Archie was born in Glengarry County on the Ottawa River. His wife was born in Huron County. As a young man Archie headed for south western Ontario and became a distiller and a merchant at Union near St. Thomas. In 1862 he with his wife and young children, settled on a 200 acre farm two miles west of Byron on what is now known as Kains Road. This farm, called Riverbow Farm, was the home of four generations of the family - a centennial farm.

Archie was a pioneer member of St. Anne's Church, and worked hard to accomplish the rebuilding of the neglected little chapel in 1877 and to have it properly consecrated by Bishop Isaac Hellmuth in 1878.