkshire, Scotland.
The parish register records his marriage.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Isabel Crozier (9 January 1805 - 8 December 1893) married William Waldie.
Christian Crozier (born 1 February 1807).
Jean Crozier (9 May 1811 - 9 August 1872) married William Hardie.
William Crozier (10 January 1814 - 1 November 1896) married Margaret Campbell.
Mary Crozier (baptized 16 March 1818 - died 20 November 1878) married James Hay Sharp 24 February 1837 in Dumfries, Upper Canada.
Thomas Crozier (23 March 1818 - 16 July 1905) married Catherine Miller.
Adam Crozier (23 April 1820 - 6 December 1898) married Margaret Duncan 20 January 1860 in Galt, Canada West (United Presbyterian Church).
James Crozier (12 December 1822 - 9 August 1884) married Isabella Burnett.
John Crozier (28 July 1826 - 16 April 1910) married Jennet Wells.
Evidence
from the Yarrow parish register:
[1804]
Dec. 2 Adam Crosier and Margaret Beattie both in this Parish procl.d 1s 2d
Adam Crossier herd at Catslackburn and Margaret Beattie his wife had a Daughter born 1.st February 1807 named Christian
Adam Crozier herd at Sundhope burn and Margaret Beattie his wife had a Daughter born 9th May 1811 named Jean.
Adam Crosier herd at Sundhopburn and Margaret Beattie his wife had a son born 10th January 1814 named William -- Their eldest Daughter Isabel was born 9th of January 1805
from the Rectified militia list, Parish of Yarrow, 1812 [Borders Collections Online D42/7/12]
Adam Crozier, Herd Sundhopeburn
from the Traquair parish register:
1820 Apr 23. / Born Adam son to Adam Croset herd in Orchyard Mains and Baptized the 2d day of July by the Rev.d Rob.t Buchannon Peebles
Born James son to Adam Crosier herd at Orchyard Mains on the 12 Day of Dec.r 1822 and Baptized on the 29.th of Jan.y 1823 by M.r Campbell.---
1826. July 28.th Born John son to Adam Croser Shepherd in Orchyard Mains & Baptized on the 22d of Sep.r by M.r Campbell
1832 census of Upper Canada, South Dumfries
Adam is a farmer:
Lot 6 Concession 15, 100 acres
Males under 16: 4
Females under 16: 1
Males over 16: 2
Females over 16: 1
Property worth 20 pounds
1842 census of Canada West, South Dumfries
95 acres, 60 improved, (renting from Robt Dickson)
wheat 190 bushels, oats 100, peas 5, potatoes 90, beehive 1, cattle 13, horses 4, sheep 19, hogs 8, yards of fulled cloth 8, yards of flannel 30, wool 40 lbs.
Adam's gravestone (formerly at St Andrew's Presbyterian church, now part of the "Pioneer Pergola" at Cambridge, Ontario):
In
Memory of
Adam Crozier
Who died July 22d 1844
Aged 66 years
Also
Margaret Beattie
his Wife
Who died Jan 1st 1847
aged 61 years
Commentary
Adam’s parentage:
Adam’s gravestone gives his age at death as 66, implying a birth date of about 1778. The date fits the 5 February 1778 baptism in Ewes of an Adam Crozier to William Crozier and Kitty Little. Other evidence suggests that this is the correct baptism. The Adam Crozier of this page married in 1804 in Yarrow, Selkirk. Another son of William Crozier and Kitty (Katherine, Christian) Little, William Crozier (the author of The Cottage Muse), married in Yarrow in 1820. A daughter Christian married there in 1810.
There is good DNA evidence that Adam was the son of William Crozier and Christian Little. I am a paper-trail descendant of Adam, and I share DNA with paper-trail descendants of several of the children of William and Kitty: four descendants of their daughter Mary (21 cM over 2 segments, 14 cM over 1 segment, 10 cM over 1 segment, and 14 cM over 1 segment); two descendants of their daughter Euphemia (18 cM over 1 segment, 19 cm over 1 segment); four descendants of their daughter Christian (8 cM over 1 segment, 24 cM over 1 segment, 13 cM over 2 segments, and 10 cM over 1 segment); three descendants of their son William (12 cM over 1 segment, 19 cM over 2 segments, 15 cM over 2 segments – the last is a child of the second); and three descendants of their daughter Helen (10 cM over 1 segment, 10 cM over 1 segment, and 9 cM over 1 segment).
Taken together the evidence is sufficient to show the relationships.
References
“AncestryDNA ThruLines for William Crozier database report, AncestryDNA. Accessed 22 February 2025.
Bruce G. Wilson, “DICKSON, WILLIAM,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 7, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed March 28, 2014, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/dickson_william_7E.html.
Parish registers for Ewes, Dumfriesshire; Yarrow, Selkirkshire; Traquair, Peeblesshire. General Register Office for Scotland. Old Parish Registers, Births & Baptisms. (Scotlandspeople).
Adam Crozier - Margaret Beattie marriage, in Yarrow, Selkirkshire, Scotland, parish registers. FHL microfilm 1067929 items 1 - 3.
Traquair parish register, digital images on FamilySearch.com, accessed 16 February 2018.
Yarrow parish register, digital images on FamilySearch.com, accessed 16 February 2018.