Scottish Settlers to Lanark County Ontario

I recently received the GlobalGenealogy newsletter and was thrilled to see new resources for those researching their Scottish ancestors. The first is a book about the Settlers of Lanark County Ontario, later known as the Lanark Settlers. This was a huge settlement of Scottish immigrants, primarily from the lowlands of Scotland. 

The book is entitled Narrative of a Voyage to Quebec and the Journey from Thence to New Lanark in Upper Canada 

Several ships brought these settlers into Ontario with the largest groups coming in 1821 and 1822. The book gives a first hand account by one John McDonald. Interestingly, I read a first hand account of the passage across the sea by the same John McDonald when I was in the National Records of Scotland in May of this year. 9 days of rough seas and seasickness. I honestly can't imagine. I suffered seasickness for 2 hours and was ready for the knackerman. 

McDonald gives a bit of a negative spin based on his own experiences, but given that his writings were contemporarily written, give a wonderful insight into the settlement scheme which allowed Scots to have land - something that never would have been a possibility had they remained in Scotland. The settlement itself was very successful and the book shows us the obstacles that the new settlers faced when they arrived in Ontario (then Upper Canada). 

The book is available in print or PDF download from GlobalGenealogy. Global ships internationally.