In my previous
post on Donald McInnes, I theorized that he had come to Prince Edward
Island twice, first with Lord Selkirk in 1803 and then again in 1806 with his
family.
What led me to that, were indicators that he was a
Selkirk pioneer. He was included in the list of pioneers in 1811 [i]and
that in 1807 land was 'sold or granted to him as a reward for services) by the
desire of the Right Honourable Earl of Selkirk"[ii].
I had understood at the time of writing, that those who settled at Belfast did
so primarily in 1803.
After, pressing "post", I began to rethink
my theory....
We have looked in all sorts of places. We
started searching on line, using census records, births, marriages, deaths, www.ancestry.ca , www.familysearch.org , www.islandregister.ca and many other search aids. Our efforts
provided few clues. We read history on Prince Edward Island and it’s
immigrants. Then we turned to cemetery
transcripts, obituaries and family histories, without any luck.
While, our trip to the Public Archives of Prince
Edward Island, resulted in several clear links to our Angus - Hector - James
ancestor line, through land transfers and wills. None have provided us
with a clear link to their home in Scotland.
We know our McInnis ancestors arrived on the ship The Rambler. The last, possibly only
port before leaving for Canada in 1806, was Tobermory on the Isle of Mull.
It cannot be that everyone who left Tobermory on that
ship came from the Isle of Mull. At least a few of those on The Rambler may have left a record of
who they were and from where they came. So, using the FAN
principle, I looked around our ancestors,
their siblings and neighbours I have found a few little tidbits.
There are many transcriptions of The Rambler’s ship’s list, none provided more than the names and
ages of the passengers. When we were in Charlottetown, we pulled the
original document[iii]
in the Provincial Archives of Prince Edward Island in the hopes that there would
be more little clues on the original document. While it was reassuring
that the list had been faithfully transcribed in “A Very Fine Class of Immigrants”[iv],
on the Island Register[v]
and in The
Island Magazine, Number 2 Spring/Summer 1977, [vi]
I did not find one iota of additional information.
All the while, crossing my fingers, I compared all the
names on the ship with newspaper and obituary notices[vii]. This was done in the hope that the obituary
notices would provide clues as to the origins of the other passengers. I could
find information on a few passengers on the ship. It appeared that if your name was Alexander,
Catherine or Mary, your descendants were more likely to write up an informative
obituary.
Passenger No.
|
Name
|
Age
|
Native of
|
Found on Page No. of Index[viii]
|
Miles from Tobermory
|
M – 1
|
James McLean
|
43
|
Morvern
|
40
|
23
|
M – 8
|
Alexr Cameron
|
20
|
Skye
|
98
|
125
|
M – 15
|
Alex Livingston
|
15
|
Morvern
|
19
|
23
|
M – 21
|
Alexr Cameron
|
54
|
Ardnamurchan
|
5
|
16
|
M – 33
|
Alexr McDonald
|
6
|
Argyllshire
|
21
|
Regional
Name
|
M – 46
|
Alexr McLauchlin
|
14
|
Inverness-shire
|
87
|
47
|
F – 11
|
Cathe Livingston
|
22
|
Morvern
|
19
|
23
|
F – 19
|
Cathr Cameron
|
38
|
Ardnamurchan
|
5
|
16
|
F – 26
|
Mary Henderson
|
3
|
Inverness-shire
|
87
|
47
|
F – 31
|
Mary Cameron
|
23
|
Isle of Skye
|
98
|
125
|
F – 32
|
Cathe Cameron
|
1
|
Isle of Skye
|
98
|
125
|
F – 60
|
Sarah McMillian
|
50
|
Argyllshire
|
45
|
32
|
I found obituaries for12 out of 129 passengers. Except for the one family group from the Isle
of Skye, the rest of the passengers came from parishes across the water from
the Isle of Mull.
Most interesting was, the obituary[ix]
for Angus McDonald’s son, Alexander McDonald.
It indicated that Alexander came from Argyllshire. Now if I were a purist, I would go and find
the microfiche with the original newspaper notice in the Islander, dated April 8, 1864, so that I would reduce the risk of
transcription error. For the moment,
I’ll take this information on faith, as I am using it to triangulate the
probable place of origin.
Things are starting to get interesting. In addition to this clue, we have a hint
through DNA testing, that we are connected with families from Morvern. That does not mean our folks came directly
from Morvern. Rather, those to whom we
are related genetically can trace their roots to Morvern. Argyllshire also
known as Argyll, is the Region of Scotland in which we find both the Isle of
Mull and Morvern.
I really needed to know more.
So, I did something I have been meaning to do for
a year. I registered as a Researcher at Library and Archives Canada and
went in search of the source documents.
I discovered that the research room where the
microfiche are located is open until 23:00!! The view from the research
room is spectacular, especially at sunset, as it overlooks the Ottawa
River. I no longer have any excuses; I
can go anytime I want after work. It is just a ten-minute walk from my
office.
There, I discovered a few little juicy tidbits.
 |
Library and Archives Canada
Ottawa, OntarioPhoto ©DenaP |
James Williams, Lord Selkirk's Agent in Prince Edward
Island produced a list[x]
of sales he made on Lord Selkirk's behalf. The list identifies when the
purchasers settled on the island. It clearly identifies
Donald McInnis and Angus McDonald as purchasing 330 acres together on Lot 58,
as though they were partners. James Williams indicates they settled in
1806.
Donald and Angus paid Selkirk 14.10.0 pounds as their
down payment, owing him 183.6.8 pounds. I wonder when they paid the
balance to Lord Selkirk and if a record remains? Why does James Williams
show the sale to Angus and Donald as 330 acres?
It was also interesting to compare this sale to the
other 125 sales recorded to settlers. Most of the sales were in lot sizes
of 100 acres or 50 acres. There were only three sales out of the 126 records
which were larger than the sale to Angus and Donald (560 acres, 380 acres, and 466
acres) and those sales were to family groups of two or four people.
Donald and Angus paid in pounds Sterling, currency
that was more valuable than the Halifax money the others used to make their
payments. Only two other sales were made in pounds Sterling. At
183.6.8 pounds owing, Angus and Donald's outstanding debt was much larger than
the average of 50.77 pounds.
I learned an awful lot from this simple table listing
Selkirk's sales. That Donald came in 1806. He had a very close
relationship with an Angus McDonald and he had more hard currency than the
other settlers. Together Angus and Donald were also willing to assume
more risk with the debt of 183.6 pounds. Or perhaps, there was something
in their character or relationship with Selkirk, which made him willing to
extend these two more credit?
 |
| Pine Forest in Prince Edward Island Photo ©DenaP |
This had me going back and rechecking my
sources. I found that Angus McDonald and his family travelled with the
McInnis’s on The Rambler[xi].
The McInnis’s followed the McDonald's on the list of passengers.
It means, I have to re-examine the hypothesis that
Donald arrived in 1803 and returned to get his family 1806.
There is evidence that he came in 1806, purchasing
with Angus McDonald, who was on the same ship. From the records of
Selkirk's agent James Williams, there was a relationship between Angus
MacDonald and Donald McInnes. Angus and Donald, at 38 and 35 were close to the
same age. It's possible that Angus is Donald's wife Margaret's brother,
although I have to find solid evidence to that effect.
Other than his implied connection with Lord Selkirk
who arrived in 1803, there is no evidence that Donald arrived in other than
1806.
Where does this get me? Hopefully closer to
where Angus McInnis and his family came from. It had me looking more
closely at Lord Selkirk's papers and I found more clues.
I found that on May 2, 1808, James Williams wrote to
Lord Selkirk:
"about one third, or rather more are from Mull, who will not leave the shore, but many will settle lot 31 or perhaps on the coast, east of Woods Islands"[xii]
So, we have at least one third chance our folks
are from Mull. Our Angus and Donald both purchased property right on the
shore, probably because like the Mull settlers, they wanted to be near the
water.
 | ||||||||||||
Prince Edward Island Shore
Five Kilometers from Angus' Property
|
But that was not all I found!
A copy of a letter[xiii]
transcribed in the Selkirk Papers:
Baldoon April 29th 1806
Dear Brother:
Dear Brother:
I gladly embrace this opportunity of letting you know that we are all well
at present wishing you the same, and we would wish that you would all come
over rather than to be bound in that place. All that is able to pay there
passage let them do it and if they are notable let them do as we have done.
that is to engage with Lord Selkirk as he is going to bring more Settlers
of this year to this Settlement Uper Canada. There is good encouragement
from tradesmen in this country, every Carpenters Blacksmiths & Shoemakers.
They have two dolars per day & there victuals - labouring men has from 1
dolar & 12 Shillings per day. We have got a good spell of sickness since
we came to this place as no doubt, but you have heard, but thank God we
getting the better of it now. There is not a place under the Sun better
than this place. Any person that intend to come to this country and that
can take £10 Sterling to this place, he may make a living of it with very
little trouble. Whatever money you take over, mind to take it in Gold, for
every guinea you take to Montreal you have 5 Shillings profit. You need not
trouble yourself about taking any cloathing or goods to this place, excepting
woolen cloth: You shall by them as cheap at Montreal. And I would advise
you buy all Montreal before you would come on here. We came about 10
hundred mile up the Country. In that distance, I could not see a poor man.
The farder we came up the Country, the better. There is all sort of fish
in this place. I have better enguagements to give you now that what at
Montreal. You may tell Ronald, your brother, for as much as he thinks
of Moriness, he would get more land than what was in all Mull for about 10£
sterling. You shall be at the trouble as to let them know at Morven all
about us, and especially to Angus McInnes piper and tell him that he would
do a great deal better hear than where he is and if he does not come let do
his best for to send my daughters. You may tell Dougald Cochoon that he would make as good as 3 dolars of it per day. You may let Hugh
McPhie no if he was to come here, he would make in one year what would
maintain them fore ever, and kep them in good way. You may let Allan my son
father-in-law no that he and his wife are doing well, and they expect
that have the spirit of coming to thus country. Beef is at 2 1/2 per pound.
Pork 6 (?) per pound - everything according to that when you write direct
to John McDougald, Baldoon, to the care of Mr Innes & Grant mercht
Sandwich so no more at present. But my compliments to all that enquirs
for me
I am so
Your most affectionate Brother
John McDougald
(outside)
Mr Hugh McDougald Aros (originally transcribed as Arive)
To the care of Mr Rob Maxwell
Island of Mull
Argyleshire - No Britain
I was thrilled to find this letter. The first reference I have found to an Angus
McInnes, in the general region of the Isle of Mull and Morvern. Add to this, a piece of family lore, my uncle
remembered his father telling him, our ancestor McInnis, was the Piper to the
Duke of Argyle.
Could this Angus McInnes piper, be our ancestor? What was his relationship to John
McDougald? Did he end up bringing John’s
daughters to Canada? There are no young
McDougald women on The Rambler’s Ship’s List.
Is it possible that John McDougald’s daughters were married to Angus
McInnes’s sons?
If I take this piece of information, I have to admit
to my cousin Fred, that I now agree with him.
The copy of the marriage certificate that he has for Hector McInnis to
Mary McDougal on August 10, 1804 in Greenock Parish[xiv]
is very likely that of our great-great-great grandparents.
 | |
| Greenock Scotland Portside Warehouses from Hector's Era | Photo ©DenaP |
 | |
| Greenock Harbour 2009 | Photo ©DenaP |
I was not originally convinced they were “ours”
because of two things: the marriage occurred 130 miles from Mull and Morvern;
and that I believed that Finlay born in 1804 was the son of Hector. While Fred believes Finlay belongs to Donald
because he was conceived before the marriage of Hector and Mary. I inclined think Finlay belongs to Hector,
because he lived his life adjacent to the original Lot 33 property in PEI. Perhaps Hector and Mary took awhile to make
it official?
Nevertheless, I think I may have stumbled upon my
other 4x Great-Grandfather. Could it be
John McDougald? I’ll have to do some
more research. Also, who is his other
daughter? Could she be Flora McInnis
aged 25, possibly a first wife to Allan? Perhaps that makes Finlay, a child to
Allan and Flora? More questions to
unravel……..
The needle on the compass continues to point toward
Morvern and the Isle of Mull as the most likely places our Angus came from.
[i]
The Island Register. Passenger List Reconstruction for the «Polly »
1803 : Selkirk Settlers Identified from Past and
present of P.E.I., Skye, and Hebridean Pioneers, and Other Sources (http://www.islandregister.com/selkirk_settlers.html
30 August 2013)
[ii]
State of the Sale of Lands upon The Earl of Selkirk’s Estate Prince Edward
Island North America Novr 1807, LAC microfilm C-14 14863-14869, 15138-15143, Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa
[iii] Ship’s List, The Rambler, 1806, PACO ACC #27021883, Public Archives of Prince Edward Island (PAPEI), Charlottetown
[iv]
Campey, Lucille H., « A Very Fine
Class of Immigrants » : Prince Edward Island’s Scottish Pioneers
1770-1850 (Toronto : Natural Heritage Books, 2001)
[v]
The Island Register. Passenger List of « The Rambler » Sailed 1806 (http://www.islandregister.com/rambler.html
30 August 2013)
[vi] "The Rambler" 1806 "The Island
Magazine" Number 2 Spring/Summer 1977 (http://vre2.upei.ca/islandmagazine/fedora/repository/vre%3Aislemag-batch2-17/OBJ
31 August 2013)
[vii] Complied by Peter Gallant, An Index of Scottish Immigrants, Based on Death Notices in Prince
Edward Island Newspapers 1835 – 1910 (Charlottetown: The P.E.I.
Genealogical Society, Revised and Reprinted January 2001)
[xii] Letter
from Lord Selkirk to James Williams May 2, 1808, LAC microfilm, C-14 15103 Library
and Archives Canada, Ottawa
[xiii]
Copy of the Letter sent by John MacDougald of Baldoon to his brother Hugh
MacDougald in Mull, dated April 29, 1806, LAC microfilm C-14 14739-40, Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa
[xiv] Scotland,
« Search Old Parish Registers (OPR) Banns & Marriages (1553 -
1854). » Database. ScotlandsPeople. http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
13 April 2013
