Version 6.00

15 February 2025

David March © 2019

BECKING/McPHERSON/THOMPSON

Johann “Georg” Boecking (1793-1882) married Anna Margaretha Zulauf (1792-1881) on 25 November 1819 in Evangelisch, Obergleen, Oberhessen, Hesse-Darmstadt. Georg and Anna had at least four children, Anna Catharina (b 1821), Elizabetha (1824-1898), Johannes (1828-1919) and Daniel (1833-1910). The family sailed from Bremen, Germany on SS ‘Hermine’, arriving in New York on 17 July 1846.

The family initially settled in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada which is where Georg and Anna were in 1852. The family generally adopted Anglicized versions of their surname and given names about this time.

John married Margaret Mogk (1835-1898) around 1855 and they had five children; George (1858-1937), Elizabeth (1862-1943), John (Jack) (1866-1949) and William (1870-1933). John brought his family to Culross in 1864 and claimed Concession 11 Lot 26, (100 acres) from the Crown on 10 April 1865. John also claimed a further 97 acres at Concession 10 Lot 30 on 12 April 1872.

John (Jack) was born on 6 October 1866 in Culross. He married Agnes Thompson on 17 December 1895. Agnes was born on 16 May 1872 in Culross to Thomas Thompson (1834-1917) and Catherine Campbell (1837-1910). Agnes had ten siblings, Alexander (Sandy) (1857-1932), Catherine (Kate) (b 1863), James (1863-1948), Mary Ann (1864-1927), Sarah (b 1868), John (b 1868), Corlin (b 1869), Thomas Arthur  (1870-1934), Emma (1874-1946) and Archibald Campbell (1877-1939).

John (Jack) and Agnes had four children,

Harvey William born 8 October 1896,
Margaret (Maggie) born 13 February 1898,
Catherine (Kate) also born 13 February 1898 and
Hugh born on 1 June 1903.

Harvey was teaching in the Teeswater School in 1918 when he enlisted for WWI. He married Clemen Isabel MacPherson (1898-1989) on 10 August 1921. They had six children, John MacPherson (b 1923), Donald Harvey (1924-2013), Muriel A (b 1926), Ruth M (b 1927), Hugh A (b 1928) and Colin David (1929-1990). Harvey was a missionary in China for twelve years. He died in 1981.

Maggie married William Edward Haldenby (1895-1988) on 23 May 1923 in Culross. They had two children, William Hugh born 1925 but died in infancy and Wilma (1929-1941). Maggie died on 27 June 1994.

Kate married Earl Christopher Thompson (b 1897) on 10 November 1926 in Culross. After their marriage Kate and Earl moved to Coburg, Northumberland, Ontario. Kate died on 30 July 1976.

Hugh married Margaret Olive Agar (1905-1933). They had two children, Mary and Hughie. Hugh died on 9 May 1981.

William (1870-1933) was born on 3 May 1870 in Culross. He married Emma Anna Marie Doepel on 14 Jun 1898. Emma was born on 13 September 1873 in Normanby, Ontario to Charles Doepel ( 1836-1908) and Louisa Kessler (1841-1913). Emma had three siblings, Albert (1871-1931), Louis (1876-1938) and Caroline (b 1883).

William and Emma had four children,

Gertrude Louise (Gerty) born 16 April 1899,
Cora Elizabeth born 15 March 1901,
Edna Augusta born 19 May 1902 and
Henry “Lorne” born on 19 January 1907.

Gerty married Alexander William Grant (1897-1958) on 29 June 1921 in Culross. They had two children, Stewart William (1922-1959) and Olive Gertrude (1927-2012). Gerty died on 12 February 1979.

Cora married Herbert John Duffy (1907-1986). They had one son, John William (1938-1958). Cora died in 1966.

Edna married William Fred McPherson (1903-1987). Edna died in 1968.

Lorne  married Mary Wybrandis Cronin (1909-1977). Lorne died on 25 February 1980.

James Thompson was born on 27 January 1863 in Culross. James married Esther Stewart on 20 October 1886 in Walkerton, Bruce County. Esther was born on 13 December 1862 in Teeswater o John Stewart (1812-18940 and Mary McGair (1825-1896). Esther had eight siblings, Robert H (b 1847), Mary (1848-1917), Ruth (b 1852), Isiah (b 1855), Edward (b 1856), John (b 1859), Andrew (b 1861) and George (1869-1873).

James and Esther had five children,

Merle born 5 September 1890,
Duncan Stewart born 5 July 1895,
Esther born 5 September 1898,
Mary born on 15 October 1900 and
Catherine (Kate) born on 2 December 1903.

Duncan married Mary Etta Hetherington (1897-1970). Their story is told on the Hetherington page.

James’ sister, Emma Thompson (1874-1946) married Thomas McPherson on 16 March 1897 in Culross. Thomas was born on 8 March 1865 to William McPherson (1824-1907) and Catherine Orr (1832-1897). Thomas had two brothers, John (1873-1939) and James (b 1877).

Emma and Thomas had five children, Catherine (Kate) (b 1899), Florence Emma (b 1900), Mary (b 1906), Thomas Thompson (1908-1992) and Annie Winifred Joy (Winnie) McPherson (1911-1936).

Thomas married Margaret McQuillin (1910-1948). He died on 26 August 1992.

Florence married George Kerr Armstrong (1901-1965).

Their story is told on the Armstrong/McKague page.

The family tree can be found on Ancestry under the title Culross Becking/McPherson/ Thompson Tree.