James Bell Killin

Son of Archie and Mary Jane (Bell) Killin.

Husband of Catherine (Pryde) Killin , of Toronto, Ontario
Born in Scotland in 1856. Died December 10th, 1936. Age 80 years.


James and his wife Catherine (1858-1925) immigrated to Canada from Scotland with their 7 children; William (1887-1916), Jessie (1889-1918), Mary (1890-1965), Catherine (1892-1947), Archie (1893-1966), John (1895-1917), James (1900-1966).


James would outlive three of his children and his wife; William (killed in action in WW1), Jessie (died of influenza/ Spanish flue) and John (Killed in action in WW1). Attached articles speak to these tragic events.


James would be a witness to the marriage of one of his two surviving sons (Archie) to the widow of another of his sons (John).


Catherine and James would take two of their grandchildren in after they became orphans once both their mother (Jessie) and father (David Neill, Killed in action 1918). These children, Catherine and Tom Neill (both children under 9 years of age) found a home with their grandparents. Two articles attached speak to these tragic events.


Also attached is a photo post card, written by Catherine to their son Archie who was wounded in 1916 and being treated in France then England before being shipped back to Canada. Presumably James took this photo of Catherine with two of their daughters (Catherine and Jessie or Mary) and two of the children on the steps are probably Jessie’s Catherine and Tom Neill. Also attached is a 2019 photo of the house on Emerson Ave in Toronto 102 years later. Note that the then recently planted tree in 1917 is a mature tree 102 years later and one of only a few remaining on the street.


James would live to see his son Archie and daughter-in-law Jean have 10 children (including John who was the son of John and Jean) with two dying as infants. When Catherine passed, James (and his two grandchildren from Jessie & David Neill) moved in with his son Archie’s family and would enjoy a special grandfather’s relationship with most of Archie & Jean’s children. William (Bill) would have found memories of working with granddad with his tools and the colourful language that was shared when grandpa James would miss with the hammer and hit his hand.


Another memory that William (Bill) would share with his children, of his grandpa James, was what was said when the family immigrated from Scotland to Canada….”it was like being freed from slavery.”