The McClelland's of Canada

My great great grandfather John was the first know family member.  He was born in Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland in about 1818. I have not been able to find any information on parents or siblings other than he had a younger sister Jane.  John McClelland and his sister Jane arrived in Canada in 1837.  There is a blank in the family history at this time until John married Margaret Blackburn in 1839.  Margaret's family was living in Ramsay Township, Lanark County, Ontario at the time.  John and his sister Jane may have originally settled in Ramsay Township as well.  John and Margaret homesteaded in Kitley Township, Leeds County in 1840, near the present day town of Toledo.  In 1849, they relocated to Holland Township, Grey County.

Following is an excerpt from the The Daily Sun-Times, Owen Sound , as told by his son Joseph,  May 13, 1939

He received a good public education in Ireland. His mother died when he was quite young. He and his younger sister Jane came to Canada in 1837. Although not yet confirmed, it is believed John and Jane may have lived in Ramsay Township, Leeds County. George Blackburn, father of Margaret, originally homestead in Ramsay.   In 1839, he married Margaret Blackburn and they  moved to a bush farm near Smiths Falls. They resided there for ten years, and their four eldest children, Samuel, Jane, John and George were born there. They sold out in 1849 and moved to Holland Township in Grey county, where they bought 100 acres of bush land. They arrived November 5, 1849. The journey there took them through Barrie, Penetanguishene and arriving at Owen Sound aboard the the boat "Gore". The men had been there the year before to construct temporary shanties to live in. It appears that James Williscroft and George Blackburn had accompanied John to build the houses and that James Williscroft also settled in Holland Twp.  They hired a team to take their belongings 16 miles out into the bush of Holland. They had to carry everything the last one and a half miles to their homestead. The homes were hand built from logs. A fireplace was build of stones, with the flue being constructed from sticks, then plastered with heavy clay. Tallow candles was the only means of lighting the one room home. There was little money and John would walk to the old settlement near Brampton to work for cash to buy much needed supplies which couldn't be bartered for. Clothing was all hand made from wool, taken from their sheep. This was spun on an old spinning wheel in the home. It was then woven into cloth on a loom by a weaver, for about 12 cents a yard. John died six weeks after taking a bad cold in March, 1859. He had sold the farm just before he died. Margaret and the family then moved across the road to a good big log home with an upstairs in it. It had a large brick fireplace for heating. The property had a creek running through it. Wild fruits were plentiful, including strawberries, goose berries, black and red raspberries, currants, cherries, plums, hazel and beech nuts. They grew wheat, oats, and peas, and a large quantity of potatoes, turnips, some hay, tumble beets, carrots, onions, rhubarb and cabbage. The land was very rich and clean, which meant no weeding nor insects to deal with.

There is some confusion as to birth dates in the family.  According to the 1851 Census of Canada (actually carried out in 1852), John Mclelland is calculated as born in 1817; Margaret - 1819; Samuel - 1837; Jane - 1840; John - 1843; George - 1846 and William - 1850.  The dates for the birth of Samuel and George conflict with dates found elsewhere in the family records, particularly for Samuel, the first born.  According to Joseph's autobiography, John and Margaret were not married until 1839.

In the 1881 Census, George (McCleland) is shown as head of household, farmer,  born 1852; Margaret - widow b. 1819 and Mary b. 1859.

In the 1901 Census, Joseph is shown as born April 1, 1845; Thomas b. April 24, 1853 and George April 6, 1849

I do have in my possession, a letter addressed to John McClelland in 1854 from a James McClelland of Co. Monoghan, Ireland. I assume this was likely a cousin or some other relative.  A transcription follows:

Monaghan, 19^th Sept 1854

My Dear Friend:

I received your very kind letter of the 25^th April last.  We were very happy to know you enjoyed good health.  This is the second letter I wrote you since April.  I went by your directions respecting the obtaining the power of an attorney to send you but could not do so not  knowing the name of the Bank and Town that the money is lodged in now.

 I request you will be so kind on receipt of this letter to write and mention the Bank and the Town and any other information that you may consider necessary.   Soon as I receive yours, I shall send you all that will be required to draw the money.  I will have nothing to do but let my attorney know the name of the Bank and Town to get the writings prepared to send you.

Please do say when you heard from our father.  Do you live far from Boston?   I am sorry for giving you so much trouble.  We are all well.

 I trust you will write soon as you receive this.  I hope to be able to compensate you for all the trouble you will have when I am sending the power of an attorney to you.  I will let you know the Bank to send the money to for me.

Hoping you and the family are all well as I am, dear friend.

Yours affectionately,

Wm McClelland

Mail at that time came on the Royal Mail  Steam-Packet Co. which later became Cunard Lines.  The letter was dated Sept. 19^th, 1854 in Ireland and was posted marked at Owen Sound, ON on Oct. 12^th, 1854.

John died in 1859 from pneumonia, but the seeds were sown for the McClelland clan in Canada.  More detail on individuals is available in the Family Genealogy links.