Emigration To North America
In 1857 he went to Canada, where he worked “in mercantile pursuits”. There he met many former friends from Amulree. Soon after his arrival, he entered the Active Militia as a member of Company “A” of Perth, Ontario, and served on the frontier during the Fenian Raids of 1865. John Ross states that “…in recognition of his valuable services, the Canadian Government, when under the direction of his warm friend, the Honourable Alexander Mackenzie, gazetted him Honorary Lieutenant of the company with which he served.” . It is probable that Crerar had known Mackenzie, a future Canadian Prime Minister, for a long time, as both came from Dunkeld, Perthshire.
After his military service, Crerar wrote for The Stratford Beacon, in Stratford, Ontario. He went to Toronto and studied for a short session. He then left for New York City, where he furthered his journalistic career. At the time of his marriage in 1869 he was the Assistant Manager of the Scottish American Journal of New York.
He returned to Scotland to wed. On 4 August 1869, he married Jessie Anderson Campbell (born circa 1842 - died before 1916) at the Free Church Manse, of Bridge of Perth, Kilmadock, Perth. Jessie Anderson Campbell was the 27-year-old daughter of Donald Campbell, a hotelkeeper of Langton, and Mary Campbell.
Crerar resided in New York until around 1905. Poems written after 1905 indicate that he returned to Scotland to live out his life. He dedicated several of these later poems to citizens of Crieff, where he spent his final years.
In religion, he was a liberal Presbyterian, attending regularly the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, led by the Reverend Dr. Hall. In Canada he joined the Free Masons, and was an officeholder in the Blue Lodge and Royal Arch. He was also a founding and active member of the Burns Society of New York City.
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