James Balfour

James and Jane came to Canada in 1856 from Wisha, Scotland. They settled in Mount Forest, ON.

James was a native of Forfar Scotland. This was later called Angus Shire.

John Martin was a miller and worked for a Mr. Walker in Fergus. In 1856 he decided to go to Mount Forest and start business for himself. He built a sawmill, a gristmill for flour and an oatmeal mill. In the first years the women walked through the bush for many miles with a bag of wheat on their backs to get their flour. The women came because the men were so busy at home clearing the bush in order to get their grain in. The oatmeal mill was a great success and "Martins Oatmeal" was known the world over for some years. They were among the first, if not the first to make "Rolled Oats".