The Murray family was still living in Brora in 1820 when they were blessed with the birth of another daughter, Margaret. According to the Register of Baptisms for the parish of Clyne Margaret was born on the 23rd of January and baptized on the 27th January, 1820. On the original parish record the name appears to be spelled Margarete, although the "e" at the end could have been a flourish on the part of the recorder. Her name is spelled Margaret on any other record we have found.

After living in Brora to age 11, Margaret accompanied her family to Pictou County, Nova Scotia. Her family obtained land and farmed at Mount Thom. Did she find her journey from Scotland to Canada a great adventure, or was it a trumatic experience? Many of the immigrants of the period sailed in less than ideal conditions.

How much schooling did she receive? Did she have a carefree childhood, or did she work from a young age? Did she stay at home or did she work away from home?

She was married sometime in her mid twenties to Malcolm Sillers. Malcolm was born in Nova Scotia about four months before Margaret was born. They settled at Six Mile Brook which according to Lovell's Canadian Dominion Directory for 1871 was a farming settlement situated north-east of Mount Thom. It was 10 miles from West River station.

The Sillers were living at Six Mile Brook in July 1847 when their first child, Angus Sillars was born. They were enumerated for the 1851 and 1861 census in the Mount Thom district.

Four daughters were born while the family lived at Six Mile Brook. Margaret Ester was born in 1849; Elizabeth Jane, known as Libbie, was born in 1854; Annie Belle was born in 1859 and Jessie Dawson was born in 1861.

Sometime between 1861 and 1871 the Sillers moved to Colchester County and were enumerated in the East Tatamagouche Polling District. However, by 1874 the Sillers had again moved and lived at Cape John, Pictou County.

A map of section three of Pictou county found in an 1879 Historical Atlas of Pictou county shows land owned by Angus Sillers. There were two other Sillers on the map G.L. Sillers and Dan Sillers. Were they relatives of Malcom?

On the 23 July 1874 , Angus, the Siller's only son, was married to Christie McKenzie of River John. Christy was eighteen years old at the time. The marriage took place at River John according to the ceremonies of the Church of Scotland.

The following year on the 4th February 1875 the second child in the Sillers family, Margaret Ester, was married to her cousin, Hugh McPherson. This marriage took place at South Mount Thorn. The McPhersons moved to Manitoba in 1879. (See Volume 2 # 2)

At the time of the 1881 census the Sillers were still in Cape John. Margaret and Malcolm along with Elisabeth, Ann and Jannet were listed in the same household as Angus and Christy and their three children, Minnie, Margrit (sic) and Henry.

On the 11th December 1884, Annie Belle Sillers was married to Robert Marshall Campbell of Cape John. The Campbells had four daughters: Jannet born in 1885, Margaret born in 1887, Annie born in 1888 and Roberta born in 1890. Unfortunately, Robert Marshall Campbell died 7 December 1889, five months before his youngest daughter was born.

On Nov. 13, 1890 Jessie D. Sillers was married to Daniel Murray (son of Alexander and Grace Murray) at Pictou. Daniel had been married twice previously. His first wife was Christie Murray (daughter of Alexander and Marion Murray). There were married in 1879, had a child, Christina (Tena) born about 1880. Christie died the same year. By 1881 he and Tena were living with his widowed mother in West Branch River John. In 1884 he married Catherine Sutherland. They had two children, Alexander and Cassie before Catherine died in 1889.

In 1891 Daniel, Jessie and the three children, Tena, Alexander and Cassie were living in the town of Pictou. Daniel and Jessie had a daughter, Marguerite, born 12 September 1891.

In 1891 the Sillers were still at Cape John. Malcolm, Margaret and Elizabeth were still in the Angus Sillers household where three more chldren had been added to the family: Christina, William and Elizabeth. Annie Campbell and her chldren were enumerated with her father-in-law at Cape John and as was mentioned, Daniel and Jessie Murray were in Pictou.

In the fall of 1892, Malcolm, Margaret and Libbie left with Angus, Christina and family for the west. They joined Margaret and Hugh McPherson in the Brandon Hills area of Manitoba. They stayed in the same house as the McPhersons until the next summer when they were able to move into a small house that they built on land that Angus had chosen.

The small house that they lived in until they were able to build a bigger home had only one room. Angus built small beds for the family that would slide under the big beds in the daytime. Imagine a family with six children aged two to seventeen living in a one-room house! Presumably the grandparents, Malcolm and Margaret with their daughter, Libbie, lived there as well.

The prairies presented quite a contrast to the Cape John area of Nova Scotia. From a map of Cape John in the "Illustrated Historical Atlas of Nova Scotia" one can see how near the Sillers lived to the Northumberland Strait. It would have had a moderating effect on the climate. The winters in Manitoba can be extremely cold. However, the family thrived and the farm in Section 5, Township 7, Range 20 stayed in the family for a hundred years.

Malcolm Sillers died on Thursday, May 25th, 1905 and Margaret died less than a year later on Tuesday, March 20th, 1906.

Annie Belle Campbell never came west, even though her husband died before her parents went west. She stayed on the land owned by her father-in-law, Hugh Campbell.

Jessie Dawson Murray did come west at some point. Her husband, Daniel, died in 1917 and was buried beside his first two wives at West Branch River John. Jessie and Marguerite came to Winnipeg.

The funeral was held on Sunday afternoon from the Christian Church, River John, of which she was a valued member, and was largely attended, which testified to the esteem in which she was held by the community. The services were conducted by her pastor, Rev. C. Barkhouse, who took as his text Matt. 14;15. The choir led in the singing of the hymns "Abide with Me,, and "In the Sweet Bye and Bye" and a duet "Some Glad, Sweet Day" was sang (sic) by Mrs. Fred McNabb and daughter.

Mrs. Campbell was a woman of sterling qualities and good Christian character. She left to mourn her passing four daughters: Mrs. Levi MacKinnon, Toney River; Mrs. Leslie Campbell, Waltham, Mass; Mrs. Willard MacKenzie, Toney River, and Mrs. William Mitchell, River John, who was seriously ill at the time. She also leaves one sister, Elizabeth, residing Manitoba and 15 grandchildren.

The pall bears were Robert Campbell, Alexander MacKenzie, Robert and Weston MacKinnon, all grandsons of the deceased. Interment was in Seafoam cemetery in the family lot.

An obituary for Annie Campbell in the July Ist Pictou Advocate provides further history: Her husband died nearly 40 years ago in Seafoam, Pictou County, where they had lived on a farm, leaving her with a family of four small girls. She remained on the farm until her family had fully grown. She then purchased a home here, where she lived the rest of her life.

RIVER JOHN, July 2 - The death of Mrs. William Mitchell occurred on June 21 at her home after a week's illness. After medical treatment and loving care, she failed to rally when pleuris-pneumonia set in, and she speedily succumbed. She was an estimable lady, quiet, unassuming and loved by all who knew her and will be greatly missed in the community and particularly in her home. Death is sad at all times but never more so than when a mother is taken from the family circle. She is survived by her husband, one son, Robert, and two daughters, Anita and Geneva, and three sisters: Mrs. Levi MacKinnon (Jennie) of Toney River; Mrs. Leslie Campbell (Margaret) of Waltham, Mass., and Mrs. Willard Mackenzie (Roberta) of Toney River.

The funeral services was held on Wednesday afternoon at 2 p.m. from the Christian Church, where she was an active worker, in the W.M.S. and in the Sunday School. Her pastor Rev. C. Barkhouse, took his text from Rev. 14;13. The hynns sung were "Abide With Me" by the congregation, a duet "There Will be no Tears in The Sky" by Mrs. F. McNabb and daughter. The funeral was largely attended and the flowers banked profusely about the bier bore elequent testimony to the esteem in which she was held by her friends. The pall bearers were Robert Campbell, Alexander MacKenzie, Robert and John MacKinnon, nephews of the deceased. Interment was in River John cemetery.

The July lst issue also had an obituary for Mrs. William Mitchell: It was with sadness the word sent forth announcing the death of Mrs. William Mitchell.... so quickly following that of her mother, only three days previous. She was a faithful worker in the Church, especially among children. She was the efficient secretary of the W.M.S. for the past three years and since its organization.

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