The letters of William Stewart concerning his family's emigration to Canada in 1832

(These 3 letters are copyright to John Stewart and family, Westchester, Nova Scotia
and may not be reproduced without consent)

Although there are many general accounts of the Scots emigrating to Canada, there are very few personal recollections. So it is most fortunate that William Stewart (the second son of John and Girsel Stewarts from Knockgarry, previously at Balcastle) kept a diary of events and, some fifty years later, wrote three letters to his son recounting his adventures.

First letter from William Stewart to his son John James in Halifax,
written at Westchester, 14th June, 1886

Received yours of the 10th instant in good time and with pleasure. Will endeavour to answer your inquiries but first let me promise that what I write from mere memory cannot be very reliable as the circumstance are 50 years ago. To illustrate, I see in my diary that Plaster Cove was the third landing place we saw in Cape Breton side of Gut of Canso and I have no recollection whatever of seeing any landing on either side till we got to Plaster Cove.

Now the circumstances of the taylor’s mother 1 being on the vessel – were it not that she is mentioned as the sick I would be doubtful whether she was in the company or not, neither can I call to mind which of her family she boarded with while aboard. She must have gone to Lochaber. Big John, so called, being her son and a greater favourite with her than James. (Written on the left margin: She did not like to live with her son Pat in Shimashaw 2 and she went to her nephew 3, my brother-in-law in Milton for several years) Cousin Robert’s wife 4 and Thomas McLaughlin’s wife 5 being her daughters.

You asked how many of our company settled in Lochaber, I think I stated in a previous letter that Cousin Robert went back to the vessel and that they hired a boat to take them to Antigonish. Cousin Robert, Thos. McLaughlin, Robert alias Hari 6 and their families and the taylor’s mother settled in Lochaber. Of our company Cousin Robert’s family at time I think was 2 sons and a daughter 7. McLaughlin had some family, I cannot recollect how many. Rob Hari also had a family. His eldest William I think about 12 years old, small for his age, a very pious youth, like his parents. He became an Episcopal cleric and went to P.E.I. and died there, so I heard. Donald Rob, James my brother-in-law and John Hari, that is Rob Hari’s brother with their families came to Lochaber the following year, they all have families. I do not recollect how many. I think that James’s two sons John A. and James and Helen and perhaps Isabel 8 were born in Nova Scotia. My sister’s oldest child 9 came over with us and lived with us several years then went to her fathers and became the wife of Wm. Brown. James’s children by his first wife 10 also came out with him, their names Peter and Grace. Peter came to Pugwash River, married Big John’s daughter 11 – is dead. Grace married a Mr MacKinnon 12 from P.E.I., he is dead and she is somewhere near Boston, U.S.A.

Rev. H. McKenzie 13 was not married when he came out. He married a woman from Pictou. I think her maiden name was Creiton 14. I think it was the first time he came to N.S. at least I never heard of him being in N.S. before. I think his sister 15 was Principal Forrest’s 16 mother. All the names of passengers that I can call to mind in addition is one or two by the name of (……..?) and an old man and a young lad by the name of Livingston. There was a Livingston who came out with us that settled in Victoria. He was not married, his effects came to John Ryne of that place. The old man and son before mentioned settled on the six mile road in Wallace. The young man worked in the house of Ponce Sutherland built at Sutherland Lake in Westchester. He was a carpenter.

I saw Robert McDonald 17 the other day. He is not well, yet he is able to …… and saw but not able to do any hard work. I think Arthur Stonehouse is about the same and also Elizabeth has told that they have no hope that Elizabeth will get well. I hear of no more sickness about here. I am much obliged to you for your invitation but I cannot avail myself of them at the present. I am terribly afflicted with lameness. Yesterday morning I was so pained with my left hip and small of my back that before I got my clothes on the sweat was on my face I tootled to the store and got some eases. I am not so bad today but I have to use a staff to go through the house. Dan 18 was working in the garden these two days. I would like to work the garden myself if I could and I would it seems to before now if they would bring manure there but I did not been able to wheel manure up the hill. He has Ca… Stonehouse’s son George working for him. Sarah 19 was at Aunt Jannet’s house Sabbath day, she said Aunt 20 was well. I asked Sara what to write to you in answer to your invitation. She said she would and to Weevil (?) 21 herself. I was at John S. Ross 22 lately – they are well. They told that A. S. Ross 23 lost a 3 year old heifer this Spring. They had a sickness among their cattle there when I was there. The cattle would sweat in the barn and scalled of which sickness the heifer died. She was with calf.

Hoping to see you about 1st July and that you and all your conveniences are all well. I remain yours in affection.

Wm. Stewart

Associated notes

1 The taylor’s (i.e. tailor’s) mother was Cecilia (Cecil) Stewart, widow of Robert Stewart in Chamberbane in Strathtummel, Blair Atholl.
2 Shamashaw was obviously difficult to transcribe and probably was Chamberbane, which was pronounced as Shammer-vhan.
3 “... my brother-in-law in Milton for several years ...” must refer to James 'Ban' Stewart, but it is interesting that William described him as Cecilia’s nephew. Cecilia’s parentage is unknown except that she was living at Milton of Fincastle at the time of her marriage in 1786. Her husband, Robert, was the son of Alexander Stewart, Bonskeid's Factor.
4 Christian (Christy) Stewart, born 26th December 1798, wife of 'Deacon' Robert Stewart.
5 Isabel Stewart, born c1794, married Thomas McLauchlan in Fincastle, 1st February 1816.
6 According to David Allison in 'History of Nova Scotia', Halifax 1916, he was known as Robert 'Harry' Stewart as he claimed to be a cousin of Lord Harry Stewart. The 'Harry' epithet has been written as 'Hari', 'Harey' and even 'Hairy', in various family histories.
7 Robert, born at Balcastle, Strathtummel, 29th January 1828; Janet, born at Balcastle, 8th February 1829; John born around 1831.
8 Isabel was born in Nova Scotia, 30th August 1834.
9 Jane Stewart, daughter of James 'Ban' Stewart and Janet Stewart, born 20th June 1827.
10 James 'Ban' Stewart in Miltown of Borenich married Margaret Stewart from Calvine, 6th August 1820.
11 Peter 'Ban' Stewart married Isabella Stewart, 14th July 1851.
12 Malcolm MacKinnon.
13 Rev Hugh Ross McKenzie was the son of John MacKenzie (catechist in parish of Nigg, Ross-shire), and Isabella Ross. Educated at the University of Edinburgh, and licensed by the Presbytery of Hamilton. Assistant at Harthill, and ordained by that Presbytery in August 1831 for service in Nova Scotia. Appointed by the Glasgow Colonial Society to Wallace, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, where he laboured from 1832 to 1840. Minister at Lochaber, Antigonish County, Nova Scotia from 1840 to 1844, after which he returned to Scotland.
14 Hectorina McLean Skinner (born 27th Sept. 1809, died 7th May 1883), daughter of James Skinner, M.D. of Pictou, Nova Scotia, and Elizabeth McCormick. She married the Rev. Hugh Ross McKenzie on the 8th April 1833, in Nova Scotia.
15 According to family papers Dr. Alexander Forrest, Barbara Ross MacKenzie and her brother Hugh MacKenzie boarded the Charlotte Kerr in September, 1831. They were going to Nova Scotia when they encountered a fierce storm which de-masted the ship, and they drifted back to Tobermory over the course of many weeks. The ship was in need of extensive repairs and while that was taking place Alexander Forrest and Barbara MacKenzie were married (3rd January 1832). Then they continued their voyage to Nova Scotia in the Spring of 1832. A letter from John MacKenzie to his daughter Margaret McNab written 5 Mar 1831 mentions "I wrote today to Harthill - if Barbara will not come home I do not know what to do". This seems to indicate that Barbara Ross MacKenzie was in Harthill, Lanarkshire, Scotland in Mar 1831. The MacKenzies were from Ross-Shire. Lanarkshire was the home of the Forrest Family.
16 John Forrest, the son of Alexander Forrest and Barbara Ross MacKenzie became president of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
17 Robert McDonald of Chamberbane emigrated, along with his mother, brother and sister, in 1832. His sister Helen, or Ellen, emigrated with her husband Donald Robert Stewart the following year.
18 William’s son Daniel S. who married Elizabeth Brown, 21st November 1906.
19 William’s daughter Sara who married David MacKay, 28th December 1887.
20 Aunt Jannet was probably Jane Renwick, wife of William’s brother Alexander.
21 'Weevil' might be 'Olivia' as John James’s wife seems to have been known by her middle name.
22 John S. Ross was William’s son-in-law, married to his daughter Helen.
23 A.S. Ross (Alexander) was the brother of John S. Ross and also William’s son-in-law, being married to his daughter Grace.

Two letters from William Stewart to his son John James in Halifax,
written at Westchester, 24th May and 7th June, 1887

(the two letters have been combined to give events in a chronological order)

Beloved Son,

I have found the diary I kept on board of the Brig, the 'Charlotte Kerr'. I had it laid away among the law books and forgot that I had done so. And now I have the pleasure of writing to you the contents thereof.

We left Borenich 10th April. Among those who took our stuff in horse carts were my brother-in-law James Stewart 1 who came to Antigonish the following year and my cousin William Stewart 2, Croftdouglas. I think his father, uncle John Stewart 3 came as far as Struan with part of our stuff 4. I do not remember who the others were.

In the company were cousin Robert Stewart, Balcastle 5 and family, James Stewart, the tailor, 6 and family and also his mother 7. My brother’s 8 mother-in-law Mrs McDonald 9 and her two sons and daughter Christie 10. Also John Robertson in Tomintianda, Strathtummel 11 whose passage A. MacDonald 12 and we advanced on promise that he would pay us when he could, which he honestly did. Of course, we of Cnocgharie (Knockgarry) were among the rest. I cannot remember when Thomas McLaughlin 13 and family, also Robert Stewart, alias Rob ‘Harey’ 14 joined our company, they were both from Glen of Fincastle 15.

We ate as we went along or when the horses were feeding. We stopped at a house near Loch Laggan, Badenoch, and wished to have a meal although we had plenty to eat with us. It was night when we knocked and a female voice told us we could not have accommodation there. After much pleading we found it was no go and went somewhat further and called at a house where there was a sign of a public house, and after seeing to the horses, we wished to have a good meal for ourselves. All we could get was only herring – the only eatables we could get, so we had to draw on our own stores.

The next day we went to the (Caledonian) canal. I think they called the place Strathglas 16 – we got on a steamboat there. Brother-in-law James and cousin William came to the canal some distance above Fort William. After a shake of hands and a bit of goodbye to our cousins, we steamed down stream at two or more locks in the canal and came to a place called Oban, near the west end of Loch Linnhe.

In the evening our future captain met us there by appointment, with a large sailboat. I think he called it a ferry. We sailed up the Sound of Mull to Tobermory. The 'Charlotte Kerr', however, was not ready to sail and we had to wait. We had to satisfy the Captain that we had provisions enough on hand to last us, if necessary, two months. Passage money, fifty shillings Sterling – persons under 14 years, half price, infants under one year, free. The vessel was called a brig of 120 tons burden, was said to have sailed the year before to America in 18 days and got back in 16 days.

Somebody told us that the nearer the middle of the vessel, the less bobbing, consequently the less sickness, so our party desired our berth near the hatchway. There were two tiers of berths or bunks fastened to the side of the vessel, one above the other, three or four persons could lay comfortably in each of these berths. We had to furnish our own bedclothes. We also had to furnish our own cooking apparatus. They made what might be called a range beside the cook house on which a coal fire was kept, and a way by which we could hang our pots and kettles on. I was chief cook for our family while aboard of the vessel. I could cook potatoes, soup, and regards to porridge I would do all but stir in the meal. We had oat bread and barley bread enough to do us, which had been cooked before we left.

Ship’s crew: John McEachern, Captain; John Campbell, first mate; Alex Walker, second mate; Donald McEachern, the Captain’s brother. There were two more seamen, I do not recall their names. The owners were Robert Kerr, for whose wife the vessel was named, Joseph Kerr and Captain McEachern. The passengers, I can only give a small number of them besides the above – they were Rev. Hugh McKenzie, Fustos Forrest and wife, A. McDougal from Glasgow and another gentleman from Paisley, Robert Kerr, the Captain’s mother, and a sister or two, (the latter who left the vessel at Plaster Cove), Donald McLaughlin 17 of Glen Fincastle, unmarried. I think that he was related to Thomas McLaughlan. It was said that there were 100 passengers aboard.

On Tuesday the 24th April 1832 we sailed from Tobermory on the Isle of Mull but made very little progress on account of contrary wind and calmness for the first while, but around midnight the wind blew from the north which caused good speed from 5 to 6 knots (about 6½ miles per hour). Mrs Thomas McLaughlan, my mother and the tailor’s wife were sea-sick. The next day, the whole of us from Perthshire were sea-sick except brother Donald and Alex McDonald.

By Thurday evening it blew heavy and we went at the rate of 7 or 8 knots till midnight when the wind blew from the south-east at 4 to 5 knots. Most had recovered from sea-sickness, the exceptions being my niece Jean 18, my mother, Mrs Thomas McLaughlan and two of her daughters,19 Mrs James Stewart, my brother Donald’s mother-in-law, cousin Robert’s wife, Robert Hari’s wife and two of his daughters, John Robertson and brother Donald’s wife.

On Friday evening the wind blew harder which caused more speed than 7 knots. Donald’s wife and her mother were sea-sick, as were the tailor and his wife and mother, as well as Mrs McLaughlan and Mrs Robert Stewart. At about 4 o’clock on Saturday evening the wind blew from the north-east at 6 knots, and we saw a vessel with two masts going west. Donald’s wife got well, but the rest were the same as the day before. In conclusion of this subject, I may say that every day during the whole passage when there was high wind or even a moderate breeze, Mrs Thomas McLaughlan was sick, wishing to heave and nothing to heave; she was really an object of pity.

The wind diminished till Sabbath evening when the wind blew from the east, or a little south of east, at 5 knots, but always increasing until 10 knots was obtained. On Monday morning we saw a vessel with three masts going west. The wind blew so hard that we got the deck washed with waves – speed 8 knots. The wind continued from the east until Friday between 4 and 10 knots, averaging 6 knots. On Friday night, about 3 o’clock the wind blew from the north and turned around till it was against us.

An amusing incident occurred during the passage: one night the wind was high and James Stewart, the tailor, was in one of the lower tiers of berths and the bilge water was making a considerable rattle, and he declared that he felt it with his hand. My brother Donald heard some of the sailors passing the hatch and wanted them to come down and examine, telling them what the tailor had said. The second mate, Alex Walker, came down with a lantern but could not find water as reported, and went up again making expressions more forcible than nice. However, next day they undertook to pump water out of the hold. It appeared that they had coal as ballast 20 and the pumps got choked by the coal, and they could not take the water out, and it remained so till we landed.

About midday on the Sabbath it blew from the south-west. Next day there was a calm about breakfast time, but then the wind blew harder and harder so that we had to, what they called, ‘heave to’, the wind blowing so hard and against us. We sailed on Wednesday morning by a south wind and the wind turned, by and by, from the east and a great calm came that evening. We made very little progress till the morning of Friday when the wind began to increase, still from the east. The wind never turned from the north through the days of Saturday and the Sabbath, and still increasing.

On Sabbath, about half past 3 o’clock in the afternoon we met with lumps of ice, different sizes, one of them as large as a corn bin, northwest of Bobnobaclash (?). They were very numerous. We were through them in about 2 hours at a speed of 6 knots. At evening the vessel ‘heaved to’ for fear of collision with icebergs. Some of the passengers, I among the rest, were detailed to watch the vessel all night. We sailed again on Monday morning at about half past 7 o’clock and at half past 12 we saw more icebergs. One lump seemed to me to be as large as ...... It was far north of us and they were not as numerous as we had seen the day before. We ‘heaved to’ that night again and watched as before.

We sailed next morning, the wind still from the north, and saw a good many vessels fishing on the banks of Newfoundland. I counted 14 in sight at one time. The Captain spoke to two of them through a trumpet. The weather was extremely cold for the 6th of the month (May). On we went with a little breeze from the north-east. On Thursday it was so calm that we hardly made any progress. The little air that we had was from the north but, towards evening, it turned towards the north-west. On Saturday there was a small breeze from the north-east.

Sabbath was very calm with hardly a ripple on the water. Something was spied on the water some distance away. They put a boat in the water which had been stowed away on deck. They rowed to the object and found it to be a dead whale with a harpoon in it. They got the vessel worked to it and fastened a hawser in its gills, someway, and fastened to the vessel. On Monday morning 21st May a fine breeze blew from the north-east and we saw land about half past 6am. A little while after we had seen land, the hawser broke loose and we were soon out of sight of the whale. The sailors went in the boat, which was still in the water, in search of the whale. All the seaman left except the Captain. We were even out of sight of them and at the mouth of the Gut of Canso. We tacked about several times to keep the vessel back till we saw the sailors coming. My brother Alex, Alex McDonald, Robert McDonald and I doing sailor duty. There was a fresh breeze from the east. Then we turned into the Gut of Canso. We let the anchor go at Plaster Cove about 7 o’clock pm, a port on the Cape Breton side, being the third port on the Cape Breton side that we saw that day. We also saw some bits of ice lying on the Nova Scotia side.

The sailors did not come back to the vessel at Plaster Cove till after we went to bed. They were there next morning and again went to look for the whale, and found it in the possession of another party by the name of McKinnon, who claimed the whale because they found it adrift. It was left to arbitration and the arbitrators awarded it to our Captain because part of his hawser was fastened to it. I was told that the Captain sold it to the McKinnons for $80.

Next day, after we landed, some of us went back to a back settlement in Cape Breton and saw them tilling a piece of new land, so called men and women working at it and were as dirty as colliers. Having understood that the vessel was to be there several days, cousin Robert Stewart, James Stewart the tailor, and me thought we would go to Antigonish. The Captain would not land us on the Nova Scotia side of the Gut, but on the Cape Breton side, so we went westward about a mile to a ferry where we had to pay 25 cents a piece to ferry us across. We did not admire the places we travelled through, much of it very rocky. We, however, saw some very nice places. We called in to some houses and got a drink, which was a rarity to us. Then towards evening we came to a place called ...... and met a number of men in the road who evidently (were) coming out of the field. We asked them where we could stop all night. There was only one of them that could speak English. He told us that there was no public house there, but about a mile ahead of us was a house he thought would entertain us. We got to the house in due time and asked him, a burly Frenchman, if he could accommodate us for the night. We plead for lodging, but we could not prevail upon him to lodge us or even to let us in the house. I was carrying a gun and told him that if he was afraid of the gum, I would deliver it to him until the morning, but it was no go. He told us that there was a countryman of ours over there, pointing over the field, we might go ask him.

It was getting dark and there was a young chap there whom we asked to come with us to the Scottish house; he first refused, but on being told that we would pay him he consented and we went till we were in sight of the house, and he told us that was the house. He would go no further. I gave him six pence and thanked him besides. When we came near the house there was a big black dog that would not let us near the house, so we separated and allowed that the dog could not be on three sides of the house at once. The dogs followed the others and I got to the house. They were all in bed but they soon got up and pacified the dog. When we told them who we were and what we wanted, they let us in. We had our supper of porridge and milk and went into one bed, the three of us. I, being the youngest, it was voted that I would take the foot of the bed. I slept well, but James complained that I kicked him badly. We got our breakfast next morning, early, and started on the road to Antigonish. Our entertainers were two brothers and a sister named Chisholm, very pious, for out of their bedroom they had to go through the room in which were pictures hung to which they kneeled, and I suppose prayed.

We arrived at South River, Antigonish, some-time after midday and called in a store owned by one McDonald. When we told him who we were, he knew both 'Big Alex' 21 and 'Big John' 22 well. He treated us to a glass of rum apiece, then took us to his house and got a very good dinner. He directed us to go up the South River, 6 or 7 miles and make enquiries, and they would show us a path over the hills and it would be several miles shorter than going by Antigonish village. We did so very thankfully because our feet were getting sore.

We arrived at Big Alex’s; that is my brother-in-law’s oldest brother. Big John is the tailor’s brother. Big John had heard of our coming to him, but Big Alex’s wife 23 would not let me go any place else, for she laid claim on me herself. She showed me snow-shoes and gave me a lump of maple sugar. Big John had a place locked up and secure for Robert, but no place for James, therefore James took umbrage of it and would not seek a place there. Robert went back to the vessel again. Him and Thomas McLaughlin and Robert Hari, as he was called, hired a boat to take their things and families to Antigonish. They settled in Lochaber.

James and me went to Pictou and the vessel did not arrive there. I got the address of Peter Stewart, Big Alex’s brother. He lived 23 miles from Pictou, up the West River. He was then a frail old man 24. His daughters 25 were his main farmers, his son Peter,26 would take to be about 12 years of age. The old gentleman, however, went with me the next day across to Mount. He said his mother-in-law was named Cameron. He said he had not been this far from home for 5 years. I got back to Pictou again and no vessel. James and I tried to get something to do and got a stable to clear out of a place that they had been building vessels in. We got a wheelbarrow and shovels and went to work and cleaned the place to their satisfaction. We could not get a ...... in money and my share of the spoils came to a quarter of a bundle of 7 x 9 glass, which I took to Westchester and used it in the windows upstairs of the first house we built.

I think it was the first night that we were in Pictou, we came across a man from Foss 27. I think James knew him. He was an entire stranger to me, yet coming from Foss he seemed near. He was pretty high in the wind as the saying is. He invited us to his house. His wife had been blind for some years, he a toper if not a drunkard. Hardly anything to be seen but bare walls, however, it being after dark, we stayed all night but made our exit early next morning.

At long length the 'Charlotte Kerr' arrived and had to be there several days. McDougal, the man from Paisley, and Dr Forrest landed there. Brother Donald, Alexander McDonald, James Stewart and me went to look around for a place to settle on and applied to a Peter Cresar, Crown land surveyor, to direct us. He gave us a letter to a Mr Kenzie at Barnets River. We went to Mr Kenzie and he went with us to the land pointed out by Mr Cresar. It did not suit us especially as it was a long way in the woods, but I believe we missed it, for I believe the present road goes very near it. The present road was not there then in being. There was 500 acres in one block and we could get it at government price.

We got to the vessel and made up our minds to go to Wallace. The vessel was bound there and it cost us nothing to go there, but only our time. We sailed for Wallace again this stay and got calmed off Talamagouche. My brother Donald and me had some cod fish hooks and lines. We out with them. Donald took in the fish hand over fist but I could get only one, once in a while. However, we had a feast of fresh codfish. When we came to cook them it did not matter much who caught them.

We had very slow sailing indeed and worked round the Cape Malagash that makes out to the eastward of Wallace harbour. When we turned in towards the harbour, they got sailors and some of the passengers to tug the vesel by a row boat. I think that the tide must have been in our favour. We got in and let go the anchor opposite Mr McFarlane's. I think it was on the 16th of June. David Purdy was at the harbour and came to us to sell the place he owned at Westchester. Alexander McDonald and me were appointed to go see it and report. Brother Donald and James Stewart were to look about the harbour for a suitable place where we could settle beside one another.

Alexander McDonald and me went, next afternoon, as far as David Purdy's. Next day we went to Westchester with Joseph Griffin as our guide, seen the place, also several other places, went back next day and reported, and brother Donald and James Stewart paid their money for it, before they saw it, merely on our report. The price, £100, amount of land, 500 acres, also a meadow lot of 150 acres.

I hope that you will excuse me for being so tedious in my account of the matter. I do not know that I have anything to say that would interest about home. There were a few bushels of oats sown, the ground ready for potatoes. All are in their usual health.

With love to you and yours, I remain, your father (signed) Wm. Stewart

Associated notes

1 James 'Ban' Stewart in Miltown of Borenich.
2 William Stewart in Croftdouglas, the son of John Stewart and Helen Stewart who are buried in the Borenich Burial Ground.
3 John Stewart, son of Donald Stewart and Margaret Robertson in Tomanbuie, married to William's aunt, Helen Stewart.
4 So the carts went directly north from Balcastle, crossed the open moorland at the top of the ridge and joined the 'funeral road' down to Struan church. From here they would have used the Wade road (between Perth to Inverness) as far as Dalwhinnie before branching west to Loch Laggan.
5 'Deacon' Robert Stewart, son of Robert Stewart and Janet Robertson in Balcastle, born 1798.
6 Eldest son of Robert Stewart and Cecilia Stewart in Chamberbane.
7 Cecilia Stewart, widow of Robert Stewart in Chamberbane and mother of James Stewart, the tailor.
8 Donald Stewart, husband of Janet McDonald (from Chamberbane).
9 Margaret Robertson (from Balcastle), wife of Robert McDonald in Chamberbane.
10 Alexander McDonald, born 22 Oct 1812, Robert McDonald, born 5 Sep 1817. The date of Christie's birth is unrecorded in the OPR.
11 John Robertson in Tomintianda was described as a young lad, so probably in his early 'teens. There are no Robertson births at Tomintianda, so his parentage is unknown.
12 Alexander McDonald (Chamberbane).
13 Eldest son of John MacLauchlan and Elizabeth (Elspet) Reid, wife if Isobel Stewart, Cecilia's daughter.
14 According to David Allison in 'History of Nova Scotia', Halifax 1916, he was known as Robert 'Harry' Stewart as he claimed to be a cousin of Lord Harry Stewart. The 'Harry' epithet has been written as 'Hari', 'Harey' and even 'Hairy', in various family histories. His father was Henry Stewart in Dundavie, Glen Fincastle, which is a more obvious explanation.
15 Glen Fincastle may mean the area to the south of the glen as well as the glen itself. Thomas McLauchlan and his brother were born at Balinluig, Fincastle, which is now the visitors' centre at the Queen's View.
16 Probably Gairlochy.
17 Probably the younger brother of Thomas McLauchlane, born at Balinluig, Fincastle, 26 May 1786.
18 Probably Janet Stewart, the daughter of 'Deacon' Robert Stewart, aged 3y.
19 In addition to the daughters named in the passenger list below, there are three other daughters mentioned in Thomas's Last Will and Testament (1864): Christy; Margaret and Jannet, who may have been born before 1832, or afterwards.
20 More likely to have been a cargo, than balast.
21 The eldest brother of James 'Ban' Stewart, also known as Alex 'Ban' Stewart.
22 The younger brother of James the tailor.
23 Margaret McFarlane.
24 In fact he was a couple of years younger than 'Big Alex', but obviously not well.
25 Presumably Jane and Mary. Jane married William Sutherland the following year and moved to Grant's Lake, Pictou.
26 Peter was born in 1814, so he should have been 18 years old! Perhaps there was confusion with one of the younger sons.
27 The district at the south-west end of Loch Tummel.
28 .
29 .
30 .

A passenger list of those emigrating to Nova Scotia in 1832 and 1833

The 1832 emigration group consisted of:

James Stewart, the tailor, from Chamberbane, aged 45y
Margaret McLauchlan, his wife, aged 32y
Robert Stewart, son, aged 5y
John Stewart, son, aged 4y
Donald Stewart, son, aged 2y
Cecilia Stewart, James the tailor's widowered mother, aged about 73y

Thomas McLauchlan, from Fincastle, aged 48y
Isabel Stewart, his wife (James the tailor's sister), aged about 38y
Elizabeth McLauchlan, daughter, aged 14y
Cecilia McLauchlan, daughter, aged 13y
Isobel McLauchlan, daughter, aged 8y
John McLauchlan, son, aged 5y
'Deacon' Robert Stewart, from Balcastle, aged 34y
Christy Stewart, his wife (James the tailor's sister), aged 34y
Robert Stewart, son, aged 4y
Janet Stewart, daughter, aged 3y
John Stewart, son, aged 1y

Girsel Stewart, widow of John Stewart in Knockgarry and mother of Donald and William, aged 54y
Donald Stewart, her son, aged 32y
Janet McDonald, Donald's wife, (from Chamberbane), aged about 27y
William Stewart, Girsel's son - the letterwriter, aged 24y
Alexander Stewart, Girsel's son, aged 22y
Margaret Stewart*, Girsel's daughter, aged 30y
Christina Stewart*, Girsel's daughter, aged 28y
Girzel Stewart*, Girsel's daughter, aged 20y
Isabel Stewart*, Girsel's daughter, aged 17y

* Margaret, Christina, Girzel and Isabel may have come out the following year with their older sister Janet and her husband, James 'Ban' Stewart.

Margaret Robertson, widow of Robert McDonald in Chamberbane, aged about 56y
Alexander McDonald, her son, aged 20y
Robert McDonald, her son, aged 15y
Christie McDonald, her daughter, aged about 13y

Robert 'Harry' Stewart, aged 42y

Isabella McGlashan, his wife (from Pitagowan), aged about 39y
William Stewart, their son, aged 10y
(maybe) Peter Stewart, their son, aged 5y
Alexander Stewart, their son, aged 1y
(maybe) Susan, their daughter, aged 17y
(maybe) Margaret, their daughter, aged 15y
(maybe) Barbara, their daughter, aged 13y
(maybe) Helen, their daughter, aged 9y
(maybe) Isabella, their daughter, aged 8y

Donald McLaughlin (from Glen Fincastle), unmarried. Probably Thomas McLauchlan's younger brother, aged 46y

John Robertson, a young boy from Tomintianda

The 1833 emigration group consisted of:

James 'Ban' Stewart, from Miltown of Borenich, aged 35y
Peter Stewart, son from his 1st marriage, aged 12y
Grace Stewart, daughter from his 1st marriage, aged 10y
Janet Stewart, his second wife, daughter of Girzel in Knockgarry, aged 34y
Jane Stewart, their daughter, aged 5
Margaret Stewart, their daughter, aged 2
Janet Stewart, their daughter, aged a few months
Christy Stewart, their daughter, aged a few months

Donald 'Rob' Stewart, son of Robert Stewart in Balcastle, aged 41y
Hellen (Ellen) McDonald, his wife (from Chamberbane), aged 36y
Alexander 'Donald Rob' Stewart, their son, aged 6y
John 'Donald Rob' Stewart, their son, aged 4y

John 'Harry' Stewart, from Fincastle, aged about 40y
Margaret Robertson, his wife (from Balchapel), aged about 30y
James 'Harry' Stewart, their son, aged 7y
Barbara 'Harry' Stewart, their daughter, aged 5y
(maybe) Peter 'Harry' Stewart, their son, aged 4y

and there may have been others who we do not know about.

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