Local Author Bases Novel on 250-Year-Old History of Her Ancestors

It is a story where genealogy and local history meets the imagination.

Yvonne McCargar, a dental hygienist at Manotick Dental Clinic for the past 34 years, has written a novel based on the story of her ancestors who settled the area. While the story is fiction, it based on historical facts and her family’s history.

“My grandmother, Evelyn McCargar, in her later years invested in the research of our family tree and I have used that research and more to pen my novel,” McCargar said.

The result is Life or land, A McCargar Story. The book is about two Scottish brothers who went to Canada after escaping their home life to join the British army in 1775 with General John Burgoyne, and became part of the 21st regiment of foot. There was a revolution brewing across the Atlantic and land was being offered in exchange for service. It is a risk they choose to take. Life or Land, A McCargar Story is about their journey, their capture, their survival and finding their wives.

It is the first book that McCargar has had published.

“The book takes the reader from Scotland to Quebec to New York through various campaigns, capture, escape and meeting their wives. I am working on the sequel that will follow them when they leave the army until they obtain land in South Gower township.”

The McCargar’s were one of the first families of the Kemptville area, and the patriarchs are buried on the grounds of the Old Methodist cemetery. Thomas McCargar, the eldest son of Thomas McCargar Sr., built the first stone house in the area, later called Leahurst House.

Her father, John Coleman McCargar, was born and raised on the farm in Mountain, Ontario built by Hugh McCargar the fourth son of Thomas McCargar senior.  All seven sons of Thomas McCargar became prominent members of the area. Thomas McCargar Jr., the eldest, served as an ensign in the battle of 1812, a captain in the rebellion of 1837, and later a magistrate of Johnstown District.

Yvonne McCargar grew up just outside of Kenmore, went to school at Osgoode Township High School, and attended Algonquin College.

“The McCargars in the United States and Canada are descendants of Thomas,” she said. “The story is fiction based on true facts and there is a McCargar website dedicated to the McCargar genealogy and history of which I have no claim.”

The novel contains various themes of alcoholism, spousal abuse, postpartum depression and prejudices of the time.

“It’s an interesting story that has always intrigued me,” McCargar said. “Thomas fought for both sides and was a bigamist. I wanted to explain how a person, because of their circumstances, would do what they had to, to survive and live a life.”

Though the story itself is fiction based on her historical facts, McCargar wanted the details to be as accurate to the era as possible.

“I have researched the time period and I believe my novel respects and stays true to the history,” she said. “With my love for Jodi Picoult’s books, I have given another take on the killing of Jane McCrea, whose death I believe incited such outrage that may have caused many, who were not called upon by Washington, to join the fight.”

Jane McCrea was an American woman who was killed by an Indigenous American warrior serving alongside a British Army expedition under the command of John Burgoyne during the American Revolutionary War. The 25-year-old McCrae was engaged to a Loyalist officer serving under Burgoyne. Her death led to widespread outrage in the Thirteen Colonies and was used by Patriots as part of their anti-British propaganda campaign.”

With the first book now available and the sequel in the works, McCargar also has a third book already planned. It is about the experiences of her father-in-law during World War II.

“Being Polish, he was picked up and sent to a Russian gulag, released to join Anders Army, fought in the battle of Monte Cassino, came to Canada as a DP and worked on a farm in Smith Falls for two years before being granted citizenship,” she said.

 Life or land, A McCargar Story can be purchased on Amazon and Indigo. It is available in paperback or Kobo ebook format.