John MacNider was born on July 29, 1822, in Montreal, Quebec.

In 1829, together with his brother William, John inherited the Seigneury of Métis from John MacNider (1760-1829), their father's uncle. Their father Adam Lymburner MacNider (1788-1840) administered it until his death. At some point, the Seigneury was divided into two equal parts, which came to be known as Grand-Métis and Métis-sur-Mer or Petit Métis; John taking the former. In 1851, he ran into financial difficulties and sold Grand-Métis to the merchant brothers Archibald and David Ferguson of Montreal. He moved to New Richmond, Wisconsin where he was a farmer. He also served as the Justice of the Peace.

In 1845, he married Jane Abigail Johnson (1824–1875) and in 1877, he remarried Frances Helen Southworth (1837–1912). He died on October 23, 1882, in New Richmond, St. Croix County, Wisconsin.

Archibald Macmurchy was born on March 10, 1832, in Stewartfield, Kintyre, Argyleshire, Scotland.

He was an educator and author. He studied at the University of Toronto (B.A., 1861; M.A., 1868). In 1872, he became rector and headmaster of the Jarvis St. Collegiate Institute and served in this position until 1899. He was also a member of the Senate of the University of Toronto (1877-1884). In 1907, the University of Toronto conferred on him the degree of LL. D for his services to education. He was a personal friend of Sir John Macdonald, with whom he had considerable correspondence. In 1904, he published "Handbook of Canadian Literature (English)".

In 1859, he married Marjory Jardine Ramsay (1838–1889). He died on April 27, 1912, in Toronto, Ontario.