The GOWDY Family
in Canada

Raymond and Jacqueline Gowdy of Gorrie, Ontario
submitted information prepared by William Gowdy of their family history.

THE GOWDY FAMILY - Concession B - Howick Township
The Gowdy farm on the B line of Howick, Lot # 7 - part lot #8 was purchased by John Gowdy from Alex Findlater in March 1910 and had several owners from when it was purchased as Crown Land by John Scott in 1864.  John Gowdy (August 12, 1863-1948) was the son of Andrew Alexander Gowdy, born 1825, who emigrated from County Down, Ireland.  Five children were born to John Gowdy and Jane Nay (1866-1907), Edith Doig, Nelson Gowdy, Roy Gowdy, Bessie Hyndman and Harold Gowdy.  John Gowdy was a Presbyterian Scot who led the church choir with a tuning fork as it was not the custom to have a musical instrument in the Presbyterian church.  He later became quite deaf and had to use an ear trumpet to listen to the radio.

Researchers have confirmed the first documented history of the Gowdy name in lowland Scotland and northern England according to Histories and Bibliography copyright 1984-1989, The Hall of Names Inc.  Many border clans settled in Northern Ireland, transferred between 1650 and 1700 with grants of land provided they remained Protestant.   The surname Gowdy has been found in Lanarkshire, England and is believed to be a misspelling of the family name "Goldie".

Harold Nay Gowdy (Dec. 16, 1898-Mar. 30, 1973) purchased the farm on the B line from his father John Gowdy in March 1924 and in 1926 he married Emmeline Elizabeth Earl of Concession 3, Howick Twp.  A son Raymond Roy Gowdy was born in 1930 in the original log house and in 1935 they built the house which is presently situated on the property.  The farm on the south side was owned by Harry's brother Roy Gowdy who had married Irene Earl, a sister of Emmeline so the two families were closely connected. A path was made through the fields and steps over the fence between the two farms to make the distance between the two houses even closer.   During the depression in the 30's, Harry drove a cream truck and collected cream from farmers in the surrounding district.  Raymond attended S.S. #13 Howick (Lane's school) and Wingham High School and helped with the farm work.  Harry and Raymond owned and trained standard bred harness racing horses which they raced at local fairs and at Greenwood (Old Woodbine) racetrack in Toronto.

During the 50's Harry served on the Howick Township council and in 1957 he was elected Warden of Huron County, the same year that Raymond married Jacqueline Gilmar, daughter of Edwin and Mary (Dettman) Gilmar of R.R.R. #2 Carrick Twp. who had been teaching school in Toronto.  For the first year of their marriage they lived in Toronto where she continued to teach at Manning Avenue School and Ray to work in a hardware store on North Yonge Street.   In 1958 Harry sold the farm on the B line and purchased the Hueston lumber yard and residence in Gorrie.   Roy and Irene Gowdy had also sold their farm and built a new home on Victoria St. Gorrie.  The following year, Ray and Jacqueline moved to Wingham, Ontario where Jacqueline taught Grade 4 at Wingham Public School and Ray worked with his father at the lumber yard.  In 1960 they purchased a lot from Mrs. Dr. Whitely on Martin Street and built the house now owned by James Alcorn.  A daughter Janna Lynn was born in 1962 and a son Philip Wynn in 1965.

Raymond had always had an interest in flying and became the first pupil of Bill Cruikshank at the Wingham Airport.  In 1970 they built a house on Princess Street and with a larger basement are in which Ray began work on an experimental aircraft.  The project soon became too big for the basement so the fuselage was moved to the garage much to the amusement of the neighbors who saw the car and truck parked outside while the garage held something that resembled an airplane.

The Gowdy lumber yard and building supply was sold in 1971 to James King and Ray drove a mail truck from Wingham to the surrounding villages.  In 1974 he began working for the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority as a park supervisor at the Falls Reserve, Benmiller, Ontario during the summer months and in the autumn began building the Wingham Cable Television System which was completed in 1974.   In 1977 Ray was appointed Field Service Supervisor for the Maitland Conservation where he continues to work at the present time.

Jacqueline became librarian at Gorrie Branch Library in 1986 for the Huron County Public Library and also does some occasional teaching for Wellington County Board of Education.

Janna Gowdy graduated as a registered nurse from the Conestoga School Of Nursing, Stratford in 1984 and began work at Clarkwood Estates Nursing Home, Pamerston.  In July of the same year she was married to Paul Speers of Palmerston and moved to a farm at R.R. #2 Palmerston, Ontario.  A daughter Rachael Emmeline was born to Janna and Paul in 1986 and in 1990 Janna's husband Paul died tragically in a car accident.  A year later the farm was sold and Janna and Rachael now reside in Brussels, Ontario.  Philip Gowdy graduated from Canadore College, North Bay, Ontario as an Aircraft Maintenance Mechanic and is presently employed at Air Ontario, London, Ontario. In 1989 he married Laurie Pierce of Strathroy who works as Director of the Youth Aquatic Program at the Central YMCA, London, Ontario and in 1991 a daughter, Jessica Faye was born.  They purchased a home in Strathroy in 1992 and continue to work in London, Ontario.

Goudie of Labrador, Canada abt 1850 - submitted by James and Sharon Ransom
Their ggrandmother was Susannah Goudie of Lance au Clair who married 1st Hugh Jones and after he died married Hugh's cousin John Jones of Bradore, Quebec. There are a family line of Goudies in the Goose Bay area.  They originate from John Goudie, a Scotsman.

Janie Goudie submitted the following from Fort McMurray, Alberta - Youngest daughter of Amos Goudie, my grandfather was William Henry Goudie, grandmother Jane Hewlett (1st wife of William Henry Goudie). William Henry had two sons with Jane Hewlett - Amos and Reuben, who are both deceased.

Leo Edward Goudie - submitted by Ray Goudie
My father was Leo Edward Goudie (October 27, 1926 to December 27, 1995, born in Montreal, Canada.

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