While many Irish found their way to New York and other New England destinations, many landed further north, in Canada. The “Atlantic Canada” region receive a steady flow of immigrants between 1761 and 1853. The region recognized as “Atlantic Canada” includes the provinces of New Foundland and Labrador, Price Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. The records of these early Irish immigrants contained a wealth of information; including, sometimes, details of people in Ireland, some dating to a time before Catholic or state records were kept or are known to have survived. Erin’s sons: Irish Arrivals in Atlantic Canada 1761-1853 Volume III is part of a four volume collection of these early Canadian Irish records.
This four volume set is the compilation of records author and researcher Terrence Punch has transcribed covering Irish arrivals to Atlantic Canada. Information come from passenger lists, census records, newspaper articles, regimental records, church records, prison records, burials, tombstone inscription, and many other records as could be found naming Irish immigrants. Some of these records are difficult to come by. It is surprising how rich a source of information the author has uncovered and included in each volume.
An area of confusion to many studying their Irish ancestry is place names. Civil and church parishes didn’t always geographically match. This volume helps dispel some of the confusion with the inclusion of four hand-drawn maps with listings of place names. The four maps cover County Donegal, County Kilkenny (southern part), and County Waterford (Dunarvan and Ardmore area).
A large part of this volume, about a third, is dedicated to marriage and death information found in newspapers between 1854 and 1858. Another sizable record set of note is for the 97th Regiment, 1827-1853, military records. In all, this volume lists approximately 7,000 Irish-born residents of Atlantic Canada.
Also included in the book are maps showing the areas of peak migration from Ireland to Atlantic Canada, an index of surnames, and an index of ships.
As stated above, this is the third of four reviews in the Erin’s Sons series. Here are links to the reviews for the first two volumes:
Erin’s Sons: Irish Arrivals in Atlantic Canada 1761–1853 Volume I
Erin’s Sons: Irish Arrivals in Atlantic Canada 1761–1853 Volume II
Table of Contents
Introduction
Maps: Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry; county Monaghan, East Cork
Newspaper Marriages and Deaths of Irish-born, 1854-1858
Shipping News:
- Irish Ships at Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1778-1781
- Irish Passengers in the Brig Speculator, 1815
- Irish Immigrants Passing through Nova Scotia, 1821-1838
- Irish Passengers in the Brig Thomas Farrell, 1825
- Voyage of the Brig Thorney Close, Spring 1847
- The Brig Mary: Cork-Boston-Halifax-Saint John, 1847
- Survivors of the Brig Vixen, 1854
Probate Information:
- Irish Heirs, 1751-1856 (Halifax County, Nova Scotia)
- Claimants against Estates, Newfoundland, 1813-1815
Marriages:
- County Kilkenny Marriages in St. Jonh’s, NL, 1815-1827
- Joggins, NS: St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1849-1856
- Halifax, NS: St. Mary’s Cathedral, 1854-1858
- Dartmouth, NS: St. Peter’s Church, 1830-46; 1851-56
Headstones of Irish in Regional Cemeteries:
- Nova Scotia
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland (Island)
- Prince Edward Island
Holy Cross Cemetery, Halifax, NS, 1854-1858 Burials
Camp Hill Public Cemetery, Halifax, NS, 1854-1858 Burials
Military Attrition in Atlantic Canada, 1804-1853:
- Stray Soldier’s Information, 1804-1824
- A Deserter, a Runaway and an Alias or Two, 1805-1809
- How Military Attrition Dispersed Irish-born Soldiers
- The 97th Regiment, 1827-1853
“A Life Crowded with Incident”; Irish Travails:
- Irish Rioters at Woodstock, New Brunswick, 1847
- Murder in the Irish Community, Saint John, NB, 1856
Albert County, New Brunswick, Irish-born in Census of 1851
Some Early Irish Settlers in Western Prince Edward Island
Irish Solidarity in Newfoundland, 1832
Irish-born Petitioners for Land in Nova Scotia, 1804-1840
Wreck of the Dispatch, Isle-aux-Mortes, Newfoundland, 1828
Five New Brunswick Probates
Places of Origin in Nova Scotian Family Histories
An Irish Officer; an interesting man
Index of Ships
Index of Surnames
Erin’s sons: Irish Arrivals in Atlantic Canada 1761-1853 Volume III is available from Family Roots Publishing; Item #: GPC4711, Price: $32.34.