John Morrin was born February 27, 1828 in Lockerbie Dumfrieshire, Scotland. He was the son of Mary Davidson and William Morrin. The family immigrated to Canada the same year John was born.
The Morrin family settled at Petite Brule, St. Augustin, Country of Two Mountains, Québec. William named his home “Meadowbank” and farmed there. The home Is still owned by Mary Hendry (John's granddaughter). When John married, he built Riverview, which his son Samuel inherited upon his death. This was part of the original farm. Samuel sold the home sometime in the 1940s.
John had nine brothers and sisters. Three brothers settled in New Zealand. The town of Morinville, near Auckland, was named after the family.
John's uncle, Joseph, was the first president of the medical board of Lower Canada and twice mayor of Quebec City. Morrin College was named in his honour. The name has since been changed to Morin College (French) and is currently being modified into a condominium complex in Quebec City.
John was president of the Two Mountains Agricultural Society. He was also one of the oldest supporters of the Presbyterian Church and a Liberal in politics.
The village of Morrin, Alberta was named after John by Malcolm H. MacLeod, General Manager of the Canadian Northern Railway. They became acquainted when the railway was being put through Québec. Malcolm wrote to John when the junction was being constructed and asked if he could honour him by naming the junction after him.
John had nine children. There were forty-one descendants in total, sixteen are still living. Three grandchildren are living: Mary Hendry, who lives at Meadowbank, (her mother was John's daughter), Francis Brooks and Lorna LaLonde (both daughters of Samuel Morrin, John’s son.
John died in January of 1914 at St. Augustin and is buried in the family plot at Mount Royal Cemetery in Montreal.
Please note this is the last information received and descendants have probably changed.
