List of Immigrants to Pictou in 1815
The following list of immigrants to Pictou in 1815 should prove of intense interest and value to Pictonians. The list contains the names of 166 men and women and enumerates, but does not name 200 children. The list and the accompanying letter from the magistrates were discovered in the public archives of Nova Scotia by D.C. Harvey, archivist, who kindly made them available to us for publication.
Pictou, May 12th, 1816
Sir:
In pursuance of the commands of His Excellency we have procured and now enclose a correct list of all the emigrants settled or residing within the district of Pictou excepting four or five families residing upon the upper part of the Middle River whose names and ages we have not been able to ascertain. We beg leave to state that we suppose every family therein mentioned (if not in absolute want) at least labouring under great difficulties from the extraordinary scarcity of provisions and the consequent poverty of their friends already settled in the country upon whose assistance many of them relied for support. The single persons with very few exceptions we do not consider requiring any assistance from Government whatever. In consequence of a former letter from you to the magistrate some temporary relief has been afforded to a few of most indigent of which accounts shall be afterwards transmitted.
The kind of relief which we suppose would be best, would be provisions – viz. flour, biscuits, or meal purchased in Halifax and sent here to be divided among them in proportion to the number of each family.
On Friday last seventy emigrants arrived here from Leith in the ship Aurora most of them are o a superior class to those of last year and it is probable that but few of them will remain in this district but we understand that a great number more are to be expected in the course of this summer.
We remain, Sir,
Your Mt Obdt Hble Servt;
Hugh Denoon
Constantine Adamson
Geo. Smith
- H. Cogswell Esqr.
Depy Secretary of ye Province
Endorsed
12 May 1816
Hugh Denoon Esq. & al
Pictou Emigrants
|
Names |
Age Years |
Married, single, or widow |
Number of children |
Trade |
Where residing or settled |
General Remarks |
|
Neil McLellan |
25 |
Married |
1 |
Labourer |
Merigomish |
Poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
William Murray |
25 |
Single |
|
Farmer |
Merigomish |
|
|
John Cameron |
18 |
Single |
|
Labourer |
Lower Settlement, East River |
At service |
|
Marion McLean |
70 |
Widow |
|
|
|
Maintained by charity |
|
Angus Cameron |
31 |
Single |
|
Labourer |
|
At service |
|
William Cameron |
25 |
Single |
|
Labourer |
|
At service |
|
Ann Cameron |
60 |
Widow |
|
|
|
Poor, maintained by her friends |
|
Angus Cameron |
30 |
Married |
3 |
Labourer |
|
Poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
William Sutherland |
56 |
Married |
3 |
Labourer |
West Branch, East River |
Very poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Robert McKay |
35 |
Married |
3 |
Labourer |
Lower Settlement |
Very poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alexander Sutherland |
40 |
Married |
3 |
Labourer |
Lower Settlement |
Very poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
William McKenzie |
22 |
Married |
|
Taylor |
Lower Settlement |
Able to maintain himself |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John McKenzie |
25 |
Married |
1 |
Labourer |
Lower Settlement |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John McKay |
35 |
Married |
6 |
Labourer |
Lower Settlement |
Very Poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James McKay |
21 |
Single |
|
Taylor |
Lower Settlement |
|
|
Simon Fraser |
24 |
Single |
|
Blacksmith |
Lower Settlement |
|
|
John Mathewson |
21 |
Single |
|
Labourer |
Lower Settlement |
|
|
Peter McCallum |
17 |
Single |
|
Clerk |
Lower Settlement |
|
|
Alexander Munro |
22 |
Single |
|
Carpenter |
Lower Settlement |
|
|
John McKay |
60 |
Married |
8 |
Labourer |
Fishers Grant |
Very poor the Catechists or instructors of the parish from whence these McKays came |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
William Ross |
30 |
Married |
3 |
Labourer |
Fishers Grant |
Able to work but poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John McKay |
32 |
Married |
6 |
Labourer |
Fishers Grant |
Able to work but poor |
|
Hugh McKay |
22 |
Single |
|
Weaver |
Fishers Grant |
|
|
John McKay |
20 |
Single |
|
Labourer |
Fishers Grant |
|
|
James McKay |
18 |
Single |
|
Labourer |
Fishers Grant |
|
|
Kenneth McKay |
45 |
Married |
5 |
Shoemaker |
Fishers Grant |
A very poor man |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Catherine McKay |
52 |
Widow |
|
|
|
|
|
Christian McKay |
24 |
Single |
|
|
Fishers Grant |
|
|
Margaret McKay |
20 |
Single |
|
|
Fishers Grant |
|
|
John McKay |
40 |
Married |
7 |
Labourer |
Fishers Grant |
A poor family |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Catherine McKay |
65 |
Single |
|
|
Fishers Grant |
Poor |
|
Mrs. Kirby |
40 |
Widow since married |
3 |
|
Little Harbour |
|
|
Donald Ross |
22 |
Single |
|
Labourer |
Fishers Grant |
Sick from a fall of a tree the only support of his family |
|
James Ross |
51 |
Married |
9 |
Labourer |
Fishers Grant |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Robert McKenzie |
60 |
Married |
2 |
Labourer |
Fishers Grant |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John McKenzie |
25 |
Married |
1 |
Labourer |
Little Harbour |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald McKenzie |
24 |
Single |
|
Labourer |
Little Harbour |
|
|
William McKenzie |
22 |
Married |
|
Taylor |
|
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John McKay |
30 |
Married |
1 |
Labourer |
Middle River |
Very poor indeed |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christian Campbell |
38 |
Single |
|
|
Middle River |
At service |
|
Margaret McKay |
30 |
Single |
|
|
Middle River |
At service |
|
John Fraser |
44 |
Married |
5 |
Weaver |
West River |
Very poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francis Hendry |
30 |
Married |
2 |
Shoemaker |
West River |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alexander McKay |
40 |
Married |
5 |
Labourer |
West River |
These two family very poor indeed having lived upon their friends who are ill able to help them |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald Murray |
25 |
Married |
2 |
Labourer |
West River |
|
|
Donald McKay |
23 |
Single |
|
|
West River |
|
|
William McKay |
28 |
Single |
|
|
West River |
|
|
Alexander Ross |
60 |
Married |
5 |
Milwright [sic.] |
West River |
Poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
William Graham |
50 |
Married |
7 |
Labourer |
West River |
Very poor but industrious |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John McKay |
25 |
Married |
|
Labourer |
West River |
Poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Angus Murray |
72 |
Married |
|
|
Rogers Hill |
Very poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald McKay |
62 |
Married |
1 |
Labourer |
Rogers Hill |
Very poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alexander McKay |
30 |
Married |
|
Taylor |
Rogers Hill |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
William McKay |
22 |
Married |
2 |
Labourer |
Rogers Hill |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Catherine McDonald |
60 |
Widow |
1 |
|
Rogers Hill |
Very poor |
|
William McKay |
54 |
Married |
3 |
Labourer |
Rogers Hill |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
William Douglas |
26 |
Married |
2 |
Labourer |
Rogers Hill |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald Douglas |
24 |
Single |
|
Blacksmith |
Rogers Hill |
|
|
Anne Douglas |
50 |
Widow |
4 |
|
Rogers Hill |
|
|
Donald Murray |
40 |
Married |
5 |
Labourer |
Rogers Hill |
Very poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Fraser |
40 |
Married |
6 |
Weaver |
Rogers Hill |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Ross |
70 |
Married |
3 |
Farmer |
Rogers Hill |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
William Nicol |
40 |
Married |
4 |
Labourer |
Mount Thom |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Archibald Gunn |
21 |
Single |
|
Labourer |
Mount Thom |
These are all poor families |
|
Elizabeth Gunn |
24 |
Widow |
1 |
|
Mount Thom |
|
|
James Cameron |
23 |
Married |
2 |
Sawmiller |
Mount Thom |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James Reid |
28 |
Married |
4 |
Labourer |
Mount Thom |
Poor but industrious |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Simpson |
62 |
Married |
7 |
Farmer |
Mount Thom |
3 children able to support themselves |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Scot |
44 |
Married |
|
Labourer |
Mount Thom |
His family in Scot. |
|
John McKenzie |
29 |
Single |
|
Carpenter |
Mount Thom |
|
|
Alexander Sutherland |
45 |
Married |
4 |
Labourer |
Scots Hill |
Poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
William Sutherland |
60 |
Married |
2 |
Farmer |
Scots Hill |
Very poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
George Munro |
36 |
Married |
3 |
Weaver |
Caribou |
Very poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Robert Sutherland |
46 |
Married |
6 |
Labourer |
Caribou |
Very poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Sutherland |
45 |
Married |
4 |
Labourer |
Caribou |
Very poor supported by his neighbours charity |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hugh McIntosh |
70 |
Married |
1 |
Labourer |
Caribou |
Very poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alexander Munro |
30 |
Married |
1 |
Labourer |
Caribou |
Industrious but now very poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Andrew McKenzie |
35 |
Married |
4 |
Labourer |
|
Sick since his arrival and very poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kenneth McKenzie |
43 |
Married |
6 |
Labourer |
Caribou |
Poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James Ferguson |
33 |
Married |
|
Mason |
Harbourmouth |
Poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas McKay |
20 |
Single |
|
Labourer |
Harbourmouth |
|
|
Donald Urquhart |
27 |
Married |
|
Labourer |
Harbourmouth |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Catherine McKay |
70 |
Widow |
|
|
Harbourmouth |
Very poor |
|
Alice McKay |
60 |
Widow |
5 |
|
Harbourmouth |
Frequently sick a great object of charity |
|
James Munro |
|
Married |
1 |
Joiner |
Pictou Town |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John McCallum |
45 |
Married |
4 |
|
Pictou Town |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James Leaper |
46 |
Single |
|
Chainmaker |
Pictou Town |
|
|
Finlay Ross |
50 |
Married |
7 |
Shoemaker |
Pictou Town |
An industrious man |
|
Hi wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald Ross |
60 |
Married |
1 |
Labourer |
Pictou Town |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Rutty |
30 |
Married |
|
Shoemaker |
Pictou Town |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alexander Ross |
35 |
Married |
5 |
Blacksmith |
Pictou Town |
A very industrious man poor |
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Thompson |
54 |
Married |
4 |
Mason |
Pictou Town |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Valentine Laws |
29 |
Married |
2 |
House carpenter |
Pictou Town |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
George Paterson |
36 |
Married |
4 |
House carpenter |
Pictou Town |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Grant |
23 |
Single |
|
House carpenter |
Pictou Town |
|
|
William Fraser |
29 |
|
|
Schoolmaster |
Pictou Town |
Able to support themselves not needing any assistance |
|
William McKay |
26 |
|
|
Clerk |
Pictou Town |
|
|
Eleanor Sutherland |
21 |
|
|
Servant |
Pictou town |
|
|
Margaret Sutherland |
19 |
|
|
Servant |
|
|
|
Christy Sutherland |
36 |
|
|
Servant |
|
|
|
Ann McKay |
20 |
|
|
Servant |
|
|
|
Isabella McKenzie |
18 |
|
|
Servant |
|
|
|
Margaret McKay |
23 |
|
|
Servant |
|
|
|
Flora Gally |
17 |
|
|
Servant |
|
|
|
Jean McKay |
18 |
|
|
Servant |
Pictou Town |
|
|
John Sutherland |
22 |
Married |
|
Taylor |
Pictou Town |
|
|
His wife |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James Brown |
63 |
Single |
|
Mason |
Pictou Town |
Work at his trade but poor |
Total – 166 men and women 200 children
P.A.N.S. Vol 227, doc. 118
Taken from the September 20th, 1934 issue of the Pictou Advocate, who published it after receiving the list from the Provincial Archives
Microfilm Reel 91
| File number: | PA Sept 20 1934 p2 |
| Contributor: |
Susan
Parker
|
View all submissions
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| Tags: | Middle River, West River, Fishers Grant, Rogers Hill, Scotch Hill, Merigomish, Mount Thom, East River, Caribou, Pictou, 1815, Pictou Advocate, newspaper, immigrants |
| Views: | 1208 |
| Uploaded on: | August 6, 2019 |
| Source: | Pictou Advocate |