Re: Location

[asflwr@cujo2.icom.ca (Antonia Sinclair)]

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Hello, Jenny

What a good idea re location.  It's something I can relate to.  (Sorry, Kristin,
as fascinating as Rollo, et al, are, I wouldn't have recognized a typo!  It keeps me humble.)

Location:  The branch of Sinclairs I am researching came from the beautiful Isle
of Islay, Argyllshire, one of the most southerly of the Hebrides.  We were very
fortunate to visit the Island a couple of years ago, and although much of it is
rocky, it also has many fertile areas, for agriculture, and peat bogs for heating and producing some of the best malt Scotches in the world. ( As a matter
of fact, in Canada there is a fascinating story unfolding about a stolen bottle
of Bowmore Scotch which is being held for the ransom of several thousand dollars!  Bowmore is the town on Islay where our Sinclairs came from.  But I didn't do it!)

Neil and Christian Sinclair and their family emigrated in the early 1840s with
many other Islay families to an area northeast of Toronto, Canada.  They named
their local villages "Islay Corners", "Argyll" and "Hardscrabble" (a name which
certainly described the land, but when they got a post office, it was decided
that "Glenarm" was prettier).  Although the first years were very difficult for
the pioneers clearing land, coping with winters, bears and wolves, it wasn't
long before most of them agreed that they were far more prosperous than they
would have been had they remained on Islay. (This is according to the Diary of
Sir John Kildalton of Islay, who went to check on his former tennants in 1870)
Gradually, many of these Sinclairs disbursed to various parts of southern Ontario, Canada, and some to Michigan.  However, there is still one retired
Sinclair who lives near the original homestead.  I have visited him, and he has
shared old photos and memories with me, but he unfortunately doesn't know any
more about Neil and Christian than I do.  The quest continues.  I'll keep you all posted.

While I sit here reading and writing, yet another winter storm rages outside my
window.  This is the 6th since the 3rd of January.  Last year we only had 1 storm in the whole winter, and that came at the end of March!  The pipes to the
2 bathrooms have frozen over night, and I'm not having any luck thawing them.
The longer they stay frozen, the worse the damage when they do thaw out.  I just
hope that the electricity doesn't go out.  The temp. outside is -15C or 10F.
Rebecca, you might find some distant cousins at your doorstep in Florida earlier
than March break!

Thanks again for the suggestion, Jenny.

Toni


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