EMIGRANTS to Canada mid 1850's on

[Scatza]

Can anyone refer me to sources that may throw some light on WHY there there might have been 'an incentive' to emigratie to Canada from Scotland in the mid 1800's? My William Henry McMurray b. 1832 in Tongland, and his sister Sarah McMurray, born 1835 in Tongland (two of eight children), emigated.  She married in 1861 in Ontario, and he in 1874. I assume, therefore, that they left Scotland in about 1860, or ealier.

Hopefull 
Scatza

[Gadget]

Hi Scatza

Quite a few left aound then (including some of mine). First it was a dribble around the 1820s and then increased. It was probably caused by a number of things - what is called 'the Lowland Clearances', when the land was gradually enclosed (from the late 1700s) and improving leases made it more difficult for ordinary people to get by. Then incentives to move - from family already there and land lotting in Canada, better transport, cheap passages, etc.

These two books would give you a background:

Tom Devine  The Scottish Nation 1700 - 2000  (I think this has been updated)

Peter Aitchison and Andrew Cassell  The Lowland Clearances - Scotland's Silent Revolution, 1760-1830

Gadget 

[Scatza]

Thanks Gadget! When I have finished ploughing through McCulloch's "Galloway:A Land Apart" (thanks to inter-library loans - only 23 library copies in the USA, I'm told), I'll follow up on the two books you recommended. I imagine there must have been some incentive/assistance for my two McMurrays to have 'afforded' the fare to Canada (wish I could find where they sailed from and where they sailed to ....?). I know where they finally ended up living, and 'farming' in Ontario, though I suspect initially life wasn't any easier for them. At least Sarah found a husband there ....the next generation of girls (her nieces) still living in the Stewartry had more of a problem; lots of iligit children Had any more luck with the Burgesses? I'm still looking for James Burgess who married Helen Shaw ...no trace of him except for her death cert.

Megan

[KarenM]

Hi Megan,

Do you have Sarah's death certificate information?  On it states that she has been living in Ontario for 68 years, so that put's her year of arrival c1858.

Karen

[Gadget]

I could have let you borrow my copy of McCulloch. It's a read once and dip in book 

As far as I can remember ,without digging out all my notes, the Canadian Govt were selling plots for 'peanuts' in Upper Canada. Mine settled Toronto (rumoured they once owned the land where the airport is now), Bruce County and the Muskokas.

Have you tried the various Immigrant Ships records on Ancestry and other sources listed on Cyndi's List. I did find some of my names on those.

Just got a few more bits on the Burgesses. They peter out in the 18th century. Family rumour was that John or James were burgess of Dumfries - checked but nothing. I think that was a Transatlantic story 

Gadget