Jacob Farrand Pringle, Judge of the County Court, was born in the City of Valenciennes, France, June 27, 1816. His father, James Pringle, was a Lowland Scotchman, of the Torsonce Pringles; was born near Edinburgh, and was an officer in the British army; his mother, before her marriage, was Ann M. Anderson. In 1817, when Jacob was little more than one year old, the family came to Canada, settling near Cornwall, the father serving as Clerk of the Peace for the United Counties of Dundas, Stormont and Glengarry, for a long period. Jacob received an English and classical education; in 1833, commenced studying law at Cornwall, and became an Attorney and Barrister in 1838, practicing at Cornwall. In 1857, he was elected a Bencher of the Law Society.
Mr. Pringle was Clerk of the Peace and County Attorney, from January, 1858, to November, 1866; was then appointed junior Judge of the County Court, and June 15, 1878, senior Judge, which office he now holds, performing his duties very faithfully, and with eminent satisfaction to the public.
Judge Pringle leans to the Conservative side in politics, but has never been an active partisan. He was a School Trustee of Cornwall for several years; is Past Master in Masonry, and a Trustee and Elder in the Presbyterian Church. His moral and religious standing is far above reproach, and he is a very useful citizen.
In September, 1844, Isabella, daughter of Hon. Alexander Fraser, of Fraserfield, Glengarry, became the wife of Judge Pringle, and they have five sons and five daughters living. Ann, the eldest daughter, is the wife of Arthur Moren, M.D., of Halifax, N.S.; Margaret is the wife of Frank J. Hall, merchant, of Walkerton, Ont.; Isabella is the wife of Thomas Ritchie, barrister, Halifax; and two daughters and the five sons are single. One son, Alexander Fraser, is studying medicine; another, Robert Abercrombie, law; another son, James the eldest, is Clerk of the Division Court; George is a druggist at Cornwall, and William is in the Local High School; Mary and Edith are with their parents.
Judge Pringle has a relic of Revolutionary times; an orderly book which belonged to his maternal great-grandfather, Captain Samuel Anderson, who commanded a light infantry company in Sir John Johnston’s Royal Reginent the book being a record of matters between May, 1779, and August, 1780. The paternal grandfather of the Judge was also a United Empire Loyalist.
My great great grandfather’s name was Jacob Farrand Pringle Gillie. I have always wondered what his father’s connection to JF Pringle could have been. The Gillies were lowland Scot’s from Edinborough area, so I have assumed the connection was from there.