Glengarry Emigration of 1786
Text from the plaque
Early in September, 1786, a group of some 500 Scottish Highlanders, the majority of whom were Macdonells, arrived at Quebec. They were led by their parish priest from Knoydart, Glengarry, the Reverend Alexander MacDonell (Scotus). Forced to emigrate because of the depressed economic conditions of the Highlands, they had been encouraged to come to Canada and settle among their fellow countrymen in what is now Glengarry County. Despite initial hardships most of these Scottish pioneers settled successfully in this region, where their loyalty and military prowess were frequently demonstrated. Father MacDonell founded the parish of St. Raphael, one of the province's earliest Roman Catholic congregations.
Transcribed from the marker, not summarised.
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The United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry
The Township of South Glengarry
In St. Raphaels, in a cemetery
adjacent to St. Raphael's Church Ruins
N 45 12.728 W 74 35.812
Recorded June 2005. Check current access before visiting.
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March 23, 2013
Very interesting site. May I make one point - the plaque which says that the 1786 Glengarry emigrants from the Highlands were "forced to emigrate because of the depressed economic conditions of the Highlands" is not accurate. These Highlanders had to leave their own land because of the clearances (when they were evicted to make their farms into sheep ranches), accompanied by extreme increases of rent (some rents demanded were now ten times as much in a year or two). So far as the chiefs-turned-landlords of the Highlands were concerned, this was an enormous bonanza - very far from being a "depression". I was actually born in Canada (Saskatchewan) but brought up in England; and I have written "The Scottish Highland Clearances", which will be published this year. Alwyn Edgar