A Scottish pilgrimage History traces path of Scotch Colony immigrants
Gram often endearingly called me her favourite granddaughter. This comment really made me swell with pride.
Alas! All good things must come to an end. One day my older brother Ken was annoyed at me and broke my bubble by saying, "You're Gram's favourite granddaughter cause you are her only granddaughter."
Gee, I had never thought of that before.
Favourite or only, Gram always had a way of making me feel I was special and needed, especially as I sat beside her chair in the evenings as she did her fancy-work.
In the days before Kleenex tissues, she spent many hours making handkerchiefs for the male family members and hankies for the fairer sex.
Sunday handkerchiefs were special as Aunt Sadie embroidered the guy's initials on the corner of a white piece of cotton, while Gram did the hem stitching. The hankies of the ladies would have a little flower embroidered on the corner and Gram would do a fancy crochet stitch as edging.
The women in Victoria County must also have spent countless hours at this task. In May of 1873 as the Scottish settlers on board a river boat approached Kilburn's Landing, they were made to feel welcome by a sea of waving white handkerchiefs. Just about every man, woman and child had gathered there to greet this group who had travelled so far.
A few years earlier, many people living on the craggy east coast of Scotland, near Aberdeen began to think and talk seriously of crossing the seas and establishing a "Scotch Colony" in New Brunswick.
Although they knew little about this far-away country, they had courage and were willing to face the unknown. The ideas of a man being able to own his own land and be his own master was almost beyond belief.
In 1872 Captain William Brown and Robert Stewart arrived in New Brunswick to find a suitable tract of land. They went up the St. John River and visited Glassville. This Scotch Settlement had been settled 10 years earlier by emigrants brought out by Rev. Mr. Glass.
After much discussion with government officials, arrangements were completed for the proposed colony. Captain Brown returned to Scotland and began to organize a party of emigrants who were willing to settle in the New Kincardineshire, N.B.
The first families arrived in Saint John on May 10, 1873 on the ship Castalia. A list of the passengers was published in the Daily Telegraph on May 12, 1873. These folk with all their worldly goods and 198 children went up the St. John River by river boats to Kilburn's Landing.
Although they had received a warm welcome by the settlers already established, they were surprised to find snow still on the ground. Delays and disappointments seem to meet them at every turn. Only two of the 90 houses were ready and these promised homes turned out to be nothing more than crudely built shacks. The logging road into the settlement had not been opened up and the whole area was a sea of mud and melting snow, among other things. This was certainly not the cleared lands and finished houses they were promised.
As the summer approached, consideration was given to bringing out 50 more families from Northeastern Scotland. The new settlements would be known as Kintore and Upper Kintore near to Kincardinshire and Stonehaven.
The next year, on May 14, the Sidonianarrived in Saint John with 219 colonists aboard. A list of the passengers was published in the Daily Telegraph on May 18, 1874.
These Scottish settlers pushed the forests back and cleared the land and planted crops. They were deeply religious and held services in a log cabin at first. By 1878 they had built the Melville Church. It still stands today, part way up the mountain, watching over the graveyard where many of those hardy Scots rest in eternal peace. In front of the church, a replica of a log hut serves as a reminder of their first homes.
The publications A History of the Scotch Colony, Victoria County 1873-1998 and Duncan A. MacPhail's New Kincardineshire provide extensive information on this valiant band of immigrants who burned their bridges behind them and were determined to seek their fortunes in the wilderness of Victoria County.
Query 98-540
Lanigan - O'Leary: I am interested in finding information on Daniel Lanigan, born about 1816 in Ireland and settled in Richiboucto, N.B. He was married to Catherine O'Leary, born about 1820 in Ireland. They had eight children born in the Bouctouce - Richiboucto area and showing in the records of the Wellington Parish. Their children's names were Martin (1840), Patrick (1842), Mary (1845), Kady (1847), James (1849), Catherine (1852), Arthur (1855) and Margaret (1858). I have been unable to locate any ship passenger lists for them to confirm where they originated in Ireland. I believe that Daniel came from Ireland with his family and I would like to locate information on any siblings and the names of his parents. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
- Janice Lanigan, 8998 Queen Mary Blvd., Surrey, B.C., V3V 6R1. E-mail to jplanigan@bc.sympatico.ca.Query 98-541
Douglas - Craik: I am looking for information on John Douglas and Ann (Craik) along with their children: John born about 1823, William (1825), Nicholas - a girl - (1826), Margaret (1828), Robert (1829) and Andrew (1833). They sailed on the brig William and Robert, which departed Liverpool on April 16, 1834, arriving in Saint John, N.B. on May 28, 1834. They were examined by G. Harding M.D. upon arrival. I can't find where they settled. This information is very important to me, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
- Lori Douglas McInnes, #28-4837 Roger Street, Port Alberni, B.C., Canada, V9Y 3Z1. E- mail to mcmann@arrowsmith.net.Query 98-542
Brown: We would like to find the ancestors of Stanley Brown, born October1869 in Sussex, N.B. Siblings were Daisy, Harriet (Palmer), Marian, Harold and Herbert. We believe that their mother's name was Amelia.
- Lawrence and Carol Crump, 32 Paultiel Drive, Toronto, Ont., M2M 3P3. E-mail to crump@sympatico.ca.Query 98-543
Query 98-544
Provan: Walter Provan died at Grand Lake, Queen's County on Sept. 10, 1844. His obituary states he was 59 years old and an inhabitant of N.B. since 1820, being a native of Glasgow, Scotland. He left a wife and 10 children. In August of 1847 his widow Mary, aged 58, died and the funeral was held from the residence of James Provan, Peter Street, Saint John. A son Robert was a doctor in Boston, son Alexander moved to Quebec City, and another son moved to Thornhill, Ontario. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has connections to the Provan name or has information on the family.
- Cliff Floyd Cliff.Floyd@Sympatico.ca.
Reid - Disbrow - Hutchinson: Rebecca S. Reid was born in Saint John about 1828 and married Robert Disbrow on June 4, 1846. He was captain of a ship called the "John Clark" which was presumed lost at sea in the fall of 1847. They had one son, Peter R. Disbrow, born circa 1847. Rebecca married a second time to William Hutchinson, Jr., a barrister in Saint John on June 4, 1853, and he died Jan. 29, 1860. Would like to know what became of Peter R. Disbrow, and whether there were any Hutchinson children. Did Rebecca marry a third time? When did she die?
- Carol G. Norman, 6643 Lennox Ave., Van Nuys, CA, 91405. Or E-mail to cgnorm@earthlink.net.
Ruby Cusack is a genealogy buff living in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. Readers are invited to send their New Brunswick genealogical queries to Ruby at rmcusack@nbnet.nb.ca. When E-Mailing please put Yesteryear Families in the Subject line. Please include in the query, your name and postal address as someone reading the newspaper, may have information to share with you but not have access to E-mail. Queries should be no more than 45 words in length.
New and Used Genealogical and Historical books of New Brunswick for sale.
Back Return to Index Next
Return to Home of RubyCusack dot com