I wanted to add a couple of comments from the historical
perspective on the Argyll migrations, and Argyll
connections. When anyone is doing a search it is sometimes
useful in understanding that our ancestors lived in an
historical context as they do today. One of the interesting
perspectives on Sinclairs migrating to North America is to
attempt to spot the year or general period of migration.
This will assist in understanding the motivation and to
understand the desire of the intended location. In the
1790's to 1840's the attraction of the ability to own land
was paramount among all of the motivations. Sinclairs could
tenant farms but not own them in Argyll. This was the domain
of the Campbells and Lamonts. There was a strong movement to
get rid of the small tenancies in favour of sheep which
started dominating the rual landscape in the early 1800's.
Hence the motivations of those leaving Argyll were negative
in the sense that they were moving from their way of life
sometimes forceably, and positive in that the opportunities
economically were a strong drawing card to make the
migration.
Hope this is of interest to some of you, and moves the
picture forward a touch.
Neil Sinclair
Ancestors from Glendaruel, Kilmodon, Argyll
now Toronto, Canada
Antonia Sinclair wrote:
> Hi All! I just got back from Florida and guess what was
> waiting for me? - about
> 130 email messages, and all but 10 were from YOU! I
> enjoyed reading each one,
> deleted most, but saved the ones which had information I'm
> interested in. So,
> for my part, I disagree with Bill Sinclair who finds it a
> nuisance to get so much mail. I think it's a great way to
> give and take information between so many people from all
> over the world who have something in common. Even
> though I'm not personally researching American Sinclairs,
> it's still very interesting, and a real pleasure when some
> of you connect, and find mutual ancestors. That's all I
> have to say about that!
>
> Now - about the Sinclairs from Argyll. Neil confirmed
> what we had believed to be the case, that they probably
> migrated south in the 1700's as a result of the
> clearances. Our people spent about 50 years on the Isle
> of Islay (Argyllshire)
>
> The oldest one we have is an Archibald,(GGG grandfather),
> who we believed first came from Lochilphead on the Kintyre
> Peninsula. He is the son of Duncan S. and Margaret Mary
> Dougal who were married in 1773. Archibald, and his wife
> Peggy Kirkland, arriv
> d in Victoria County, Ontario (near Fenelon Falls) in
> 1833. Most of Archibald's children and grandchildren
> came in 1847. His children were John, Archibald, Effie
> (Campbell), NEIL*, Alexander, and Duncan. Neil married
> Christina Campbell in 1801, and th
> ir children were John, Alexander, Donald, Margaret
> (Spence), DOUGALD*, Marion, and Peter.
>
> We stayed in Islay last spring, and visited the two farms
> where most of the Sinclairs lived, "Neriby" and
> "Mullindry". In their parish (Bowmore #536) alone, I have
> recorded the marriages of 55 Sinclair men from 1773 to
> 1852. There were also 137 Sinclai
> children born/baptized from the 1770's to the 1840's. No
> children were recorded in the 1760's. Sadly, there is not
> one Sinclair living in the parish of Bowmore today. It
> must have been heart- breaking for them to leave this
> beautiful, serene island,
> best known for it's 7 distilleries which make the best
> malt whiskey in the world!
>
> Is there anyone out there tracing Islay ancestors? it's a
> shame not to be able to share all this information. I'm
> almost ready to print our family story on the 8
> generations in Canada, which I'll be happy to send to
> anyone who is interested. Until th
> n, all the best!
>
> Toni S.