John McClelland Athya, son of Isaac Athya and Elizabeth McClelland, was born on February 20, 1898, in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was one of 11 children born to Isaac and Elizabeth: Elizabeth (Lizzie) Athya, Isaac James Athya, Andrew McClelland Athya, Jane (Jeannie) Wylie Athya, William McClelland Athya, Robert McClelland Athya, Mary Ann Galbraith Athya, John McClelland Athya, Margaret “Peggy” (twin) Athya, Hugh McClelland (twin) Athya, and one unnamed child.
John is my husband’s 1st cousin 2x removed. Their closest shared ancestors are James Athya and Jane Wylie, who were my husband’s second great-grandparents. Another family connection will appear later in the sketch.
At the time of John’s birth, his father Isaac was employed as a lampman at a colliery—a coal mine. A lampman was responsible for maintaining and distributing safety lamps to miners, a critical role in preventing underground accidents. Given the family’s location near Orbiston, Isaac likely worked at the Orbiston Colliery, operated by the Mossend Iron Company. Prior to this, he had worked as a coal miner.
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Birth register for John (1898) |
Tragedy struck the Athya family before John was born. On Christmas Day 1891, his brother William died in Bellshill from bronchitis after suffering for 14 days. His burial location remains unknown. The informant listed on the death register was Jemima (Durie) Athya, William’s aunt-in-law—wife of James Wylie Athya, who were my husband’s great-grandparents.
Another devastating loss followed when John was just 18 months old. On September 22, 1899, his six-year-old brother Robert was fatally struck by a train on the Caledonian Railway line near the Bellshill police station. Two months shy of his seventh birthday, Robert suffered a compound skull fracture. It’s believed he was walking along the tracks when a passing train hit him, the wind preventing him from hearing its approach. His body was moved to the Bellshill station waiting room and then returned to the Athya home. His burial location is also unknown.
By 1901, the Athya family was living at 59 New Orbiston Rows in Bellshill. Isaac continued working as a colliery lampman, while his wife Elizabeth was listed as a lampman’s wife. Lizzie worked as a domestic servant, and Andrew was employed as a pit pony driver—a demanding job guiding ponies through underground tunnels to haul coal. The family lived in a two-room home with one or more windows.
New Orbiston Rows, built in 1892, housed coal miners and their families. The community included one three-room dwelling and 74 two-room homes, rented annually for £9 19s, roughly equivalent to $48 to $50 USD at the time. These single-story stone structures had brick backs and lacked damp-proofing, though the walls were generally sound. Interiors featured wood flooring and ventilation, and while there were no gardens, residents had access to shared wash houses, coal cellars, and basic sanitation facilities—four ashpits and eight privies. Water came from four standpipes, and outdoor sinks served every four homes in the front row. Drainage channels ran behind the buildings, and the area was cleaned daily as part of a designated sanitary district.
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1901 Scotland census |
In 1911, the Athya family remained at New Orbiston. Isaac was still a lampman, and Mary worked as a pit head worker—one of the “pit brow lasses” who sorted coal and removed debris at the mine’s entrance. John, Hugh, and Margaret were attending school. Isaac and Elizabeth had been married for 29 years; Elizabeth was listed as having had 11 children, with 8 still living.
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1911 Scotland census |
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Athya children, circa early 1900s: John is the second boy from the right; the smaller child beside him is his younger brother Hugh. (Image used with permission from John Sproat.) |
On May 27, 1918, John’s sister Mary married her first cousin George Durie Athya, son of James Wylie Athya and Jemima Durie and my husband’s grandfather. George, was a 25-year-old riveter and Corporal with the Cameron Highlanders. The marriage later ended in divorce, and George immigrated to the U.S., where he married my husband’s grandmother, Bertha Edna Smith.
By 1921, John (age 23) was living in a two-room home at 13 Mauldslie Place in Bellshill with his parents, brother Isaac (age 37), and sister Mary (age 26). John worked as a coal miner for the Wilson and Clyde Coal Company. His father and brother were employed there as a lampman and boiler foreman, respectively. Mary and Elizabeth maintained the home. Interestingly, Mary was listed as single despite her earlier marriage to George.
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1921 Scotland census |
On July 14, 1922, John departed Scotland aboard the RMS Tyrrhenia, bound for Quebec and Montreal. He traveled alone. The ship had just completed its maiden voyage a month earlier and was later renamed Lancastria in 1924 due to pronunciation difficulties.
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RMS Tyrrhenia (back center with tall dark stack). Photo from Marine Photo Service (Waterline Collection), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. |
John declared himself Protestant and intended to settle in the U.S. He was a miner seeking work as a farmer, had never lived in Canada, and paid for his own passage. He listed his father at Mauldslie Place as his nearest relative and confirmed he was not tubercular or physically impaired.
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John’s entry on the RMS Tyrrhenia passenger list |
John’s youngest sister Margaret (Peggy) married Robert Bryson Curran in Toronto on July 31, 1925. The ceremony was held at the Church of God on Albion Street and officiated by Elder Robert Murray.
In May 1928, John traveled third class aboard the S.S. Letitia from Montreal to Glasgow, arriving on May 14. He listed his address as 55 Bain Street in Glasgow, his father’s home. He was employed as a laborer and was 30 years old. His country of last permanent residence was Canada.
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Passenger manifest for the Letitia (May 1928) |
He returned to Canada aboard the same ship on August 10, arriving in Quebec on August 18. Records show he had lived in Canada from July 1922 to July 1928, residing in Brantford, Ontario with his sister Mrs. Jean Law at 41 Laurence Street. He listed his father Isaac at 55 Bain Street in Calton, Glasgow as his nearest relative. He had no physical or mental impairments and was not infected with tuberculosis. His passport had been issued in Ottawa on February 5, 1928, and he arrived with $200 in hand.
John’s mother Elizabeth died on June 7, 1928, at age 68, at their Bain Street home. Her cause of death was pernicious anaemia—a fatal condition caused by the body’s inability to absorb vitamin B12. Her burial location remains unknown.
On August 25, 1929, John crossed the border into Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. He listed his sister Mrs. Law as his Canadian contact and his brother Hugh as his U.S. contact. He was traveling alone, recorded his nationality as Canadian, and his race as Scotch. His last permanent residence was Brantford, and he was destined for Detroit. He paid his own passage and had never been in the U.S. before. He was joining Hugh at 2550 Bewick Avenue and planned to stay permanently. He was 5’8”, with a medium complexion, brown hair, and gray eyes, and worked as an underground linesman.
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Manifest card the Port of Detroit, Michigan |
On October 4, 1929, John filed a Declaration of Intention in Detroit. He was living with Hugh on Bewick Street and was still employed as an underground linesman. He was 31 years old, single, and weighed 145 pounds. His last foreign residence was Brantford, and he had entered the U.S. via the Detroit & Windsor (D & W) Ferry under the name of John Athya (spelled Athaya on the form).
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Certificate of Arrival (September 1929) |
On June 15, 1929, Hugh married Mary Ellen “Nellie” Balfour in Detroit. John was one of two witnesses. Hugh had also reversed his name, using McClelland as his surname and Athya as his middle name.
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John was in the wedding party for his brother Hugh (image used with permission from John Sproat) |
John does not appear in the 1930 U.S. Census, though the Detroit city directory lists him, Hugh, and Mary all living at 2550 Bewick Avenue. John was employed as an electrician, and Hugh as a sub-foreman at Detroit Edison Company. John continued using the surname Athya.
John’s sister Jeannie died on June 15, 1933, at age 44, at her home at 41 Abigail Avenue in Brantford. She likely died from a stroke caused by a cerebral embolism linked to chronic rheumatic heart disease. Her funeral was held at home and conducted by Rev. G. Deane Johnston of Central Presbyterian Church. She was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery on June 17. John and Hugh were among the six pallbearers.
Just three months later, on September 19, 1933, John’s father Isaac died at age 76 at his Bain Street home. He had retired from work as a colliery lamp cleaner. His cause of death was gangrene of the feet and broncho-pneumonia. His burial location is unknown.
By 1934, John, Hugh, and Mary had moved to 4721 Belvidere Avenue in Detroit. John worked as an electrician, and Hugh continued at Detroit Edison. By 1935, they had relocated to Ward Street.
On March 25, 1937, John formally declared his intention to become a U.S. citizen. He stated he had lived continuously in Michigan since August 25, 1929, and was residing at 13217 Ward Avenue, working as an auto worker. He was 39 years old, single, and childless, with gray eyes, brown hair, and a fair complexion.
In the 1940 U.S. Census, John (age 43) was living with his brother Hugh (age 39) and Hugh’s family at their home on Ward Street in Detroit. Hugh’s household included his wife Mary (age 39), daughters Mary (9) and Jean (8), and son Hugh (5). At the time of the census, John was unemployed and had reportedly been out of work for 140 weeks. He was seeking employment as a punch press operator in wheel manufacturing. In 1939, John had worked only 12 weeks and earned $270, while Hugh had worked the full year and earned $1,800. Both brothers had completed four years of high school, suggesting they had graduated. All three children were attending school.
By February 16, 1942, John had moved to 14400 Lauder Street in Detroit and registered for the World War II draft. He listed Hugh, still residing on Ward Street, as his next of kin. At the time, John was employed by Detroit Edison Company, located at 2000 Second Avenue in Detroit. He was described as 5’ 8½”, weighing 150 pounds, with gray eyes, gray hair, and a light complexion.
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World War II draft registration card |
In March 1942, while still living at the Lauder Street address, John petitioned for U.S. citizenship in Detroit. He was single and had no children. His petition was supported by two witnesses—Leland Yost and Charles Cummings—who attested to his good character and continuous residence since 1937.
That same year, on April 24, 1942, John’s sister Margaret (Peggy) passed away in Victoria, British Columbia. Her burial location remains unknown.
On May 12, 1942, John formally swore the Oath of Allegiance and renounced prior loyalties.
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Oath of Allegiance (1942) |
On that same day, he legally changed his name from John McClelland Athya to John Athya McClelland, reversing his middle and surname in a manner like his brother Hugh, who had done so as early as 1930. John’s naturalization petition was approved in open court.
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Naturalization Certificate Stubs certifying John’s name change |
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Naturalization Petitions Recommended to be Granted (May 1942) |
Despite extensive searches, John does not appear in the 1950 U.S. Census. His brother Hugh was still living at 13217 Ward Avenue in Detroit—the same address John listed as his residence on an air passenger manifest later that year. However, John was not recorded in the household; only Hugh, his wife, and their three children were enumerated. Since the census was conducted in April, it’s possible John was in Scotland at the time.
Supporting this theory, John appears on an air passenger manifest dated June 29, 1950, traveling from Prestwick, Scotland to Montreal aboard Trans-Canada Air Lines flight 2211-29. He listed his home address as 13217 Ward Avenue—the same address he had used in 1929.
John passed away in Michigan on December 30, 1965. He was laid to rest at Glen Eden Memorial Park in Livonia, Wayne County, Michigan. No evidence has been found that John ever married.
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Image used with permission of S. L. Iglesias, Find a Grave member 46812202 |
John’s story was particularly challenging to research due to his name change and the many variations in spelling across records. Searches must include Athya, McClelland, McClellan, McLelland, and McLellan, and span records from Scotland, Canada, and the United States.
References
- 1137682, RG 21, Naturalization Petition and Record, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, Detroit: Wayne. Petitions for Naturalization 1942, images 442–446, FamilySearch.
- 18222300, RG-21, Naturalization Certificate Stubs, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, Detroit: Wayne. Naturalization Final Certificates, 1942, image 1133, FamilySearch.
- 18462267, RG-21, Naturalization Court Order Books, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, Detroit: Wayne. Naturalization Records Sep 16, 1941–May 29, 1942, image 707, FamilySearch.
- Boy Killed on the Railway, Daily Record, Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, September 23, 1899.
- Deaths, Curran, The Expositor, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, May 2, 1942.
- Detroit, Michigan, City Directory, 1930, 1934.
- Elizabeth Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/3 239, National Records of Scotland, 1928.
- Fatal Accident on Caledonian Railway, Hamilton Advertiser, Hamilton, Strathclyde, Scotland, September 23, 1899.
- Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/183324329/john_athya-mcclellan: accessed September 3, 2025), memorial page for John Athya McClellan (20 Feb 1898–30 Dec 1965), Find a Grave Memorial ID 183324329, citing Glen Eden Memorial Park, Livonia, Wayne County, Michigan, USA; maintained by S. L. Iglesias (contributor 46812202).
- George Durie Athya/Mary Ann Athya marriage, Statutory Registers Marriages 644/10 1036, National Records of Scotland.
- Housing Conditions of Miners, Bothwell Parish, Scottish Mining Website; http://www.scottishmining.co.uk/236.html.
- Hugh A. McClelland, Michigan, U.S., Marriage Records, 1867–1952.
- Isaac Athya, Census 098/33/13, National Records of Scotland, 1901.
- Isaac Athya, Census 625/112/124, National Records of Scotland, 1891.
- Isaac Athya, Census 625/310/2, National Records of Scotland, 1911.
- Isaac Athya, Census 625/311/26, National Records of Scotland, 1921.
- Isaac Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/1 45, National Records of Scotland, 1884.
- Isaac Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 644/3 227, National Records of Scotland, 1933.
- Isiac Athya, Census 625/314/16, National Records of Scotland, 1901.
- Jane Wyllie Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/1 555, National Records of Scotland, 1887.
- Jeannie Wylle Law, Province of Ontario, Certificate of Registration of Death no. 306, 1933.
- John Athya McLelland, Border Crossings: From Canada to U.S., 1895–1956.
- John Athya, Canada, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1865–1935.
- John Athya, Canada, Ocean Arrivals (Form 30A), 1919–1924.
- John Athya, Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865–1935.
- John Athya, Detroit Border Crossings and Passenger and Crew Lists, 1905–1963.
- John Athya, Detroit, Michigan, U.S., Border Crossings and Passenger and Crew Lists, 1905–1963.
- John Athya, Michigan, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1887–1931.
- John Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/3 107, National Records of Scotland, 1898.
- John Athya, U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947.
- John Athya, UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878–1960.
- John Athya, UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890–1960.
- Lizzie Athya, Census 625/314/17, National Records of Scotland, 1901.
- Married, Curran-Athya, The Expositor, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, August 1, 1925.
- Mrs. John D. Law, The Expositor, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, June 16, 1933.
- National Coal Mining Museum for England, “Pit Ponies and Their Drivers,” accessed September 2, 2025; https://www.ncm.org.uk/news/voices-in-the-coalshed-pony-drivers/.
- New Orbiston Rows, Housing Conditions of Miners, Scottish Mining Website; http://www.scottishmining.co.uk/236.html.
- Our Records: Irregular Marriage in Scotland, ScotlandsPeople; https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/article/irregular-marriage-scotland.
- RMS Lancastria; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Lancastria.
- Robert McClelland Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 625/3 193, National Records of Scotland, 1899.
- To the Grave: Mrs. John Law, The Expositor, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, June 19, 1933.
- U.S. Federal Census, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, 1940.
- Victoria Genealogical Society Burial Index Part 2, Royal Oak Burial Park, Victoria BC, 2016; https://www.interment.net/data/canada/bc/van_island/vancouver-island-burial-records-royal-oak-burial-park.pdf?highlight=WyJKYW1lcyBEZWFyaW5nIl0=.
- William McClelland Athya, Statutory Registers Births 625/1 313, National Records of Scotland, 1891.
- William McClelland Athya, Statutory Registers Deaths 625/1 453, National Records of Scotland, 1891.

































