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Topic: David Armit of The Hudson's Bay Company (Read 537 times)
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Chiad Fhear
RootsChat Member
Posts: 220
Aye mair questions than answers!
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Hi there Canadian 'cousins'
I'm researching the family tree ... Why else would I be here?
I recently had a surprise when I found that a maternal Great Grandaunt, Christina Pearson, from fife had married a farmer Robert Armit in Orkney and he was also from a Fife family. Since that, things have moved on a pace and, thanks to a Canadian contact, I now have details for some of their family who emigrated to Canada. Naturally, I'd like more and appeal to anyone connected to the family to contact me.
ROBERT JOHN ARMIT was born 12 Jun 1810 in Westray, Orkney, and died 28 Jun 1892 in Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney. He married CHRISTIAN PEARSON 30 Oct 1844 in Westray & Papa Westray, Orkney, daughter of DAVID PEARSON and CHRISTIAN WYLLIE. She was born 1816 in Kilconquhar, Fife (see Notes), and died 11 Mar 1889 in Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney.
Children of ROBERT ARMIT and CHRISTIAN PEARSON are:
i. JOHN OLIPHANT ARMIT, b. 04 Feb 1846, Westray, Orkney; d. 03 Apr 1919, 616 Church Street, Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada.
ii. CHRISTIAN WYLIE RANKEN ARMIT, b. 29 May 1847, Westray, Orkney; d. 24 Feb 1936, 6 Queens Road, Stonehaven, Kincardineshire; m. ARCHIBALD ROBERTSON; d. Bef. 1936.
iii. DAVID ARMIT, b. 16 Dec 1848, Westray, Orkney; d. 07 Feb 1923, Strathclair, Manitoba, Canada.
iv. ALEXANDER ADAMSON ARMIT, b. 12 Aug 1850, Westray, Orkney; d. 19 Apr 1914, Minnedosa, Manitoba, Canada.
v. JEAN DUNCAN ARMIT, b. 23 Jan 1852, Kilconquhar, Fife.
vi. FOTHERINGHAM ARMIT, b. 20 Dec 1853, Kirkwall, Orkney; d. 19 Jul 1934, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
vii. WILLIAM RANKEN FORTUNE ARMIT, b. 19 Nov 1855, Kirkwall, Orkney; d. 01 Apr 1858, St Catherine Cottage, Kirkwall, Orkney.
viii. MARY GIBSON ARMIT, b. 06 Aug 1859, Kirkwall, Orkney; d. 02 Jun 1920, 115 Queen Street, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.
David worked for The Husdon's Bay Company and in ‘Place Names of Manitoba’ by Penny Ham : Western Producer Prairie Books, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (1980) there are two entries appertaining to David:
“ARMIT, lake, west of Swan Lake, Manitoba-Saskatchewan border – This lake, in the Porcupine Provincial forest Reserve, was named by J.B. Tyrrell when he was surveying the area. After David Armit, chief trader, Hudson’s Bay Company in Manitoba House in 1889.
“ARMIT, river, flows northwest into Red Deer Lake – Also named by Tyrrell for David Armit.”
In ‘The Men of the Hudson’s Bay Company, 1670-1920’ by Nathaniel M. W. J. McKenzie : Fort William [Times-Journal Presses] (1921), there are some fifteen mentions of David, four of which follow here:
Chapter II
“The Boss, Chief Factor Archie McDonald, was not at the fort on our arrival ... His second in command, David Armit, was the only white man we saw. (By the way he happened to be an Orkney man, and had then been eight years in the service.) I was as glad to meet him as if I had found a shilling. He was also glad to see some one from the homeland and I was able to give him some fresh Orkney news, especially as I knew all his people and he knew all my people, so we had a real talk to each other in the old Orkney dialect, which made me feel altogether different in my new surroundings."
Chapter V
“In 1878 or 79, after the Carlton council, Mr. David Armit received his commission or parchment as it was generally called, raising him to the first grade, above senior clerk, carrying with it the title of ‘Junior Chief Trader.’”
Chapter VIII
“I did not like the other part of the trade, and I think Mr. Armit was sorry that he ever recommended building a mill and pig-ranch at Riding Mountain. Nevertheless, he stuck to it, and made the Post pay as long as he remained in charge of it, helping many of the early settlers and farmers round that part of the country.”
Chapter XX - The author describes a series of visits he made ...
“I then came down to Elphinston and visited David and Mrs. Armit, and Donald McKinnon on their respective farms, which were near each other.”
I'm sure there are gaps and others out there who know the family.
Please get in touch
Regards
Chiad Fhear
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« Last Edit: Thursday 21 May 09 10:36 BST (UK) by Chiad Fhear »
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Aye mair questions than answers in a world where the past was a different place - that cannae be revisited! Family surnames being researched ... Crawford, Neilson, Lindsay, Reekie, Davidson Drummond, Pearson, Laing ... will do for starters but there's a whole lot more! Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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Jacquie in Canada
RootsChat Aristocrat
Posts: 1125
Canadian, eh!
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You might want to contact the Archives of Manitoba as the Hudson's Bay Company Archives were donated to the Province of Manitoba and are held at the Archives of Manitoba. They may have more information about David Armit. Here's a link to that section of the Archives' website:
http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/hbca/index.html
Jacquie
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Canada: Patterson, Brown, Haidenger/Heidinger, Meyer, Johnston(e), Gorsuch, Kitchin/Kitchen
United States: Patterson, Smith, Brown, Vance, Bower(s), Newberry, Best, Love, Gorsuch
England (Northumberland): Brown, Whitfield, Henderson
Scotland (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Fife, East Lothian): Johnston(e), Bell, Galloway, Campbell, Robertson, Williamson, Thomson, Crawford
Germans from Russia: Haidenger/Heidinger, Meyer, Meach, Lorenz
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Chiad Fhear
RootsChat Member
Posts: 220
Aye mair questions than answers!
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Many thanks Jacquie
I'll be looking there too 
I see you're looking for Crawford connections. Tutum te Robore Redam Tell me more!
Regards
Chiad Fhear
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Logged
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Aye mair questions than answers in a world where the past was a different place - that cannae be revisited! Family surnames being researched ... Crawford, Neilson, Lindsay, Reekie, Davidson Drummond, Pearson, Laing ... will do for starters but there's a whole lot more! Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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Jacquie in Canada
RootsChat Aristocrat
Posts: 1125
Canadian, eh!
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My Crawford connection is in Fife. It is pretty far back and rather tentative. I have a David Galloway who I believe was the son of Euphemia Crawford and Thomas Galloway. I believe Euphemia and Thomas had 6 children - five sons (John, my David, Thomas, James and Crawford) and one daughter (Catherine) born between 1764 and 1776. The first four were born in Falkland and the last two in Leslie. My lines seemed to following naming tradition so I think my Euphemia may have been the daughter of David Crawford and Catherine Davidson which would mean she was bapitised 14 Sep 1735 and possibly had at least three sisters (Mary, Isabel and a unnamed girl).
Jacquie
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Canada: Patterson, Brown, Haidenger/Heidinger, Meyer, Johnston(e), Gorsuch, Kitchin/Kitchen
United States: Patterson, Smith, Brown, Vance, Bower(s), Newberry, Best, Love, Gorsuch
England (Northumberland): Brown, Whitfield, Henderson
Scotland (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Fife, East Lothian): Johnston(e), Bell, Galloway, Campbell, Robertson, Williamson, Thomson, Crawford
Germans from Russia: Haidenger/Heidinger, Meyer, Meach, Lorenz
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Chiad Fhear
RootsChat Member
Posts: 220
Aye mair questions than answers!
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My Crawford connection is in Fife...
Hi again Jacquie
Although now Fife, my paternal Crawford line is originally - as far as I can gather so far - from Argyllshire.
I'm pretty sure the name crops up in a PYDE/PRIDE side-shoot though! I'll check and report to you later.
Regards
Chiad Fhear
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Logged
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Aye mair questions than answers in a world where the past was a different place - that cannae be revisited! Family surnames being researched ... Crawford, Neilson, Lindsay, Reekie, Davidson Drummond, Pearson, Laing ... will do for starters but there's a whole lot more! Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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Chiad Fhear
RootsChat Member
Posts: 220
Aye mair questions than answers!
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I also have connections to the ARMITT Family who originated from Fife ... From the reserach I and a cousin have done it would seem the Armitt's of Fife are possibly all connected although my distant cousin as not as yet found a common ancestor.
Hi genresearch
Thanks for your contribution.
'My' ARMIT family line appear to have been from the East of Fife on the lands of Polduff - laterly Winchester - now swallowed up in land owned by the Fairmont Hotel owners. There are a number of them - the ARMIT family that is - interred in the Cathedral Burial Ground here in St Andrews.
I have paternal Neilson family from the Hurlford area where they were railway locomotive firemen and/or drivers or station clerks and/or station-masters.
Regards
Chiad Fhear
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Logged
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Aye mair questions than answers in a world where the past was a different place - that cannae be revisited! Family surnames being researched ... Crawford, Neilson, Lindsay, Reekie, Davidson Drummond, Pearson, Laing ... will do for starters but there's a whole lot more! Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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Chiad Fhear
RootsChat Member
Posts: 220
Aye mair questions than answers!
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My Crawford connection is in Fife.
Hi again Jacquie
I know we're digressing from the initial thread, but I've found the connection to Crawford in Fife other than my own that I thought I had ...
THOMAS PRIDE was born 02 Jan 1863 in Kettle, Fife, and died 25 Apr 1937 in Pitscottie, Ceres, Fife. He married HELEN ISOBELL CRAWFORD 22 Apr 1887 in Cults, Fife. She died 08 Dec 1936 in Pitscottie, Ceres, Fife.
There is another one - also with a Pride/Pride connection but out along another branch:
JAMES PRIDE was born 08 Oct 1851 in Cameron, Fife. He married ANNE CRAWFORD 15 Dec 1876 in Classlochie, Kinross, Kinross-shire. She was born Abt. 1854 in Strathmiglo, Fife.
More than that I don't have. Neither one is a main branch ofmy tree and so haven't done too much work done on them.
Do you think there's any link?
Regards
Chiad Fhear
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Logged
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Aye mair questions than answers in a world where the past was a different place - that cannae be revisited! Family surnames being researched ... Crawford, Neilson, Lindsay, Reekie, Davidson Drummond, Pearson, Laing ... will do for starters but there's a whole lot more! Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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Jacquie in Canada
RootsChat Aristocrat
Posts: 1125
Canadian, eh!
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I don't have any of those. I haven't done too much research into the Crawford line. It is mostly circumstantial evidence that I've used to make the tentative link to parents for Euphemia Crawford. From what I found, Euphemia only had sisters so, assuming they all married, it would seem that Crawford line ended there.
However I may have a Pride/Pryde connection. Again using circumstantial evidence, I believe it is possible that Thomas Galloway's mother was named Eupham Pride and that she was born in the St. Andrews' area.
Jacquie
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Canada: Patterson, Brown, Haidenger/Heidinger, Meyer, Johnston(e), Gorsuch, Kitchin/Kitchen
United States: Patterson, Smith, Brown, Vance, Bower(s), Newberry, Best, Love, Gorsuch
England (Northumberland): Brown, Whitfield, Henderson
Scotland (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Fife, East Lothian): Johnston(e), Bell, Galloway, Campbell, Robertson, Williamson, Thomson, Crawford
Germans from Russia: Haidenger/Heidinger, Meyer, Meach, Lorenz
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J.J.
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 5965
Census Crown © www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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you will have tons of information from the HBC archives !
The denny files in the Glenbow museum have information on metis families...Armit, David and Mary Taylor. Mary must have had native blood...
http://www.glenbow.org/collections/search/findingAids/archhtm/denney.cfm
"The Company of adventurers"
a narrative of seven years in the service of the Hudson's Bay company during 1867-1874, on the great buffalo plains, with historical and biographical notes and comments"
http://www.archive.org/stream/companyofadventu00cowirich/companyofadventu00cowirich_djvu.txt
The publication starts with him as an apprentice clerk
also has: Armit was the grandson of a minister of Kirkwall, and son of a gentleman farmer near that place, the family being connections of Mr. William Armit, of the Hudson's Bay office in London, and afterwards secretary."
It mentions he is good with a gun, was posted at White Horse Plains, ( west of Winnipeg ) , when retired as chief trader, farmed at Elphinstone, Manitoba...describes a trip to Norway House ( in the North), a meeting with "Whiskey Jack", visits to the Lower & Upper Fort Garry.
Here's their list of provisions for a trip:
"Twelve pounds " biscuits," four cured buffalo tongues, eight pounds salt pork, ten pounds dried buffalo meat, six
pounds fresh beef, one pound Congou tea, four pounds loaf sugar, half pint country salt, half gallon port wine."
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J.J.
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 5965
Census Crown © www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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*marks IGI submissions...all else http://vitalstats.gov.mb.ca//Query.php - many children listed as well!
Born to mother Mary Taylor
*birth confirmed by scrip Christine Anne ARMIT Oct. 31, 1874 - Fort Ellice, Mb.
*birth confirmed by scrip - ROBERT ( OLIPHANT ) ARMIT Feb. 21, 1876 Fort Ellice, Mb.
JOHN RAE ARMIT Sept. 22, 1877 r.m. of Fort Ellice
( m. WESTBOURNE Nov.13, 1899 to CAROLINE ELIZABETH ASHAM )
* Nellie McDONALD (MACLEAN) ARMIT Aug. 20, 1879-Riding Mountain (scrip says 20 March )
(m. Winnipeg Aug.21,1905 to FRANCIS GORDON MCKERSON)
Mary Louisa ARMIT June 3, 1883 - R.M. MINNEDOSA
( m . STRATHCLAIR Feb. 24,1908 W. V. STEPHENS)
David Edward ARMIT- Sept. 11, 1884 - R.M. STRATHCLAIR
(m. Winnipeg Sept.6, 1911 to ELIZABETH MARY JANE FRANCES THORNTON )
Born to mother Ellen Grey
Unamed ARMIT baby : April 15 /1883 PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE
Mary ARMIT - July 6 /1891 PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE
Ellen Jane ARMIT Sept. 25 1884 PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE
ARCHIBALD ROBERTSON ARMIT- Aug. 25, 1895 - BRANDON
FANNIE ARMIT- Nov.. 9, 1886 - R.M. OF PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE
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« Last Edit: Thursday 21 May 09 20:25 BST (UK) by J.J. »
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Chiad Fhear
RootsChat Member
Posts: 220
Aye mair questions than answers!
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J.J.
For some reason the auto response to tell me there was/were follow-ups didn't work with your information 
Thanks a million ... great information  and I'll 'digest' it at home this evening.
I've also found more on David's sister FOTHERINGHAM ARMIT, b. 20 Dec 1853. Seems she married in London and emigrated to Australia ... but that's another part of the story!
Regards
Chiad Fhear
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Logged
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Aye mair questions than answers in a world where the past was a different place - that cannae be revisited! Family surnames being researched ... Crawford, Neilson, Lindsay, Reekie, Davidson Drummond, Pearson, Laing ... will do for starters but there's a whole lot more! Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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