James Kirk (1813-1869) was born in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. He and his wife Ellen MacRae (1811-1891) first emigrated to British Guiana and later came to Prince Edward Island, Canada around 1855. They made their home in Lot 16 and raised seven children including Robert (1839-1932) who had been born in Scotland. He married Rose Ann Cosgrove in 1885 and had seven children, the last being born in the United States after the couple separated. Robert placed the three oldest children with other families. Alexander MacLean of Lot 16 adopted James (1889-1980) who stayed in PEI until 1907 when he went out to Manitoba to find work. He was eventually hired by the Canadian Pacific Railway in Medicine Hat, Alberta. He left his job in 1914 to serve overseas with the 3rd Mounted Rifles and while in England married Dorothy Mockett (b.1894) of Sussex in 1918. They returned to Medicine Hat and in 1933 moved to Calgary. James worked for the railway for 44 years. The couple had two children, Ralph (1919-1979) and Beryl b.1921) who spent most of her working life in Vancouver.