Cameron, James M. (1971) a Study of the Factors That Assisted and Directed Scottish Emigration to Upper Canada, 1815-1855
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Cameron, James M. (1971) A study of the factors that assisted and directed Scottish emigration to Upper Canada, 1815-1855. Vol. 1. PhD thesis. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/3516/ Copyright and moral rights for this thesis are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Glasgow Theses Service http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] A STUDY OF THE FACTORS THAT ASSISTED AND DIRECTED SCOTTISH EMIGRATION TO UPPER CANADA, 1815-1855 VOLUME JAMES M. CAMERON Thesis presented for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy of the University of Glasgow, August 1970 CONTENTS Page Abstract i Acknowledgements ii List of Illustrations iii List of Tables iv Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Chapter 2 Government 27 Chapter 3 Land Companies and Land Speculators in Upper Canada 55 Societies Unions 86 Chapter .4 Emigration and Trade Chapter 5 Periodicals, Newspapers and Books 136 Chapter 6 The Churches 218 Chapter 7 Landlords A. Changes in Landlords' Attitudes Towards Emigration 281 B. Individual Landlords 327 Chapter 8 Friends and Relatives 431 Chapter 9 Scottish Ports, Shipping and Emigration Agents 453 Chapter 10 Other Aspects of these Emigrations 549 Chapter 11 Conclusion 574 Appendix: I Emigrant Letters 582 II The New Statistical Account (1835-1845) and Emigration from Scotland 586 III "An introduction to the study of Scottish Settlement of Southern Ontario -a comparison of place names" by James M. Cameron Ontario History vol. LXI No. 3 Sept. 1969 598 pp. 167-172 Select Bibliography 601 ABSTRACT The first half of the nineteenth century witnessed the beginning of large scale emigration between Scotland and the British colony of Upper Canada. In any migration there are a number of factors which act as obstacles to the migration flow (factors) and a number of agencies which operate to overcome these obstacles. This study examines in turn those factors that assisted and directed Scottish emigration to Upper Canada between 1815 and 1855. Its focus is on a dynamic aspect of population - migration - and it examines in detail the spatial distribution of a variety of factors, influencing and directing the movements of large numbers of people. Eight major factors are evaluated as to their influence over time on the character, volume and direction of this emigration. These eight factors are qualitatively ranked on the basis of the factors' role in overcoming various obstacles and the number of emigrants who were assisted and influenced. The three factors in the first order are friends and relatives; periodicals, newspapers and books; and Scottish ports, shipping and emigration agents. These three factors were all of critical importance by acting as positive and continuing links in the migration process, through the provision of information, encouragement and an organizational structure. i The three factors in the second order - government; emigration societies and trade unions; and landlords were in some ways less significant in the overall emigration. These factors generally tended to act as positive links in the migration process during limited time periods and in specific areas. The two factors in the third order - land companies and land speculators in Upper Canada and churches were relatively the least significant. They often related to small groups and individual personalities and tended to be of more significance when the emigrants began to settle in their new environment. The first half of the nineteenth century was a period of tremendous change and development both in Scotland and in Upper Canada. This study examines a significant yet often neglected aspect of this process of change. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It is very difficult to adequately acknowledge the many people who provided varying amounts of assistance to the writer. In particular, I wish to express my appreciation for the interest, help and encouragement of Dr. James B. Caird of the Geography Department, University of Glasgow. I am also indebted to the librarians and other staff of the University of Glasgow Library, the Mitchell Library, Glasgow, the National Library of Scotland, the Scottish Record Office and the Public Record Office, London. My thanks are also due to Mrs. Elaine Yates, who typed the majority of this thesis and whose good nature has made the work much less onerous. In addition, I acknowledge, with thanks, a Fellowship from the Canada Council (1967-69) which made it possible for me to undertake the present study. Finally, mention must be made of my wife June who quite literally "kept the home fires burning" and our new friends in Glasgow and Scotland whose companionship made my family's life there both stimulating and enjoyable. 111 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Af ter Figure page 1.1 Emigration from British Isles, 1815-1860 11 1.2 Arrivals at Port of Quebec, 1830-1860 12 1.3 Arrivals at Port of Quebec from Scotland, 1815-1860 2.1 Petitions to the British Government requesting assisted emigration to Canada from Scotland, Jan. 1st, 1825 to May 29th, 1827.33 (Ontario): 3.1 Upper Canada approximate limits of surveyed townships for selected periods between 1788 and 1867 and selected speculators 58 3.2 Canada Company agencies in Scotland 61 3.3 Enpjoyment for Labourers, or Farmers of Small Capital. and Land for Sale in Upper Canada (Canada Company broadsheet) 64 4.1 Location of emigration societies in Central Scottish Lowlands, 1819-50 99 4.2 To the Nobility, Bankers and Merchants of Scotland (emigration society petition) 99 6.1 Location of Presbyterian Congregations in Upper Canada, c. 1840 222 7.1 Abstract of Ar yll Estate Accounts - Tiree and Mull 1846-1849(51) 344 7.2 Areas of landlord - assisted emigration to Upper and Lower Canada, 1815-1855 397 8.1 Approximate source areas of Scottish immigrants in the townships of Wellington County, Upper Canada 439 8.2 Location of surname ('Campbell" in Ontario, 1878 1+43 8.3 An indication of Scottish settlements in the Queen's Bush (Grey and Bruce Counties), 1840-1580 444 9.1 Emigration from Scottish parts to the St. Lawrence, 1831-1837 456 iv After Figure page 9.2 Emigration from Scottish parts to the St. Lawrence, 1838-1855 456 9.3 Generalized drawing areas for emigration to the St. Lawrence, 1840-1855 458 9.4 Drawing area, by Counties of the Clyde to British North America, 1832 473 9.5 Location of D. McLennan and J. Sutherlandts sub-agents in northern Scotland, c. 1842-45 502 9.6 Shipping advertisement Glasgow Herald March 23,1832 510 9.7 Passengers' contract ticket, 1843 518 9.8 View of Glasgow Harbour, c. 1847 521 Appendix II. 1 Parishes Recording Emigration in New Statistical Account of Scotland 588 11.2 General Time Periods of Emigration from. Parishes according to New Statistical Account 589 III. 1 Location of Place Names in Scotland appearing in Southern Ontario 598 111.2 Location in Southern Ontario of Place Names of general Scottish Origin 598 111.3 Location in Southern Ontario of Place Names of Highland and Lowland Scottish Origin 598 V I CHAPTER1 INTRODUCTION This introductory chapter presents a case for the study of migration by geographers and discusses briefly some of the com- plex aspects of migration, as well as outlining the approach which is used in the following study. The chapter concludes with a des- cription of the general scene in Scotland and Upper Canada during the period under examination. A number of geographers have attempted to show the significance of the study of population as one role for the geographer. Two professional articles stand out in this connection. In the spring of 1953, Glenn T. Trewartha's presidential address before the Association of American Geographers was entitled, "A Case for Population Geography. " In this address (and subsequent article') Trewartha discussed the general treatment of population in the development of geographical thought and suggested a number of reasons why this aspect of the field had been neglected. He then presented a case for the importance of population geography as a third and distinct element (as against the cultural earth and the physical earth) within the scope of discipline and then gave a systematic outline of content which was "intended to be generally applicable to the area analysis of population. "2 Trewartha's argument can perhaps best be summarized by the following quotation, "Population is the point of reference from which all the other elements are observed and from which they all, singly and collectively, derive significance and meaning. It is population which furnishes the focus. "3 The second article referred to above was written by David J. M. Hooson entitled The distribution of population as the essential geographical expression" and appeared in the Canadian Geographer in November, 1960.4 Hooson begins with a brief examination of the various traditions in geography in particular the growth of the anthropocentric focus. He then proceeds to stress the importance of the distribution of population and the factors related to this dis- tribution. In summary, "The distribution of population is the key to the whole geographical personality of a region ---- distribution is the vital concept distinguishing geography from other social sciences and from history. "5 Numerous other geographers have written both articles and books covering the field of population geography, particularly beginning in the 19601s. 6 One of the dynamic elements in population geography is migra- tion.