John Prain, warden of the county of Wellington, is a native of Perthshire, Scotland, and was born May 29, 1830, his parents being George and Ann (Sim) Frain. Frain is a rare name in Scotland, except in some parts of Perthshire and Forfarshire, it there being common. John was educated at a parish school in his native country; farmed until about twenty years of age; worked for a few years for a company engaged on public roads, and in the spring of 1858 came to Canada West, and settled in the township of Minto, four miles from Harriston, where he has been engaged in farming since that date, having one hundred and fifty acres largely under improvement. He has one of the best orchards in the township, and his farm is well stocked with cattle, horses, sheep and hogs, a portion of them thoroughbreds. He is ranked among the thrifty agriculturists of Minto industrious, painstaking, and a prudent manager. He has been president of both the township and county Agricultural Societies, and is now a director of one or both.
Mr. Prain has been a school trustee, deputy reeve and reeve, and is warden of the county a position which he has merited by his excellent business habits, and the interest which he takes in county as well as township matters. His politics are Conservative.
Mr. Prain is a trustee and one of the managers of the Guthrie Presbyterian church, at Harriston, and his character stands high in the community.
December 12, 1851, he married Miss Betsy Keith, of Forfarshire, Scotland. They have no children.
Our subject is very much of a self made man: was early put on a farm his father being a boot and shoemaker; took care of himself after he was nine years old, and attended largely to his own education. Whatever he has of this world’s goods, is the result of his own hard earnings.