| Emigration from Ireland of 1823 |
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|
Ireland shared in the privation, unemployment and general social disturbance that affected Great
Britain following the close of the Napoleonic wars. And there were several seasons of poor
harvests, almost in succession. In Ireland the potato crops had been especially poor, the blight
working havoc. After much conference and many propositions it was suggested that as a relief for
overpopulation there should be an emigration of people from the South of Ireland, where
conditions seemed the most severe. That families and single men of approved health, physical
condition and character be sent to Upper Canada, where immense tracts of arable lands awaited
settlers. |
|
So under the auspices and intimate direction of Earl Bathurst, at the time Foreign and
Colonial secretary for Great Britain and with financial aid from the British Government together
with aid from private sources, it was decided to at once organize an emigration and send the
people forward. This came about in the latter part of 1822, and spring of 1823. It required a
considerable time, as may well be appreciated, to make preparation. |
|
Col. Peter Robinson, an Upper Canadian, was asked by the British Government to take charge
of the matter. He had served under Sir George Steniffe in the war of 1812-14, in Canada,
was taken prisoner by the American forces, and escaped from MacKinnon, the American
leader, through the enemy's fleet on Lake Ontario or on Lake Erie. Mr. Robinson was
afterwards (1827) made Commissioner of Crown Lands, and built a mill at Newmarket, going into
flour manufacture as a side line. He was brother of the late Chief Justice Beverley
Robinson, Upper Canada, 1829-54. |
|
It appears to have been a selective emigration, to the extent that not all who were willing were
accepted but only those accredited with meeting the conditions as laid down. Special attention
was paid to habits, industry, temperance, to general good character and all successful applicants
were so endorsed by persons fully cognizant of circumstances. Many came from and off the estates
of the landed gentry, some preference being given to those who had a knowledge of and practice in
farming. Single men were accepted. It is interesting to consider the plainly put terms on which
those proposing to emigrate would be accepted, once the matter referred to as above proved to be
satisfactory. Following is a copy of the hand-bill as issued and distributed throughout the
South of Ireland during the latter part of 1822 and spring of 1823, from coast to coast. The
number of applications far exceeded the anticipation and indeed the prescribed limit that had
been set, about 2,000 souls. |
| Emigration to Canada |
|---|
|
Memorandum of the terms on which the Government has agreed to convey a limited number of settlers
from Ireland to Upper Canada, under the superintendence of Mr. Robinson, and to locate them upon
the lands in that Province. And also of the conditions on which the lands shall be
granted. |
| Such emigrants, as the Superintendent shall accept, shall
be conveyed from the place on embarkation in Ireland to their lands in Upper Canada, wholly at
the public charge, and provisions shall be furnished them during the voyage and for one whole
year after their location upon their respective lots. |
| Such farming utensils as are absolutely necessary to a new
settler shall also be found for each head of family, or person receiving a grant of
land. |
| No person above the age of 45 years shall be conveyed to
Upper Canada at the public expense, unless under particular circumstances, in the discretion of
the Superintendent, and no person above that age shall receive a grant of land upon his arrival
in the Colony. |
| Every male above the age of eighteen years and not
exceeding 45 years to whom a certificate shall have been given by the Superintendent that he was
accepted by him as an emigrant settler to receive lands in Upper Canada, shall on his arrival
receive a location ticket, or order for 70 acres of land in such part of the Province as the
Lieut.-Governor, or such person administering the Government, shall assign. |
| And in order that such emigrants as shall be industrious
and prudent may have an opportunity of extending their possessions and providing for the
respectable maintenance of their children, an additional tract of 30 acres, adjoining every such
grant of 70 acres shall be reserved by the Crown ungranted for the space of ten years after the
location of the lot of 70 acres, to afford opportunity to the proprietor of such larger tract of
purchasing the same within the period, by paying the moderate sum of ten pounds,
sterling. |
| The order or location ticket for 70 acres, to be given to
the emigrant on his arrival shall express certain duties of settlement and cultivation, the same
in proportion as are required by the Government to be performed on land granted in Upper Canada
to other settlers and the period to be allowed for the performance if such duties shall also be
expressed in the order. |
| So soon as the settlement duties shall have been performed
the party may obtain his patent on paying the expense of preparing the same, which is supposed
will not exceed two pounds, ten shillings, sterling, on each grant. |
| Each tract of 70 acres so granted may be subjected to the
payment of an annual Quit Rent to the Crown of two pence per acre, to be paid half yearly in such
manner and subject to such penalties and forfeitures, in the case of failures, as shall be
expressed in the Patent, and the same Quit Rent shall be charged also upon the grant of 30
acres. |
| It shall, however, in every case, be in the option of the
Proprietor to redeem the Quit Rent at any time on paying of twenty years purchase and with
respect to the original location of seventy acres, no Quit Rent shall be chargeable until five
years have expired from the time of location. |
| It is intended that all persons who shall be thus assisted
by the Government in removing to Upper Canada shall become actual settlers in the Province and it
is necessary that it should be clearly understood that if the condition of cultivation and
improvement to be specified in the location ticket, shall not be performed within the period
prescribed, or if the person locating on any lot under the present system shall before receiving
his patent for the same, withdraw from Upper Canada, and remain absent for the space of six
months without sufficient cause to be allowed by the Lieutenant-Governor of the Province, the
land so assigned to such person may be given to another applicant. |
|
(Fermoy - Printed by Thomas Lindsay, King Street, opposite Abbey Street, Ireland)
| |
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|
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|
Having obtained consent to go ahead the applicant was supplied with a certificate for passage for
himself and members of his family, if any, or connection accompanying. For amongst the
applicants were cases where whole families of adults, all under the prescribed age, were accepted
and took passage and in the end proved to be of the most successful of the immigrant settlers.
Lands were apportioned to such, on request, and in such connection were established several small
communities all known one to another, and so lightened the privations of the first years in the
forest occupation. |
|
Following is a copy of the Certificate of Passage, as given to one of the heads of families
concerned: |
| No. 109 |
|---|
| Certificate for passage to Upper Canada |
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| (Not Transferable) |
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| Ireland, April 18th, 1823 |
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| Connamore, County of Cork |
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| These are to Certify, that the undermentioned Persons of
the Parish of Listowel, in the County of Kerry, Ireland, have been received by me, as Emigrant
Settlers, to be conveyed to Upper Canada, and placed upon their lands at the expense of His
Majesty's Government. | |
|---|
| Name | Age |
|---|
| Timothy Keane | 42 |
| (Head of Family, farmer) |
| Margaret Keane | 40 |
| (Wife) |
| Mary | 20 |
| Thomas | 19 |
| Catherine | 17 |
| Patrick | 15 |
| Timothy | 12 |
| Johanna | 8 |
| (Children) | |
|---|
| Recommended by Lord Ennismore (signed) P. Robinson
Superintendent of Emigration from South of Ireland to
Canada. | |
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|
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|
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[Transcriber's note: The family given in the example above does not appear in the
"Shipping Lists Of The Hebe And Stakesby" which is the second part of this article.]
|
| Sailed July 8th, 1823 |
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|
Col. Peter Robinson had proceeded to Ireland and placed himself in touch with the several
committees and persons concerned in the preparatory details. The ships "Hebe" and
"Stakesby" had both for years been in use by the Government as troop ships,
carrying soldiers going to and from other countries on military service. Hence both vessels were
well fitted to receive and convey the emigrants to destination. So thorough had been the
preparation and well had details been carried out that sailing was had from the Port of Cork, on
July 8th, 1823, both vessels leaving land together and maintaining, while crossing the wide
Atlantic, as close touch as possible. Surgeon-doctors were placed on each vessel, drawn from the
medical staff of the Royal Navy. |
|
Quebec was reached about the end of August and the entire party, with a few exceptions, brought
forward as far as Prescott, at that time a place of considerable importance and the largest
community in the territory, except Kingston, to the far East, along Lake Ontario. |
| Of settling the emigrants on the land |
|---|
|
To supervise the settlement on lands an Official Land Board had been appointed by the Upper
Canada Government, with Mr. J.H. Powell as chairman, this with approval of the British
authorities. It was officially known as the Land Board for Bathurst District. It is not clear
how allotments and locations were determined for men and families. None under the age of 18
years participated in the gifts of land, though young men of 18 years and over, sons of settlers
and unmarried, were given locations adjoining, as far as possible, the father's homestead. Each
settler was supplied with a location paper, to be retained until the terms for the possession of
the grant of land had been fulfilled. |
|
Follows a copy of the location paper, (or ticket) as it was termed: |
| Land Board. District of Bathurst |
|---|
| Whereas: |
| Roger Cunningham, born at Fermoy, County of Cork,
Ireland, and of the age of thirty-eight years has been conveyed to this country at the Public
Charge, under the Superintendence of the Hon. Peter Robinson, and has produced a certificate of
his being accepted as an Emigrant Settler, to receive land in Upper Canada, and has taken the
oath of Allegiance. |
| We do assign to him seventy acres of land, being the rear
part of the East half of lot Number 6, in concession 11, township of Goulbourn, in the District
of Bathurst, for which having cleared half the width of the Concession Road bounding the said
seventy acres, and having cleared and fenced three and one-half acres within the said location
and erected a dwelling house therein of at least sixteen feet by twenty feet, within two years
from the date hereof, he will be entitled to receive a grant, free of any other than the usual
fee for the Patent. An additional thirty acres, adjoining the said seventy acres will be
reserved for the space of ten years, to commence form this date, which the said Roger Cunningham
will be entitled to receive a grant for, upon paying the sum of ten pounds
sterling. |
| The said several tracts of land to be liable to a Quit Rent
of two pence per acre payable in such times and in such manner as set forth in the Memorandum
published by the authority of the British Government for the information of said
Emigrants. |
Given under our Hands at Perth, Upper Canada, this seventh
day of November, 1824.
(Signed by officer issuing warrant) | |
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|
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| Clearing the land etc. |
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|
All certificates for passage were produced and given up at Prescott, to the officer of the Land
Board, and formed a most material means of identification. The location paper was then made out
and if the emigrant so chose he was at once forwarded and placed on his location. Many availed
themselves of this opportunity so as to get at clearing land and cutting trees for the first log
house to be occupied. Provisions and tools were supplied as in the cases of the military
settlers. No light is thrown from an inspection of the intimate papers and records as to how the
allotments were made. Whether given out in rotation, or by a drawing, or by and at discretion of
the Land Board after the proposed locations had been viewed and pronounced fit for occupation,
previous to the arrival of the settler. The lists of those who came across the ocean, and which
follows in print was taken from the passenger lists of the vessels, and attested to by the
masters of the ships, as required by the very strict shipping regulations of the time. Also from
the location papers on file. These papers bear evidence of having been in possession of the
recipient for a considerable time, being pocket-worn to a degree, tattered and torn and much
disfigured and dirty. It is inferred that these papers were surrendered to the Crown at the time
of receiving the Patent for lands and holdings. |
|
Many of the location papers bear dates of issue as at Perth, Upper Canada, and so signed by the
Chairman of the official Board. Others are attested to as being made out at Ballygibbin,
presumably in Ireland. And of the latter months of 1823 and earlier months of 1824. It may have
been the case that the chairman of the Board proceeded to Ireland in the early months of 1823,
returning to Canada before winter set in. Many of the incoming settlers did not go up on the
lands, directly, on arrival in Canada, but procured such employment as was available until the
spring following, or indeed the summer, for many houses and shelters were required to be built
and much ground to be broken. |
|
Names as spelled on the several application and location papers are spelled as written. Names do
not appear as spelled the same on different papers. In the lists printed following, the names
are given as written on the shipping lists, by the clerk in attendance at the time of going on
board for passage. Even the familiar Irish names as we now have them seemed to be spelled
differently one hundred years ago. It may be noted that very few carry the Irish prefix of "O".
In the immigration of two years later a fair proportion were spelled as in the case of the name
"O'Connell." |
|
Follow the lists as mentioned. It will be understood that the shipping list does not mention
destination or location. Only the general destination of Upper Canada is used. Where the
locations were distributed has been gleaned from the papers returned at the time of completion of
the terms of settlement. Many of these are missing. Many young men were not located, it being
presumed that being under age were not eligible for gifts of lands. Indeed, in general, it was
understood that all persons over 14 years of age were classed as adults. |
See the next section:
Shipping Lists of the Hebe and Stakesby |
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