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Toni
Thanks for your interest & comments!
I still have your email of Oct 2 1997 where you listed the Sinclairs you were
aware of in Middlesex County. You also said at that time that you didn't have
any connections with those Sinclair's from Middlesex County. The fact that you
now say you have relations in "Talbot District" and that you are not sure of
it's location, explains some things to me.
First let me clear up for you "Talbot District". In 1803, Colonel Thomas
Talbot, a retired British Army officer, a former sectretary to Lt Gov Simcoe,
and an army buddy of the Duke of Wellington, was given 5000 acres in
Aldborough(note spelling) and Dunwich Townships as a retirement grant. He
managed to be appointed land agent for aan additional 27 townships invcluding
Mosa & Ekfrid. Mostly his services were rewarded in land. He eventually
obtained title in his own name to 65,000 acres.
The families that settled the virgin forests of the Kilmartin Ontario area
(just North of Glencoe) came principally from the central parishes of Kintyre,
Argyllshire Scotland, namely, Kilmartin, North & South Knapdale, Kilmichael-
Glassary and Inverary. Some had left in 1812 but became stranded in Upper New
York state by the war of 1812-14. Colonel Talbot invited them to his vacant
lands in Aldborough along Lake Erie. In 1816, these few families supplemented
by migrations in 1817,1818,1819, formed the Highland settlement around New
Glasgow. Dissatisfaction with Talbot's meagre land grants of 50 acres, there,
prompted families to seek inland Townships where 100 acres were available. In
1826 Archibald Sinclair & wife Margaret and family were the first to move to
"The peak of Mosa". By 1832 over 7600 acres were occupied in the North part
of Mosa Township and the west portion of Ekfrid(now part of Metcalfe
Township).
So, to clarify Aldborough was the Township along Lake Erie including Port
Glasgow. How far it extended I do not know. Today this area is Elgin County.
Talbot Royale is between London Ont and St Thomas and I know Col. Talbot & his
cronies were around London a lot. Whether this is where his base was or not I
do not know.
So your "Talbot District" Sinclair could very well be associated with the
Kilmartin Sinclairs as they originally (1812 - 1826) settled, being
`Aldborough Township. Your family's Fenelon Falls (your email 3-24-97)
appears to be about 100 miles NE of this location. Thus I don't believe your
Archibald to be the same as the Kilmartin Archie, but the fact they all come
from Northern Kintyre (Lochgilphead to Kilmartin is about 6 miles) may be a
clue to relationship.
I look forward to the "other interesting information you found in your
Victoria County trip. May I ask why were you checking out Islay? It is at the
bottom of Kintyre Penninsula & quite far from Lochgilphead. Isn't it? Did you
find that there was much or any history available for the times of the
"Clearances? I understand that the Clearances started as early as 1783 and
that the Mull of Kintyre was completely cleared by 1820. Therefore it's easy
to understand little information being available over so long a period. Do you
know the name of the nobility that controlled "the Mull of Kintyre". I would
have thought it would be the Duke of Argyll (Campbell) but have one indication
that a Baron McQuilliken was involved.
Enough for now! Yours Aye!
Rick Sinclair (cdnhound@aol.com
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