Adam immigrated to Canada with his parents in 1831. In the 1851 census, he is a labourer, living with his brother James, who is a farmer. In 1861 and 1871, he is a farm labourer living in North Dumfries, Waterloo County. In the 1870s he moved with his family to Muskoka where he became a farmer.
Events
Date of Birth: 23 April 1820.
The date of birth is given in his baptism record.
Date of Baptism: 2 July 1820.
Place of Baptism: Traquair, Peebleshire, Scotland.
The baptism is recorded in the parish register.
Date of Death: 6 December 1898.
Place of Death: Dorset, Muskoka, Ontario, Canada.
His gravestone gives the date. A digital image is given at the Northern Ontario Gravemarker Gallery. The date is also given in Adam Crozier’s death registration.
Place of Burial: Dorset, Muskoka, Ontario, Canada (Paint Lake Cemetery).
His gravestone exists.
Relationships
Father: Adam Crozier (1778 - 1844).
Mother: Margaret Beattie (1785 - 1847).
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Margaret Duncan (1834 - 1914). Married 20 January 1860 in Galt, Canada West (United Presbyterian Church).
The marriage is given in the marriage register.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Adam James Crozier (1 November 1860 - 22 March 1928) married Susanna Clementina Colson 28 October 1884 in Draper township, Muskoka.
William Samuel Crozier (5 October 1862 - 13 December 1936) married Mary Ellen Brewster 23 September 1891 in Draper township, Muskoka.
John Crozier (10 July 1865 - 12 June 1916) married Agnes Elizabeth Brewster 16 May 1888 in Draper township, Muskoka.
Jessie Crozier (27 October 1869 - 1948) married Angus MacKay 26 March 1889 in Bracebridge, Muskoka.
Thomas Crozier (27 August 1870 - 1 November 1887).
Francis A Crozier (25 July 1874 - 25 October 1875).
Evidence
Adam Croser baptism registration (Traquair, Peebleshire, Scotland)
1820 April 23: Born Adam son to Adam Croser herd in Orchyard Mains and baptized the 2 day of July by the Revd Robt Bucannan Peebles.
Adam Crozier - Margaret Duncan marriage registration
Name: Adam Crozier
Age: 38
Gender: male
Birth Place: Scotland
Residence: Berlin
Spouse Name: Margaret Duncan
Spouse Age: 23
Spouse Gender: female
Spouse Birth Place: Scotland
Spouse Residence: South Dumfries Township
Marriage Date: 26 Jan 1860
Father Name: Adam C.
Mother Name: Marg Beattie
Spouse Father Name: Saml D.
Spouse Mother Name: Janet Flachart
County: Waterloo
1851 census of Canada West, Brant County, Dumfries, No. 3, ED no. 1, p. 8
James Crozier Farmer [born] Scotland, [Presbyterian], 30, [male]
Isabell Crozier [born] Scotland, [Presbyterian], 29, [female]
Adam Crozier [born] Canada, [Presbyterian], 8, [male]
Margaret Crozier [born] Canada, [Presbyterian], 6, [female]
Arthur Crozier [born] Canada, [Presbyterian], 3, [male]
Adam Crozier [born] Scotland, [Presbyterian], 33, [male]
1861 census of Canada West, Waterloo County, North Dumfries, ED no. 4, p. 3
Adam Crozier, Labourer, [born] Scotland, [religion] U.P., [age at next birthday] 40, frame house, one story, one family.
Margaret Crozier, [born] Scotland, [religion] U.P. Pres, [age at next birthday] 24
Adam Crozier, [born] Scotland, [religion U,P. Pres], [age at next birthday] [illegible, less than 1]
from North Dumfries land records:
Village of Branchton
West of Queen Street and South of Victoria Street
Instrument: B & Sale
Its Date: 25 Jany 1862
Date of Registry: 11 Mar 1862
Grantor: Arthur Willets Aux
Grantee: Adam Crozier
Adam Crozier the younger of the Village of Branchton in the County of Waterloo Clerk was a witness to a mortage in 1866.
1871 census, Canada, Ontario, South Waterloo, sub-district C, p. 42.,
Crozier, Adam, M, 50 , [born] Scotland, [Presbyterian Church], [origin Scotch], Farm Laborer
[Crozier] Margaret, F, 38, [born Scotland], [Presbyterian Church], [origin Scotch]
[Crozier] Adam, M, 10, [born] Ont, [Presbyterian Church], [origin Scotch]
[Crozier] William, M, 8, [born Ont], [Presbyterian Church], [origin Scotch]
[Crozier] John, M, 6, [born Ont], [Presbyterian Church], [origin Scotch]
[Crozier] Jessie, F, 4, [born Ont], [Presbyterian Church], [origin Scotch]
[Crozier] Thomas, M, 8/12, [born Ont], [Presbyterian Church], [origin Scotch]
On 15 May 1871, Adam Crozier of the Township of North Dumfries in the County of Waterloo, farmer, and his wife Margaret Crozier sold a piece of land to James Morgan for $550.
On 7 June 1878, Adam Crozier applied for lots 28 and 29 in the 10th concession of Oakley township under the Free Grants and Homestead Act.
1881 census, Canada, Ontario, Muskoka, Draper Ryde & Oakley, p. 68
Crozier Adam, M, 61, [born] Scotland, [Presbyterian], [origin Scotch], Farmer, [married]
[Crozier] Margaret, F, 52, [born Scotland], [Presbyterian], [origin Scotch], [married]
[Crozier] Adam James, M, 20, [born Ontario], [Presbyterian], [origin Scotch], [labourer]
[Crozier] William Samuel, M, 18, [born Ontario], [Presbyterian], [origin Scotch], [labourer]
[Crozier] John, M, 15, [born Ontario], [Presbyterian], [origin Scotch], [labourer]
[Crozier] Jessie, F, 13, [born Ontario], [Presbyterian], [origin Scotch]
Adam Crozier’s death registration
Name of Deceased: Crozier Adam
Sex: M
Date of Death: Dec 6 1898
Age: 78.4mo
Residence: Lot 4 (no concession given) Ridout
Occupation: Farmer
Where Born: Scotland
Cause of Death: Heart Failure
Name of Physician in Attendance: none
Religious Denomination: Presbyterian
Name of Person Making Return: Wm Crozier
Date of Registration: Dec 7 1898
Adam’s will:
No. 617
Entered & Registered this 5.th day of December A.D. 1899 . at 12.01 o'clock P.M. Chas E Lount Dep. Reg’r
Copy of Will This is the last Will and Testament of me Adam Crozier of the Township of Oakley in the District of Muskoka, and Province of Ontario, Farmer, made this Sixteenth day of April in the Year of Our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and Ninety-four. I revoke all farmer Wills or other Testamentary Dispostions by me at any time heretofore made, and declare this only to be and contain my last Will and Testament. I direct all my just debts, funeral and Testamentary expences, to be paid and satisfied by my Executors as soon as possible after my decease. I give devise and bequeath to my son William Samuel Crozier Lot. No 28 and 29 in the 10.th Concession of the Township of Oakley in the District of Muskoka and Province of Ontario containing by admeasurement two hundred acres be the same more or less, Subject to a life’s interest for me and my wife Margaret Crozier as long as either or both of us shall live. I also give devise and bequeath to my said Son William Samuel Crozier all the farm impliments and horses sheep and cattle (excepting one cow) and harness also the family bible. I give devise and bequeath to my son John Crozier the history of the Bible I give devise and bequeath to my son Adam James Crozier One Cow. the rest of the Books and all the household stuff to be divided amongst all the children as they see fit. I nominate and appoint Alexander McKay Sen and Henry Buckler both of the Township of Draper in the said District of Muskoka, farmer and conveyancer respectfully [sic] to be Executors of this my last Will and Testament, in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the day and year first above written.
Adam Crozier
Signed published and declared by the said Adam Crozier the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us, who both present together at the same time in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses
William Ashdown
Henry Buckler
District of Muskoka To Wit I William Ashdown, of the Township of Draper, in the District of Muskoka, Farmer, make oath and ay, 1st That I am a subscribing witness to the last Will and Testament of Adam Crozier late of the Township of Oakley in the District of Muskoka, Farmer, who died on or about the Sixth day of December A.D. 1898 and of which the foregoing paper-writing is a true copy. 2nd That I was personally present and did see the said Adam Crozier Executor the said will by signing his name thereto in the presence of me this deponent and Henry Buckler of the said Township of Draper Merchant, the other subscribing Witness thereto. both of us being present at the same time, and subscribing our names to the said Will as witnesses. 3rd That I know the said Adam Crozier and that he executed the said Will at the Township of Oakley.
Sworn before me at the Town of Bracebridge in the District of Muskoka, this 5th day of December A.D. 1899.
Wm. Ashdown
Chas. E. Lount.
Deputy Registrar, Dist. Muskoka
Commentary
Adam’s parentage:
Adam’s 1860 marriage registration records his parents as “Adam C.” and “Marg Beattie”.
Adam Crozier (died 22 July 1844, aged 66) and his wife Margaret Beattie (died 1 January 1847, aged 61) share a gravestone at the “Pioneer Pergola”, formerly St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Galt, Upper Canada, which would have been the church the family attended.
Family tradition holds that the Croziers came to Canada from “Peebles” in Scotland.
Canadian censuses consistently record that Adam was born in Scotland in about 1820.
In Traquair, Peeblesshire, 2 July 1820 an Adam was baptized, born 23 April to Adam Croser. Indirect evidence indicates that this is the correct baptism. In the 1851 census, Adam is recorded living with the family of James Crozier, 30, born in Scotland. (Adam’s age is recorded as 33. The census was actually taken 12 January 1852.) James’s baptism in 1822 to Adam Crosier is recorded in the Traquair register.
There are earlier baptisms of children in Yarrow, Selkirk, of children whose parents are recorded as Adam Crozier and Margaret Beattie. Most of these children also ended up in Upper Canada, living in or not far from Galt. Adam Crozier and Margaret Beattie were married in Yarrow, Selkirk, in 1804, shortly before the baptisms of these children began.
There is extensive supporting DNA evidence that Adam is the son of Adam Crozier and Margaret Beattie. I am a paper-trail descendant of the younger Adam, and I share DNA with fourteen paper-trail descendants of Adam and Margaret’s daughter Isabel, including a descendant sharing 47 cM over 3 segments and another sharing 28 cM over 1 segment; I share DNA with three paper-trail descendants of Adam and Margaret’s son William (27 cM over 1 segment, 26 cM over 1 segment, and 23 cM over 2 segments); and also with three paper-trail descendants of Adam and Margaret’s daughter Mary, with three paper-trail descendants of Adam and Margaret’s son John, and with one descendant of Adam and Margaret’s son James.
Taken together, the evidence for Adam Crozier’s parentage is sufficient.
References
Adam Crozier baptism registration, in Traquair, Peeblesshire, Scotland, parish registers. FHL microfilm 1067922 items 5-6.
“AncestryDNA ThruLines for Adam Crozier database report”, AncestryDNA. Accessed 25 February 2025.
James Crozier household, 1851 census of Canada West, Brant (district 2), Dumfries, (sub-district 8), p. 5.; digital image, Library and Archives Canada, Censuses (https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/Pages/census.aspx : accessed 9 March 2014), citing LAC microfilm C-11713
A digital image can be viewed here: http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/e/e094/e002341168.jpg
Adam Crozier household, 1861 census of Canada West, Waterloo, North Dumfries, page 33, line 7; digital image, Library and Archives Canada, Censuses (https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/Pages/census.aspx : accessed 9 March 2014), citing LAC microfilm C-1077
A digital image can be viewed here: http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1861/jpg/4391571_00361.jpg
Adam Crozier household, 1871 census of Canada, Ontario, Waterloo South (district 31), North Dumfries Township (subdistrict C), page 43, family 150; digital image, Library and Archives Canada, Censuses (https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/Pages/census.aspx : accessed 9 March 2014), citing LAC microfilm C-9942
A digital image can be viewed here: http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/1871/jpg/4396613_00566.jpg
Adam Crozier household, 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, Muskoka (district 131), Oakley and Ryde and Draper (subdistrict H), page 68, family 305; digital image, Library and Archives Canada, Censuses (https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/Pages/census.aspx : accessed 9 March 2014), citing LAC microfilm C-13243
A digital image can be viewed here: http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/e/e338/e008443548.jpg
Adam Crozier household, 1891 census of Canada, Ontario, Ontario North (district 100), sub-district J, family number 35, page 7; digital image, Library and Archives Canada, Censuses (https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/Pages/census.aspx : accessed 9 March 2014), citing LAC microfilm T-6357
A digital image can be viewed here: http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1891/jpg/30953_148159-00788.jpg
Adam Crozier - Margaret Duncan marriage registration. I originally viewed this marriage in the Ontario Archives, but that being in the days before I carefully recorded sources, I will give this citation:
Genealogical Research Library (Brampton, Ontario, Canada). Ontario Marriage Index, 1858-1869 [database at Ancestry.com]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2004. Original data: Ontario, Canada. Marriage Registers 1801- 1944. citing FHL microfilm 1030066.
Adam Crozier, Ontario death registration 009315 (6 December 1898); digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://ancestry.ca : accessed 28 March 2014), citing MS 935, reel 88, Archives of Ontario, Toronto. A digital image can be viewed at FamilySearch:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J63B-2MS
North Dumfries Township. Land Records 1861-1867. [FHL citation: "North Dumfries Township, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLG-V3MW-Q?view=explore : Nov 25, 2025), image 515 of 610; . Image Group Number: 008198554]
North Dumfries Township. Land Records 1869-1872. [FHL citation: "North Dumfries Township, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3H6-DFBB?view=explore : Nov 25, 2025), image 326 of 449; . Image Group Number: 008635486]
North Dumfries Township. Land Records. 1800-1958. [FHL citation: "North Dumfries Township, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3H6-G9CP-8?view=explore : Nov 25, 2025), image 294 of 355; . Image Group Number: 008635481]
Oakley Township. Township Property Records 1878-1881. [FHL citation: "Oakley Township, Muskoka, Ontario, Canada records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSYM-1SMW-T?view=explore : Nov 25, 2025), image 112 of 129; . Image Group Number: 008346819]
Will of Adam Crozier. Muskoka. Probate Records 1899-1906. [FHL citation: "Muskoka, Ontario, Canada records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS54-1QZB-B?view=explore : Nov 25, 2025), image 40 of 737; . Image Group Number: 008265946]