DALGLEISH, James (1817-1892) designed and built many of the early limestone buildings in Galt (now Cambridge), Ontario. Both he and his brother Thomas (1814-1890) were born in the Yarrow River Valley of Selkirkshire, Scotland; James emigrated to Canada and settled at Ayr, Upper Canada in 1832, and was joined by his brother the following year. The demand for stonemasons in the rapidly growing nearby village of Galt induced James and Thomas to give up farming and move there in the late 1830's where they began taking on contracts to erect residential and commercial buildings.
By 1857 they were listed as 'architects & builders' (J. Lovell, Canada Directory for 1857-58, 148) but it is apparent from newspaper accounts of their partnership that Thomas acted only as stone mason, while James was both architect and builder, furnishing designs for a variety of buildings including residences that combined distinctive characteristics of a simple Georgian and Regency style, executed in rough-faced limestone blocks that are an indigenous building material in the area. They were '..thorough workmen of the old school, which saw every stone fitted to its place, and any contract they took was certain to be finished according to the letter and intent of the specifications'. James Dalgleish died in Galt on 21 January 1892 (obituary in Dumfries Reformer [Galt], 21 Jan. 1892, 1; Galt Reporter, 22 Jan. 1892, 1; biography in J. Dickson, Ebenezer: A History of the Central Presbyterian Church, 1904, 235-39). His brother Thomas died in Galt on 28 October 1890 (obituary in the Dumfries Reformer [Galt], 30 Oct. 1890, 4; Galt Reporter, 31 Oct. 1890, 1; inf. from P. Dilse, Toronto).
James DALGLEISH (works in Galt unless noted)
GRAND AVENUE NORTH, residence for John Davidson, c. 1849 (Galt Reporter, 22 Jan. 1892, 1, list of works in obituary)
BLAIR ROAD, residence for John Miller, c. 1860 (Galt Reporter, 22 Jan. 1892, 1, list of works in obituary)
GALT CENTRAL SCHOOL, Main Street, 1856; demol. 1968 (Dumfries Reformer [Galt], 9 April 1856, 2, descrip.; and 7 May 1856, 2)
WILKINS BLOCK, Main Street, a three storey commercial block for William Wilkins & Donald Sutherland, 1863 (Dumfries Reformer [Galt], 25 March 1863, 2; and 8 April 1863, 3, t.c.; Globe [Toronto], 26 March 1863, 1, descrip.)
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Wellington Street, 1863-64 (Galt Reporter, 13 Feb. 1863, 2; Dumfries Reformer [Galt], 4 Nov. 1863, 2, descrip.; and 27 April 1864, 2)
WALKERTON, ONT., St. John's Presbyterian Church, Cayley Street at Colborne Street South, c. 1875; renamed Knox Presbyterian Church in 1886; still standing in 2023 (inf. from Dale E.A. Wilson, Walkerton)
METHODIST CHURCH, Cambridge Street facing Market Square, 1878-79 (Galt Reporter, 14 June 1878, 2; and 9 Aug. 1878, 2, descrip.)