Scottish and Irish Diaspora - Populating Canada

[cessna152towser]

My mother's four uncles emigrated to Canada early in the twentieth century. Between them, three of the brothers produced at least forty four grandchildren. I have not yet established whether the fourth brother also produced a family. These are all second generation Canadians and are second cousins to me, and we have common ancestry from Irish great grandparents. The great majority still live in Canada, though one now lives in California and one in Hawaii and most had two or more children of their own and they in turn are now giving birth to a new generation of Canadians. I have known some of my second cousins throughout my life as my mother kept contact with some of her Canadian cousins, others I have only come to know in recent years thanks to the internet (we have our own group on Facebook) and there are some I have yet to know.
I never fail to marvel at their photos of large family groups, since here in Scotland my family has all but died out over the last decade. There is now only my wife Ann, who lives in a care home as she needs full time nursing following a series of strokes, my daughter from a previous marriage, who has bipolar disorder and lives a reclusive and lonely life, I have not seen her for over five years, though in fairness she does e-mail me quite regularly, and one much older cousin whom I last saw at my dad's funeral six years ago, she lives some distance away and is in failing health.
As my family here in Scotland has disappeared, the Canadian relatives have assumed much greater importance in my life.
It is remarkable how the family has thrived and multiplied in Canada while they have withered away in Scotland, is it something in the Canadian water?

[muirkirkca]

Nice to keep in touch with your cousins and this is a good summary of your family diaspora. Very interesting.

[rocscotjoe]

It is remarkable how the family has thrived and multiplied in Canada while they have withered away in Scotland, is it something in the Canadian water?

I think it is the immigrant experience. People had larger families to try to have as many wage earners as they could. My Dad was the youngest of six brothers, all of them had good sized families, one of his brothers had seven children, I am the oldest of four, and have three adult children of my own.

Near as I can tell, we are likely Highland Scots who left after Culloden and went to Ireland, my family emigrated to Nova Scotia, then the US through Boston, ending up in Western Maryland. We were miners back then. My grandfather moved to Western PA to the steel mills and my core family is mostly there. I have been in touch via Facebook with a woman in NS who tells me there are a lot of us still in Canada, and my wife and I are planning a 30th anniversary trip to the Maritimes to check it out.

BTW, there IS something in that Canadian water. They make FABULOUS beer! eh?

[denmcdough]

What a sad story. I can definitely feel that you need your cousins in Canada more and more.

As a first generation American ~ dad born in Ireland 1896, mom in Italy 1910 ~ I'm lucky to have a multitude of relatives. I have met many of my Italian ancestors, but am having a very difficult time connecting with the Irish side.

Anyway, good luck hooking up with your relatives! Go for it!

[CMcG]

Withering family size is a trend here in Canada as well... my great-grandfather (like the good Irish Catholic that he was) had 13 children in his first family and another 11 with a second wife after the first one died in child birth! My grandfather had 5 kids and my father had just one (me).

My family tree has a great girth in the roots but they seem to be digging less and less deep as time goes by. A product of the modern world or a result of changes to the immigrant mentality once established in a new home?

[jhockin]

I hear what you are saying!
I got some 'family tree' info, on my MacNaughton ancestors, last year. Robert MacNaughton, born in Scotland about 1776; emigrated to Canada, with his family, and settled in Dalesville Quebec, about 1824. Following the family tree, there are now thousands of descendants ( or maybe 10's of 1000s?). No doubt, this why we hear that thre more people of scottish descent living outside of Scotland, than Scot living inside of Scotland - and more than lived in Scotland at the time of the '74.

[Deil the Yin]

My hat's off to you, sir, for yet another poignant and profound post. I think this is what they call living history?

Can't say much on the Canadian water, though...

Aye,
Wesley

[###KILTEDKIWI###]

My family tree has a great girth in the roots but they seem to be digging less and less deep as time goes by. A product of the modern world or a result of changes to the immigrant mentality once established in a new home?

The above quote is interesting, because as the generations have gone on (I'm a fourth gene for example), the numbers of children have steadily decreased, from my original Cunningham progenitor (arrived 1876) who had 8 children, next gene 5 kiddies, next 3 kiddies, and now my own 2 sproglets.

probably more around child mortality rates, ability to have children help with work and or work for others and thus increase the family wealth / well being, and of course, the cost of children and the ability to run a household comfortably nowadays.

Worst comes to worst Alex, we will adopt you...

[ccga3359]

It is remarkable how the family has thrived and multiplied in Canada while they have withered away in Scotland, is it something in the Canadian water?

It's the long winters

[ThistleDown]

It's the long winters

Soooooo many births in September and October that Canada has to import gyn-locums from as far away as Detroit and Seattle and midwives from Vermont and Oregon, too! Seriously, Alex, a nice, thoughful post.