I will start my CARRUTHERS story with my grandfather, Floyd CARRUTHERS. He was born in Munson, Alberta, on the 22 Jun 1913, son of George William CARRUTHERS and Annabel THOMAS. He married Peggy Taylor on Easter Sunday in 1938. My grandfather worked for Alberta Power and read meters. He was a big, tall man, and had big blue eyes, which we all consider a CARRUTHERS trait. All of his children, his nephew, myself, and a couple of my children all carry the CARRUTHERS eyes (although mine are brown instead of blue). 4 generations later, my oldest son, uncannily, is the spitting image of my grandfather. My grandfather died in Oct 1975 in Drumheller, Alberta.

Floyd's parents, George William and Annabel, came to Alberta from West Branch, Kent County, New Brunswick. George was a blacksmith and supposedly went west because there was too much family wantin' free blacksmithin' in New Brunswick. They packed up a covered wagon and off they went to Alberta with 3 children in tow. Two children, Pearl and William, died of scarlet fever on the way. The oldest child, James, survived and eventually become a rodeo man.

Family Group Record for George William CARRUTHERS

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Husband: George William CARRUTHERS
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Born: 8 Aug 1869 - West Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 11 Aug 1933 - Munson, Alberta, Canada
Buried: 17 Aug 1933 - Munson, Alberta, Canada
Father: James CARRUTHERS (Abt 1835-1893)
Mother: Elizabeth "Lizzie" THURROTT (1842- )
Marriage: 11 Sep 1897
Place: West Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
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Wife: Annabell THOMAS
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Born: 2 Sep 1868 - East Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 12 Aug 1966 - Munson, Alberta, Canada
Father: Sampson Samuel THOMAS (1836-After 1911)
Mother: Sarah Ann FRENCH (1843-1895)
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Children
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1 M James Earle CARRUTHERS
Born: 12 Apr 1898 - West Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 10 Nov 1961 - Munson, Alberta, Canada
Spouse: Caroline Frances ROWLES ( - )
Marr. Date: 17 Mar 1918 - Trochu, Alberta, Canada
Spouse: Lena Beatrice MERITT (1906-1991)
Marr. Date: Abt 1937
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2 F Pearl Sarah Agnes CARRUTHERS
Born: 5 Oct 1903 - West Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 1910 - En Route To Alberta In A Covered Wagon
Cause of Death: scarlet fever
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3 M William Lloyd Thomas CARRUTHERS
Born: 26 May 1907 - West Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 1910 - En Route To Alberta In A Covered Wagon
Cause of Death: scarlet fever
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4 M Floyd Thomas CARRUTHERS
Born: 22 Jun 1913 - Munson, Alberta, Canada
Died: Oct 1975 - Drumheller, Alberta, Canada
Spouse: Phyllis May "Peggy" TAYLOR (1916-2007)
Marr. Date: 17 Apr 1938 - Drumheller, Alberta, Canada
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George's parents were James CARRUTHERS and Lizzie THURROTT. Both were born in the Weldford Parish area of Kent County, and both came from families who were the original settlers of Kent County and whose parents are documented as one of the first families of New Brunswick. James' brother, Thomas, married Lizzie's sister, Agnes. In corresponding with several descendants of the CARRUTHERS and THURROTT families, it's funny to think that we are related in several different ways, depending on which family line you follow. Here is the family record for James and Lizzie:

Family Group Record for James CARRUTHERS

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Husband: James CARRUTHERS
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Born: Abt 1835 - Beersville, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 22 Oct 1893 - West Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Buried: - West Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Addr: St. John's United Church Cemetery
Father: James CARRUTHERS (1806-1880)
Mother: Elizabeth "Betty" WILSON (Bef 1804-1874)
Marriage: 9 Dec 1862
Place: Weldford, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
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Wife: Elizabeth "Lizzie" THURROTT
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Born: 26 Feb 1842 - West Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Father: John THURROTT (1811-1874)
Mother: Mary MORTON (1818-1879)
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Children
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1 M John CARRUTHERS
Born: 1863 - Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
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2 M James CARRUTHERS
Born: 14 May 1868 - Beersville, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 1953 - Beersville, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Buried: 1953 - St. James Presbyterian Church, Beersville
Spouse: Annie OULTON (1870-1962)
Marr. Date: 16 Nov 1889 - Mill Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
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3 M George William CARRUTHERS
Born: 8 Aug 1869 - West Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 11 Aug 1933 - Munson, Alberta, Canada
Buried: 17 Aug 1933 - Munson, Alberta, Canada
Spouse: Annabell THOMAS (1868-1966)
Marr. Date: 11 Sep 1897 - West Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
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4 F Elizabeth Jane Esta CARRUTHERS
Born: 6 Oct 1871 - West Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 1956
Spouse: William Harris BISHOP (1863-1959)
Marr. Date: 21 Jan 1891 - Richibucto, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
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5 F Nettie E CARRUTHERS
Born: 12 Feb 1880 - West Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Spouse: Thomas GLENCROSS (1885- )
Marr. Date: 9 Jun 1909 - Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
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6 F Dorothy Ethel Clarissa CARRUTHERS
Born: 19 Apr 1882 - West Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Spouse: Archie HARRISON ( -Bef 1920)
Marr. Date: After 1910 - USA
Spouse: Peter McGREGOR ( - )
Marr. Date: After 1920 - USA
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As mentioned above, James came from one of the first families settling in West Branch. His parents were James CARRUTHERS and Elizabeth WILSON. Both James and Elizabeth were from Dumfries, Scotland, assumedly from St. Mungo. According to the book, "West Branch Days", the Carruthers came from Scotland aboard the ship "Isabelle" with Captain Thomas Carruthers (about 1832). We are not sure of James' relationship to this Captain Thomas. James and Elizabeth had their oldest son, William, in tow. They settled in Beersville, and land grant dated in 1856 shows their property to be on the easterly shore of the Coal Branch of the Nicholas River. They had 7 more boys born in New Brunswick, a total of 8 boys - no girls.

Going back to St. Mungo to find James' parents, we find a baptism record of a William, born to James CARRUTHERS and Elizabeth, at Kilnpotlees farm in St. Mungo Parish, in 1830. Because of the dates, places, and how the Scottish naming traditions play out, we believe this baptism of William is our James and Elizabeth's family. Elizabeth was a WILSON, and that is noted on the death records in New Brunswick for a couple of her children. Their first son, William, is recorded as having been born in Scotland in 1830/1831 on the Canada census records, and on James' headstone in New Brunswick, it is noted that he was a native of Dumfries. Since James and Elizabeth's second son was named David, and it is evident that they followed the Scottish naming traditions, we can assume that Elizabeth's father was named David WILSON. Lo and behold, a David WILSON and his wife Jean BECK, and several other children including a Betty (a common nickname for Elizabeth), were tennants at the Kilnpotlees farm in St. Mungo in the 1830's, at the time of William's birth. So, this adds to the evidence that the Kilnpotlees WILSON'S is our Elizabeth's family. Knowing this, we find that Elizabeth's family is from Applegarth, as all of David WILSON'S and Jean BECK'S children were baptised at Muirhouse farm.

To follow the family of our James, this was a little more difficult, and while not proven, we believe James' father's name to be William, since, again, there is clear evidence that Scottish naming traditions were used by the family, and only one William CARRUTHERS was having children in St. Mungo at the time that our James' was born (abt 1806). That was William CARRUTHERS of Soriesyke and his 2nd wife, Ellen BELL.

Below is the family of James CARRUTHERS and Elizabeth WILSON. This is where I will end for now, as I continue to research and find confirmed sources for James' parents and grandparents. Part II will follow later.

Family Group Record for James CARRUTHERS

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Husband: James CARRUTHERS
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Born: 1806 - Dumfries, Scotland
Died: 30 Aug 1880 - Beersville, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Buried: - St. James Presbyterian Cemetery, Beersville
Father: William CARRUTHERS of Soriesyke (1746-1827)
Mother: Ellen BELL (Abt 1774-1841)
Marriage: Abt 1829
Place: Saint Mungo, Dumfries, Scotland
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Wife: Elizabeth "Betty" WILSON
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Born: Bef 29 Apr 1804 - Applegarth, Dumfries, Scotland
Christened: 29 Apr 1804 - Applegarth, Dumfries, Scotland
Died: 16 Dec 1874 - Beersville, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Buried: St James Presbyterian Cemetery
Father: David WILSON (Abt 1761-1832)
Mother: Jean BECK (Abt 1770-1837)
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Children
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1 M William CARRUTHERS
Born: 20 Oct 1830 - Kilnpotlees, St Mungo, Dumfries
Christened: 9 Jan 1831 - Saint Mungo, Dumfries, Scotland
Died: Jul 1863 - Beersville, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Buried: 1863 - St. James Presbyterian Church, Beersville
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2 M David CARRUTHERS
Born: 1833 - Coal Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 3 Oct 1900 - Mill Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Spouse: Ruth FARRAR (1844- )
Marr. Date: Bef 1865 - Bass River, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
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3 M James CARRUTHERS
Born: Abt 1835 - Beersville, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 22 Oct 1893 - West Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Buried: St. John's United Church Cemetery, West Branch
Spouse: Elizabeth "Lizzie" THURROTT (1842- )
Marr. Date: 9 Dec 1862 - Weldford, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
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4 M John CARRUTHERS
Born: Abt 1838 - Weldford, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 4 Jan 1883 - Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
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5 M Thomas CARRUTHERS
Born: 23 Dec 1839 - Beersville, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 4 Sep 1917 - West Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Buried: West Branch Presbyterian Cemetery, West Branch
Spouse: Agnes THURROTT (1840-1909)
Marr. Date: 24 Oct 1865 - Nicholas River, Kent, New Brunswick
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6 M Benjamin CARRUTHERS
Born: Jul 1843 - New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 10 Jun 1888 - Mill Branch, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Spouse: Ellen SPENCER (1857- )
Marr. Date: 7 Jan 1885 - Richibucto, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Spouse: Martha Jane WYLIE ( -Bef 1888)
Marr. Date: Bef 1879 - New Brunswick, Canada
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7 M Daniel CARRUTHERS
Born: 1 May 1846 - Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 3 Aug 1925 - Beersville, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Buried: - St. James Pesbyterian Church, Beersville
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8 M Oswald Ford CARRUTHERS
Born: 1849 - Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Died: 22 Apr 1871 - Beersville, Kent, New Brunswick, Canada
Buried: St. James Presbyterian Cemetery, Beersville
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