Dr. Eddie Box- grandson of The Belle of Beckwith-photo courtesy Box family
Part 1-Christena McEwen– The Belle of Beckwith Part 1 -“The Woodcocks”
Now if you remember the story I wrote, The Belle of Beckwith, Christena McEwen was an outspoken lass, and now the time had come for her to wed. Suitor William Muirhead was known in the area as “a well to do man” no questions asked and Christena’s Mother favoured the match with Muirhead. Love triumphed for William, but alas not for poor Christena. In the stories told by Eddie Box later on, dear Christena ran back home a few times to Mum and Dad once she was married. From all facts told, it was not a happy marriage.
One would say a major factor was that William was 28 years older than dear Christena, similar to the marriage we read about yesterday between Gavin Lindsay and Elizabeth Cumming. When she resided at the marital home ‘Bossin’ Billy’ as Christena was known, and her husband made the War of the Roses look tame. Grandson Eddie Box could never swallow those facts about his dear Grandmother as he said she was always good natured and agreeable. In fact she was more than agreeable he said– she was just like Whistler’s Mother when she sat in her rocking chair in the kitchen when he visited.
Eddie admitted she didn’t have the push and fire of his very own Mother, but she was definitely prophetic. When Eddie said goodbye to her at her Carleton Place home to go to dental school in Toronto his Grandmother looked at him and said,
“Who knows we may never see each other again!”
She was right they never did.
“Bossin Billy” aka Christena McEwen Muirhead died in her Carleton Place home in November of 1924.
Christina McEwen (Muirhead)
Immediate Family:
Daughter of John Newcome McEwen and Christina McEwen
Wife of William Muirhead
Mother of William John Muirhead; Jemima Muirhead and Daniel Muirhead
Sister of Catherine McEwen; John McEwen; Isabella McEwen; Mary McEwen; Janet McEwen; Margaret McEwen and Hugh McEwen
William Muirhead
Birthdate: 1812 (58)
Death: Died October 12, 1870
Immediate Family:
Husband of Christina McEwen
Father of William John Muirhead; Jemima Muirhead and Daniel Muirhead
Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun and Screamin’ Mamas (USA)
Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place.
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