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Archiver > DUMFRIES-GALLOWAY > 2001-05 > 0988940429


From: Muff Worden <>
Subject: Iceland emigration to North America via Scotland!!
Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 01:40:29 +0000
In-Reply-To: <200105032200.f43M0Qn22987@lists2.rootsweb.com>


Hello, list -

Just to share an interesting tidbit of information I learned today. Many
Icelanders emigrated to the US or Canada between 1830 and 1920, for a
variety of reasons including having farms ruined by volcanic eruptions (ash
covered everything, killed crops and grazing land, animals, etc.), in
particular from this area of the east fjords where I live. The connection
to Scotland is that they traveled to Edinburgh, then took a train to
Glasgow and there caught a steamboat to cross the ocean. I find it
interesting that they would travel southeastward in order to head
southwestward - not sure why ships didn't sail the shorter distance from
Iceland to Glasgow, or sail directly to Canada or the US, but will see if I
can find out. The economic situations were quite similar in the two
countries, as well.

Cheers -

Muff
Muff Worden
Ranargata 3
710 Seydisfjordur
Iceland
Phone: 472-1775 FAX: 472-1776
Car phone: 854-4078
e-mail:
website: http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Opera/1517/

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