Robert Moodie (settler)

Robert Moodie (1818 - 27 September 1911) was a Scottish early settler of Bells Corners, Ottawa, Canada. He occupied the east half of Lot 10, Concession 2, Nepean Township which he had purchased from the Reverend John L. Gourlay. There, in the 1850s and 1860s, he operated a public House on the north side of the Arnprior Road.^[1] The west half of Lot 10 was owned by William Graham.^[2]

According to the 1871 census Robert Moodie was then 53 years old and a hotel keeper. His wife, Elizabeth was 55 and they had eight children that ranged in age from 28 to 13. The eldest son was a blacksmith while the second eldest farmed their land. The farm consisted of around 100 acres of improved land. Twenty acres were dedicated to pasture, half an acre for gardening/orchard, eight for wheat, two acres for potatoes and around 60 acres for hay. The land also had one house, two barns, three carriages, four carts, six ploughs one reaper, one horse rack and one fanning mill. That year the crop yields consisted of 75 bushels of wheat, 150 bushels of barley, 300 bushels of oats, five bushels of beans, 200 bushels of potatoes, 40 bushels of turnips, 10 bushels of beets, 35 bushels of carrots, six bushels of pears/plums and 80 tons of hay. The livestock on the land consisted of nine horses/colts, eight milk cows, 13 cattle, 18 sheep, 13 swine and three beehives. These animals produced a total of 700 pounds of butter, 75 pounds of honey, 100 pounds of wool and four muskrat and eight mink furs.^[3][4]

Robert Moodie died on 27 September 1911 at age 95 and is buried in the Bells Corners Union Cemetery.^[5] One of Robert Moodie's descendants, D. Aubrey Moodie went on to become known as the "Father of Nepean."

References