SCT-ISLEOFMULL-L Archives

From: "Mary M. Hoff" <>
Subject: Re: 1849 lLetter from Canada
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 06:36:48 -0800

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Here is the letter written from King Twnsp (near Toronto) back to Mull in 1849.
It was copied from the original in the Argyll Archives by a gentleman from
London and given to the Ross of Mull Historical Centre.

>From Archibald MacGillvray
Township of King
20th Dec. 1849

Addressed to:
Mr. John MacLean
Shiba Ross
Isle of Mull
Scotland
North Britain

My dear nephew,

I drop these lines to inform you that we sailed on the 14th of July and arrived
here on the 12th of August--being at Quebec--we had no mishaps among us on board
except the death of Alex. MacKellar from Lochgilphead whose corpse was cast
overboard on the 4th day of us setting sail. When we arrived at Quarantine
Island there were twenty-one vessels at anchor before us, all full of
passengers. We arrived one day previous to them that sailed before us. I have
to inform you that all the emigrants got a very favourable passage at sea, but I
am sorry to say that great numbers of them suffered on their arrival at Toronto.

John Campbell and his wife died and their children are with Neil McGilvray. And
Neil McGilvray who left Shiaba and his wife and daughter and the youngest bairn
and Malcolm Campbell and his wife died also and a daughter of Alexander
MacDonald of Suie who left Iona. Robert Campbell who left Shiaba died after
taking cold water (being too hot)--We left Quebec on Tuesday and arrived at
Toronto on Sunday. The expenses between Quebec and Toronto were 8/- a head and
luggage free and I was on Tuesday next at eleven o
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?clock at John, my uncle?s
house where I stayed more than 3 months.

The country is very plenteous and we have a very fresh crop of potatoes=
.Provisions are too cheap. Wheat sells at about 3/8 per 60lb bag, which=
is
called a bushel. People are very well off as far as I have seen as yet=
and have
their living in earnest. My uncle killed 7 pigs and a cow for his tabl=
e. Land
is very scarce about here and they have a ready market for everything t=
hey can
part with and as convenient as though they were near Glasgow. A man wi=
th money
might do well in Canada and might double his capital in a few years. T=
here is
many a man buys land here and then sells doubling his money. A man wit=
h a
strong family willing to labour will soon become independent and a man =
with a
helpless family need not look to think he will be better off here than =
at home.
There are carding mills and Fouling mills and grist mills within 2 mile=
s on
every hand you will turn here. Tell Lachlan that his father is anxious=
to see
him and if he can see an opportunity to come next year or his son at an=
y rate.

I was not up yet at the new country which they call at home Owen Sound.=
It is
so divided into districts by which the old names will soon be extinct,=
but
there is no grants given just now. What was granted is all taken up by=
the
settlers as fast as they could survey it.

Tell Donald MacLean that I have not seen Hugh MacLean, his brother as y=
et, but I
have seen some of the family: Big Malcolm John and Margaret. I mind v=
ery well
that I was talking to him coming to Portilm and that I said I would not=
advise
him to come, but I now say he should rue that he did not come sooner. =
Tell him
from me to come and I hope he will have a favourable passage. [See not=
e below.]

I am not fit to give you any account about the winters in Canada but as=
much as
I have seen of it I have never seen it so favourable. They fodder all =
their
cattle and sheep outbye, except horses and calves which are wintered in=
houses
fitted for their reception.

I have seen John McGilvray who left Shiaba going to Owen Sound where he=
bought
200 acres of land (all paid for with cash) and 2 cows and sheep and a y=
oke of
oxen and wagons. The wagons would have cost about =A320, and has bough=
t since
another 100 acres of land. Archie his son told me he had saved about =A3=
100
besides clothes and other expenses since he came to this country. Tell=
Archie
MacKinnon that his brothers are well. Donald built a fine dwelling hou=
se of a
frame, prettier than any bungalow. Tell Rachel that I have seen her br=
others
and sisters and are all well. I was there three days threshing to Malc=
olm and
he has as much wheat as would feed all the inhabitants of Scoor. and Ki=
lviceon.
Tell Catherine McGilvray that her sisters are all well and her brother =
Neil, and
as good a farmer as left the Ross. Tell the soldier that I have seen h=
is
brother?s son John at Montreal and are all well. I do not rue anything=
but the
scarcity of Gaelic preachers. There is none in the township but one Ba=
ptist
school is very convenient and Malcolm is going to school daily.

My Compliments to all my old neighbors and I hope I shall see a goodly =
number of
them inhabiting Canada yet for there is no Factor, Ground Officer nor D=
onald
Drover here to meddle with you.

The wife sends her compliments to all her friends and expects to send a=
letter
herself by which she will name you separately.

I must conclude as my space is getting short and more news rushing to m=
y mind.

Archibald MacGillvray

Dated December 28th 1849
P.S. I have given you an account of every one to my recollection except=
myself.
I have built a new house and I have plenty of potatoes and pork and flo=
ur to my
satisfaction.

Finlay MacNeil and his sons hauled to my door with his oxen my winter f=
irewood.
Finlay has a much wheat this winter as would feed the half of Uisken.

I would like to inform you about the clothes that are answerable in Can=
ada which
is shirtings and trowsers as much as you can for any that will come. M=
oleskin
is a very good article for the fields of Canada but prints are dearer h=
ere.
Books are very dear, Gaelic especially and Testaments and Bibles.

[Note: A copy of this letter was shown to me a couple of years ago, t=
o give me
an idea of what things were like for those who went out to Canada at ab=
out the
time my family did. I was stunned to read the paragraph that began,"Te=
ll Donald
McLean . . .", He was my 3x great grandfather. His brother, Hugh McL=
ean, went
out in 1847 and settled in Grey Co. "Big Malcolm John and Margaret" we=
re the
two oldest children of Hugh McLean and Catherine Beaton. This was a le=
tter that
persuaded my ancestor to go to Canada! He and his wife, Sarah Beaton, =
and their
6 surviving children, 1 daughter-in-law and 2 grandchildren (1 of whom =
was my
great grandfather) left in 1852. Please let me know if anyone recogniz=
es any of
the other names.

Mary McLean Hoff
P.S. One of the things I have been searching for are the descendants of=
the 6
children of the above-mentioned Donald McLean. Just this morning I rea=
d an
e-mail from Catherine Burnett of this group who has provided me with th=
e name
and address of a descendant of the youngest son, Malcolm McLean. Thank=
s, you
guys are great!

=

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