Re: Hudson Bay Company & Sinclairs

[Gordon Holmes <lafleur@home.com>]

Dear Toni..not feeling all theat well yet and leaving the list..

Bu tmy GGGG Grandfather "William the Eelder" came to Canada in the
employ of Hudson's bay Company. Laurel , (I hate to put her on the
spot), can give you a background ...I am continuing to plug onward,
Regards..Cousin Gord.

Gordon Holmes wrote:
> 
> Dear Toni,
> Sinclairs in the Hudson Bay Company..oh, yeah..I have vericafcion and
> Lots if information. (My front tooth broke and I am too groggy right now
> from meds...but sure will get back to you....dentist tomorrow..) My
> family and he Bay go back pretty well uninteruped from 1790's on thru
> the last century..Be back later..Gord.
> 
> Toni Sinclair wrote:
> >
> > Hi Gordon,
> > I have a wee book called "Leaving Scotland" by Mona McLeod.  When discussing the
> > Scots who emigrated to Canada she says:
> >
> > Scots had been recruiting its best agents and trappers in the Orkneys - "not
> > turbulent Scottish fools but sturdy, inoffensive crofters and fishermen who
> > needed no instruction about northern hardship".  But the Company wanted agents to
> > deal with Indian hunters of the far north, not migrants.  The Sinclairs of
> > Caithness, who were principal shareholders, made sure that part of the men's pay
> > went directly to their families in
> > Scotland.
> >
> > There is no bibliography in this book, so its hard to double check this
> > information.
> > However, it makes sense that the Sinclairs were involved in the Hudson Bay
> > Company.
> > Does anyone else have information about this connection?
> >
> > Toni
> >
> > Gordon Holmes wrote:
> >
> > > Dear Laurel,
> > >
> > >    I do not know if this will help, but my grandmother and many, many
> > > Sinclairs were the beneficiaries of land in what is now Manitoba. This
> > > land was offered to secure the Crowns claim and to discourage American
> > > interests by populating the prairies with "Tough Scots" who would stay.
> > > That land was taken by scottish settlers for their own reasons, chiefly
> > > being (according to Gran and others and supported by documents) that it
> > > was land and quarrels seemed useless from so far away from the British
> > > Isles. Going back further....As you know, many traders rambled through
> > > this territory , all owing their cash trade to London. Kind of a "One
> > > Hand Washes the Other" relationship with the English.
> > > I do not know how St. Clair rose so quickly through the ranks, but many
> > > Scots did. They were fearless fighters and in the times and place there
> > > was not a lot of choice but to take men and give the natural leaders
> > > Rank. (doubtless others will help you here) Maybe, like Jame Sinclair,
> > > he was a free-trader and more... :)
> > > P.S. Imagine my Grandmothers fury when her eldest daughter announced her
> > > intention to marry the man who would be my father. He had the gall to be
> > > born in London!     Love..Cousin Gord
> > >
> > > Spirit One Email wrote:
> > > >
> > > > I am assuming that this list is just of first Sinclair arrivals to USA but
> > > > maybe Canada is there too?
> > > >
> > > > I am puzzled about 2 things concerning Gen. St. Clair (pronounced Sinclair)
> > > >
> > > > How was it that he became a General so quickly?  Did he have previous
> > > > military training or mercenary experience in Scotland?
> > > >
> > > > In the book "A Dance Called America"  I was struck by the fact that the
> > > > usual pattern of immigrant Scots was to join the British side many times
> > > > because they had been offered a commission in the English army.  It seemed
> > > > to me that these Scots almost fresh from the defeat of Culloden  would have
> > > > stayed enemies longer.  But now as I remember, they fought first with the
> > > > English in the French and Indian war and were rewarded with lands in USA and
> > > > Canada.  So they would have been a bit more sympathtic, I suppose, with
> > > > their benefactors at that point in history.
> > > >
> > > > It was the Scots coming through Ireland or that had been here a few
> > > > generations that usually made up the patriots.   I know this is a generality
> > > > and the world abounds with exceptions but it seems like there might be more
> > > > of a story about why he chose the American side.
> > > >
> > > > Laurel
> > > >
> > > > [ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@mids.org
> > > > [ To get off or on the list, see http://www.mids.org/sinclair/list.html
> > >
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