hiː wʌz bˈɔːɹn ɪn kˈaʊnti dˌɑːnɪɡˈɔːl, ˈaɪɚlənd ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪntiːn ænd kˈeɪm tə pˈɜːθ, ɑːntˈæɹɪˌoʊ ɪn ˌʌpɚ kˈænədə wɪð hɪz pˈɛɹənts ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti θɹˈiː.
He was born in County Donegal, Ireland in 1819 and came to Perth, Ontario in Upper Canada with his parents in 1823.