James and Isabella were married in Dumfriesshire, Scotland about 1832. In 1852 they and their 14 (at least) children set out for Canada landing in Quenec City in September and travelling on to Hamilton where Isabella unfortunately died. James and his children moved on to Elderslie Twp, Bruce Co, where thay settled on Lot 17, Con A on the Saugeen River just north of the settlement that would later be known as the Village of Paisley. About 1858 James married Mary Lamont and they had four more children.