The "clearing" of the Highlands is a rather dark period of Scottish history. Whole villages and often whole islands in the Hebrides were "cleared". In some instances the operation was absolutely brutal, while other episodes were quite humane. Fortunately, Sir James Matheson, was a benevolent landlord, in that he offered free passage to Canada for his tennant crofters. However, it should be noted that once it was determined that who was to be evicted, they were evicted.
It seems that the Isle of Lewis could no longer support its population and the crofters could not afford to pay their rent to Matheson. This was a losing situation for Matheson, who decided that there was money to be made by raising sheep on the island. The grazing grounds were occupied by these many crofters, so they would have to be removed. Many families took advantage of Matheson's offer of passage to Canada, my ancestors were among them.
Many highlanders were not so fortunate. The Sutherland clearances, for example, were extremely violent, resulting in deaths, people being trampled by horses, beaten by constables and homes and belongings being burned to the ground. Often evictees were literally dragged to the waiting sailing ships.
To read more about the clearances, including the brutality of them, see the links provided.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
The Lewis Settlement
"Prior to 1851 Sir James Matheson purchased Lewis Island. The people, or crofters as they were called, had a hard time making a living, the soil was poor and they raised sheep and fished in the sea. Many were unable to meet their rents to the landlord, so he evicted them from their croftings. He bought their sheep and offered them free passage to Canada. He had two sailing boats taking pig iron over the Atlantic ocean.
On May 30, 1851 these people with their families boarded these two sailing vessels at Stornoway, Lewis Island. The trip over was long and hazardous. Durng a terrible storm in mid-Atlantic some of the iron had to be cast overboard and one of the boats lost two masts. It was fortunate that all of the men were sailors. After nine weeks and four days the boats docked at Quebec on Aug. 4th, 1851.
From Quebec they went down the St. Lawrence River to Fort St. Francis. Here they divided into two groups. And the larger group went down the St. Francis River to settle in Compton County in the province of Quebec. There they named their village Stornoway.
The smaller party went to Montreal where they changed boats and proceeded on up Lake Ontario touching at Toronto and then landing at Hamilton.
From August to December they stayed at Hamilton where they worked at railroad construction. To add to their troubles, smallpox spread through their families and some died. In December they went to Guelph, Galt, Stratford and even to Goderich in search of work.
During the summer of 1852 they all gathered in Goderich, including some who came right from Lewis that summer and early in Sept. they moved to Huron township ----109 families in all.
They settled on the 12th, 10th, 8th, 6th and 4th concessions of Huron township. Here are the family names of these Lewis settlers---MacDonald, Martyn, MacLay, Murray, MacLean, Matheson, MacLennan, Smith, MacIver, Graham, Campbell, MacKenzie, MacFarlane, MacLeod, MacGregor, McKay, Martin and MacArthur."
The above is an excerpt from "Jane Fyfe Yemen's Scrapbook", ISBN 0-9691523-0-2.
Jane was the daughter of Thomas Fyfe Yemen. Thomas and his family arrived in Bruce County in 1867.
On May 30, 1851 these people with their families boarded these two sailing vessels at Stornoway, Lewis Island. The trip over was long and hazardous. Durng a terrible storm in mid-Atlantic some of the iron had to be cast overboard and one of the boats lost two masts. It was fortunate that all of the men were sailors. After nine weeks and four days the boats docked at Quebec on Aug. 4th, 1851.
From Quebec they went down the St. Lawrence River to Fort St. Francis. Here they divided into two groups. And the larger group went down the St. Francis River to settle in Compton County in the province of Quebec. There they named their village Stornoway.
The smaller party went to Montreal where they changed boats and proceeded on up Lake Ontario touching at Toronto and then landing at Hamilton.
From August to December they stayed at Hamilton where they worked at railroad construction. To add to their troubles, smallpox spread through their families and some died. In December they went to Guelph, Galt, Stratford and even to Goderich in search of work.
During the summer of 1852 they all gathered in Goderich, including some who came right from Lewis that summer and early in Sept. they moved to Huron township ----109 families in all.
They settled on the 12th, 10th, 8th, 6th and 4th concessions of Huron township. Here are the family names of these Lewis settlers---MacDonald, Martyn, MacLay, Murray, MacLean, Matheson, MacLennan, Smith, MacIver, Graham, Campbell, MacKenzie, MacFarlane, MacLeod, MacGregor, McKay, Martin and MacArthur."
The above is an excerpt from "Jane Fyfe Yemen's Scrapbook", ISBN 0-9691523-0-2.
Jane was the daughter of Thomas Fyfe Yemen. Thomas and his family arrived in Bruce County in 1867.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Smiths of Lewis
Neil Smith, his wife Christina Campbell and children Alexander, Donald, Angus, Allan, John and Jane left their island home in the summer of 1851 bound for Canada. Upon arrival in America, they first stayed in Hamilton for the winter. The next spring they settled in North Easthope, Perth County, Ontario, where they shared a log cabin with a family of MacGregors. By the year 1857 the family is in Bruce County, Ontario, where they have purchased a 100 acre farm, Lot 21 Concession 3. One tax record indicates that they also owned Lot 20, but they did not hold on to it for more than a year. The records show that Alexander is the property owner and head of household, so I assuming that Neil died in Perth.
The farm stayed in the Smith family for almost one hundred years before being sold. The descendants of this family have spread across Canada and the United States.
John Smith, son of Neil, married Mary MacIver in 1875 and took over the farm. They had a family consisting of Kenneth Neil, Angus, Daniel William, John Alexander, George Allan and Marybelle.
Angus Smith is my grandfather. Angus was a plasterer, having been taught by his father. He plastered train stations across Canada as the railroad moved westward. He married Christena MacDonald of Ripley, Ontario and they moved to Melville, Saskatchewan. They and their family moved often, Angus following the work of plastering train stations. The last stop of the railroad was North Vancouver, British Columbia. This is where I am from.
Neil Smith, his wife Christina Campbell and children Alexander, Donald, Angus, Allan, John and Jane left their island home in the summer of 1851 bound for Canada. Upon arrival in America, they first stayed in Hamilton for the winter. The next spring they settled in North Easthope, Perth County, Ontario, where they shared a log cabin with a family of MacGregors. By the year 1857 the family is in Bruce County, Ontario, where they have purchased a 100 acre farm, Lot 21 Concession 3. One tax record indicates that they also owned Lot 20, but they did not hold on to it for more than a year. The records show that Alexander is the property owner and head of household, so I assuming that Neil died in Perth.
The farm stayed in the Smith family for almost one hundred years before being sold. The descendants of this family have spread across Canada and the United States.
John Smith, son of Neil, married Mary MacIver in 1875 and took over the farm. They had a family consisting of Kenneth Neil, Angus, Daniel William, John Alexander, George Allan and Marybelle.
Angus Smith is my grandfather. Angus was a plasterer, having been taught by his father. He plastered train stations across Canada as the railroad moved westward. He married Christena MacDonald of Ripley, Ontario and they moved to Melville, Saskatchewan. They and their family moved often, Angus following the work of plastering train stations. The last stop of the railroad was North Vancouver, British Columbia. This is where I am from.
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