Agnes seems to have had a child, Jane, with someone surnamed Stuart, in 1850. In 1852 she married William James Greaves, a native of Nottinghamshire. They emigrated to Canada and William James was working as a labourer in Cherry Creek, Simcoe County, in the late 1850s. The couple’s son, William James, was born there. William James (the father) died in the late 1850s, and Agnes remarried, her second husband being the much older Moses Richardson. Moses and Agnes moved to Draper township in Muskoka in the 1860s.
A curious story is told of Moses and Agnes by McMurray (pages 37 - 39), published in 1871 but said to have been written down some years earlier. Moses and Agnes are said to have gone into the woods in search of lost cattle, and gotten lost themselves. After more than a day, Moses recommended to Agnes that she take his knife and slice off part of the calf of his leg to eat. Agnes replied that she would rather die. The couple were found by a search party after more than 48 hours.
Events
Date of Birth: 19 November 1821.
Place of Birth: Coulter, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
The baptism record gives the date of birth. The place is given in the 1851 census. The censuses and other documents generally give ages implying she was a few years younger.
Date of Baptism: 24 December, 1821.
Place of Baptism: Peebles, Peeblesshire, Scotland.
The baptism is recorded in the parish register.
Date of Death: 21 August 1894.
Place of Death: Draper township, Muskoka, Ontario, Canada.
The Ontario death registration records the death.
Relationships
Father: James Fotheringham (born 1793).
Mother: Elizabeth Goodfellow (about 1801 - 1850).
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: William James Greaves (1815 - about 1859). Married July 1852 in Peebles, Peeblesshire.
The marriage is given in the marriage register.
Spouse: Moses Richardson (about 1792 - 1879).
This marriage is implied by the 1871, 1881, and 1891 censuses, as well as Agnes’s death registration.
Children (by an unknown Stuart):
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Jeannetta Greaves (Stuart) (born 28 August 1850 - died 13 December 1913) married (1) George Brewster 13 April 1865 in Innisfil, Simcoe, Canada West; married (2) William Ashdown.
Children (by William James Greaves):
William James Greaves (born 24 September 1858 - died 2 March 1926 in Orillia, Ontario) married (1) Frances Alderman 22 September 1879 in Uffington, Muskoka; married (2) Hattie Hoskings 12 March 1919 in Muskoka.
Evidence
Agnes Fotheringham’s baptism registration (Peebles, Peeblesshire)
Agnes Fotheringham daughter of James Fotheringham Candlemaker in Peebles and of Elizabeth Goodfellow his wife was born on 19th November and baptized on the 24th Dec 1821 by the Rev’d Robert Buchanan, Minr of Peebles.
1841 census (Peebles)
High St:
-Jas Fotheringham, 45, Agr Lab
-Elizabeth Fotheringham, 35
-Agness Fotheringham, 15
-James Fotheringham, 12
-Mary Fotheringham, 7
1851 Census (Edinburgh)
Edinburgh St John, Riddles Close 322 Lawn Market
James Fotheringham; Head; Widower; 58; born Lanark, Lanarkshire; Candlemaker Journeyman
Agnes Fotheringham; Daughter; Unmarried; 25; born Coulter, Lanarkshire; servant
Mary Anne Fotheringham; Daughter; Unmarried; 17; born Peebles, Peeblesshire; Dress Makers Mistress
Margaret Miller; Lodger; Unmarried; 21; born Edinburgh, Midlothian; Dress Makers Mistress
Jane Stuart; Grand Daughter; 6 Mo; born Edinburgh, Midlothian; Candle Makers Daur
1871 census
Ontario. Muskoka: Draper, Ryde, and Oakley townships
[next door to her son-in-law George Brewster]
Richardson Moses/ male/ 78/ born Ireland/ C. of England/ Irish origin/ farmer/ married
[Richardson] Agness/ female/ 40/ born Scotland/ C. Presbyterian/ Scotch origin/ married/ cannot read or write
[Richardson] William J. / male/ 12/ born Ontario/ C. Presbyterian/ Irish origin
The will of Agnes’s husband Moses Richardson:
This is the last will and Testament of me Moses Richardson of the Township of Draper in the District of Muskoka and Province of Ontario made the seventeenth day of December in the year of our Lord one Thousand eight hundred and seventy eight Firstly I revoke all former wills or other Testamentary Dispositions by me at any time heretofore made and declare this only to be and contain my last will and Testament Secondly I direct all my just debts funeral and testamentary expences to be paid and satisified by my executrix herein after named as soon as conveniently may be after my decease Thirdly I give devise and bequeath all my real and personal Estate of which I may die possessed in the manner following that is to say I give to my lawful wife Agnes Richardson Lot number Twenty six in the seventh Concession of the Township of Draper and District of Muskoka and Province of Ontario containing by admeasurement one hundred and one acres be the same more or less also all my personal property of which I may die possessed except as hereinafter mentioned I leave to my stepson William James Greaves Lot number Twenty seven in the aforesaid Township of Draper and inthe seventh Concession of said Township of Draper being one hundred and two acres be the same more or less also one Yoke of Oxen aged seven and eight and I nominate and appoint my lawful wife Agnes Richardson to be executors of this my last will and testament In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above written
(sgd) Moses [X mark] Richardson
witnesses: Matthew Patterson, John Doherty
[Moses died on or about 11 February 1879]
1881 census
Ontario. Muskoka: Draper, Ryde, and Oakley townships
Brewster George / male/ 40/ born England/ Ch of Eng./ English origin/ farmer/ married
[Brewster] Jane/ female/ 30/ born Scotland/ Ch of Eng./ Scotch origin/ married
[Brewster] Mary Ellen/ female/ 15/ born Ontario/ Ch of Eng./ English origin/ going to school
[Brewster] Agness Elizabeth/female/ 12/ born Ontario/ Ch of Eng./ English origin/ going to school
[Brewster] Francis James/ male/ 8/ born Ontario/ Ch of Eng./ English origin/ going to school
[Brewster] Thomas George/ male/ 3/ born Ontario/ Ch of Eng./ English origin/
Richardson Agnes/ female/ 50/ born Scotland/ Presbyterian/ Scotch origin/ widow
next door:
Graves William James/ male/ 22/ born Ontario/ Ch of Eng./ Scotch origin/ farmer/ married/
[Graves] Francias/ female/ 20/ born England/ Ch of Eng./ English origin/ married
[Graves] Albert/ male/ 5/12 / born Ontario/ Ch of Eng./ Scotch origin/
In an 1881 indenture, Agnes Richardson, widow of Moses Richardson, transferred lot 26 of the 7th concession of Draper Township to William James Greaves for $1.
1891
Ontario. Muskoka: Draper township.
[next door to Brewsters]
Graves William James/ male/ 33/ married/ born Ontario/
…
Richardson Agnes/ female/ 63/ widow/ mother/ born Scotland/ mother and father born Scotland/ Ch. Presb./
Agness Richardson’s death registration
Name and Surname of Deceased: Agness Richardson
When Died: August 21st 1894
Sex - Male or Female: Female
Age: 65 years
Rank or Profession: Farmer
Where Born: Scotland
Certified Cause of Death and duration of Illness: General wasting of the Constitution 4 months
Name of Physician: Dr Topp Bracebridge
Signature, Description and Residence of Informant: John Crozier Lot 26 Con 7 Draper
When Registered: Sept.r 29th A.D 1894
Religious Denomination of Deceased: Presbyterian
Signature of Registrar: David Cairns
Agnes’s will:
No. 443
Entered & Registered this 7th day of August AD 1895 at 2.55 o’clock P.M Chas E Lount Dep. Reg’r
This is the last Will and Testament of me Agnes Richardson of the Township of Draper in the District of Muskoka, and Province of Ontario, widow, made this sixteenth day of April in the Year of our Lord, One thousand Eight hundred and ninety-four, I Re-voke all former Wills or other Testamentary Dispositions by me at any time heretofore make and declare this duly to be and contain my last Will and Testament. I Direct all my just debts Funeral and Testamentary expenses to be paid and satisfied by my Executor as soon as conveniently may be after my decease, I Give Devise and Bequeath all my real and personal Property of which I may die possessed in the manner following that is to say. I Give Devise and Bequeath to my Grandson John Crozier all my money, Notes, or papers, also buckboard, Suggar Kettle, and Grindstone. I give devise and Bequeath to my Grand-daughter Agnes Crozier one white Quilt. I give devise and bequeath to Friend Mr Adam Crozier sen all my wearing apparel of which I die possessed. And I nominate and appoint Aaron Scott and John Peterkin, both of the Township of Draper aforesaid, Farmers, 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.
Agnes [her mark] Crozier
Agnes Richardson
Adam Crozier
Henry Buckler
Signed Published and Declared by the said Agnes Richardson the Testator as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who both present together at the same time in her presence at her request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.
Commentary
Agnes’s parentage
In his 1875 will, John Fothringham of Heathpool in Peebles names several nephews and nieces:
James Fothringham, flesher, of Boston, USA;
Mrs Agnes Fothringham or Grieve, widow of Robert Grieve mason, residing at Cherry Creek, Canada West;
Mrs Janet Fothringham or Yorston, wife of William Yorston, flesher in Glasgow;
Mrs Mary Anne Fothringham or Buchanan, who was the wife of John Buchanan, teacher at Hurlaford near Kilmanock.
Agnes is the Agnes of this page and all four nephews and nieces were baptized in Peebles between 1821 and 1834: Agnes in 1821, Janet in 1825, James in 1828, and Mary Anne in 1834. The baptism records give the parents as James Fotheringham and Elizabeth Goodfellow his wife. James and Elizabeth appear in the 1841 census living in Peebles with their children Agnes, James, and Mary. In the 1851 census, the family has moved to Edinburgh. Agnes is living with her father James and her sister Mary Anne.
The ages given for Agnes in various documents tend to be a few years too young, but in general the evidence is good enough.
References
Agnes Fotheringham baptism registration, Peebles, Peeblesshire parish register. FHL film 1067921.
Jas Fotheringham household, 1841 census of Scotland, Piece 768, Book/Folio 4; Page 17.
James Fotheringham household, 1851 census of Scotland, Piece 685, Folio 47, Page 2; indexed on Findmypast.co.uk (accessed 29 March 2014).
James Grieve - Agnes Fothringham marriage registration, Peebles, Peeblesshire parish register. FHL film 1067921.
Moses Richardson household, 1871 census of Canada. Ontario; Muskoka (district 85); Draper, Ryde, Oakley (sub-district h); page 15, line number 6; digital image, Library and Archives Canada, Censuses (accessed 29 March 2014), citing LAC microfilm C-10023.
A digital image can be viewed here: http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/1871/jpg/4396312_00133.jpg
George Bruster household, 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, Muskoka (district 131), Oakley and Ryde and Draper (subdistrict H), page 5, family 20; Library and Archives Canada, Censuses (accessed 9 March 2014), citing LAC microfilm C-13243
A digital image can be viewed here: http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/e/e338/e008443516.jpg
William James Greaves household, 1891 census of Canada. Ontario, Ontario North (district 100), sub-district E, family number 151; digital image, Library and Archives Canada, Censuses (accessed 29 March 2014), citing reference: RG31, item number 2239710.
A digital image can be viewed here: http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1891/jpg/30953_148159-00660.jpg
Agness Richardson, Ontario death registration No. 011451, Draper township, Muskoka, page 127; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 29 March 2014) citing Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Deaths 1869 - 1938. MS 935 reel 72. A digital image can be viewed at FamilySearch:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J6M3-225
McMurray, Thomas. The Free Grant Lands of Canada. (Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada: The Northern Advocate, 1871).
Muskoka. Land Records 1880-1886. [FHL citation: "Muskoka, Ontario, Canada records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3HK-Y386-J?view=explore : Nov 25, 2025), image 463 of 730; . Image Group Number: 008641832]
Will of Moses Richardson. Muskoka. Probate Records. [FHL citation: "Muskoka, Ontario, Canada records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS54-YSXM-7?view=explore : Nov 25, 2025), image 284 of 736; . Image Group Number: 008265947]
Will of Agnes Richardson. Muskoka Land Records. [FHL citation: "Muskoka, Ontario, Canada records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS54-YS66-N?view=explore : Nov 25, 2025), image 595 of 736; . Image Group Number: 008265947]