by Garth Merkeley | Mar 4, 2015
William Taylor was born in Birsay, Orkney about 1788. He entered the service of the Hudson’s Bay Company about 1804 and served as a labourer at York Factory until 1814. He returned to Europe for five years, then returned to York Factory where he was an assistant Trader from 1819-1822. (1)
William Taylor was born in Birsay, Orkney about 1788. He entered the service of the Hudson’s Bay Company about 1804 and served as a labourer at York Factory until 1814. He returned to Europe for five years, then returned to York Factory where he was an assistant...
by Garth Merkeley | Mar 4, 2015
John Tait was born January 22, 1803 in South Ronaldsay, Orkney, Scotland, to James Tait and Catherine Cromarty. He followed his brothers, James and William, to Rupert’s Land in the employment of the Hudson’s Bay Company. He entered service in 1820 as a middleman at Albany and in 1823 moved to Moose Factory. By 1825 he is listed as a carpenter. He married Elizabeth Brown, daughter of Joseph Brown and Elizabeth, a Native woman, and in 1829 he retired to the Red River Settlement where he continued as a carpenter and later as a miller. The family, which included three sons and four daughters, resided in Park’s Creek in the Parish of St. Andrews. They attended St. Andrews-on-the-Red Anglican Church, where there is a wall plaque commemorating John’s life. He died September 23, 1879 and was followed by Elizabeth on June 27, 1882.
John Tait was born January 22, 1803 in South Ronaldsay, Orkney, Scotland, to James Tait and Catherine Cromarty. He followed his brothers, James and William, to Rupert’s Land in the employment of the Hudson’s Bay Company. He entered service in 1820 as a middleman at...
by Garth Merkeley | Mar 4, 2015
William Sutherland, aged 54, emigrated from Balnavaliach, Kildonan, Sutherlandshire, in 1815. He was accompanied by his wife Isabella, 50, and four of their children: Jeremiah (15), Helen (12), Ebenezer (11) and Donald (7). (1) The Scottish Old Parish Registers record the births of these children, a son William in 1792, and daughters Barbara and Ann in 1795 and 1796 respectively. There were two older children, Alexander and Catherine, unrecorded in the OPRs.
William Sutherland, aged 54, emigrated from Balnavaliach, Kildonan, Sutherlandshire, in 1815. He was accompanied by his wife Isabella, 50, and four of their children: Jeremiah (15), Helen (12), Ebenezer (11) and Donald (7). (1) The Scottish Old Parish Registers...
by Garth Merkeley | Mar 4, 2015
Robert Sutherland was born in Borobol, Kildonan, Sutherlandshire, about 1796. In 1813, he sailed on the Prince of Wales for York Factory and the Red River Settlement. (1) Also on the ship were his sister Christiana, his brother William with his wife Margaret Gunn, and his sister Jannet with her husband Andrew McBeath. Owing to an outbreak of typhus on the ship, the passengers were disembarked at Churchill, rather than York Factory. No preparations had been made for them at Churchill and the colonists spent a miserable winter at a makeshift camp about 15 miles up the Churchill River. Christiana died during the winter. In the spring, Archibald McDonald led the fittest of them on snow shoes from their camp to York Factory. Included in this group were Robert, his brother William and wife, and his sister Jannet and husband Andrew McBeath. They arrived at Red River in June 1814.
Robert Sutherland was born in Borobol, Kildonan, Sutherlandshire, about 1796. In 1813, he sailed on the Prince of Wales for York Factory and the Red River Settlement. (1) Also on the ship were his sister Christiana, his brother William with his wife Margaret Gunn, and...
by Garth Merkeley | Mar 4, 2015
Catherine (1) (Kitty) Sutherland and her brothers William (4848) and Alexander (4847), from Balnavaliach, Sutherland, were in the party of emigrants who sailed on the Prince of Wales in 1813. (2) There was an outbreak of typhus on the ship and the captain put the passengers ashore at Fort Churchill instead of at York Factory. The colonists were forced to spend the winter at a camp a few miles up the Churchill River. William died during the winter. Catherine and Alexander were among the young people who trekked on snowshoes to York Factory in the spring, arriving at Red River in June 1814.
Catherine (1) (Kitty) Sutherland and her brothers William (4848) and Alexander (4847), from Balnavaliach, Sutherland, were in the party of emigrants who sailed on the Prince of Wales in 1813. (2) There was an outbreak of typhus on the ship and the captain put the...
