Throughout history, private companies have always been
interesting in settling people on colonized lands and large tracts of lands
acquired from national governments and monarchs. It was no different in parts
of modern-day Canada. One interesting example was The Canada Company. It was
formed in the 1820s to sell and settle land in Ontario, of which its southern
parts was known as Upper Canada from 1791 to 1841.
After settling the first generation of arrivals, it was in
the interest of such companies to facilitate the settlers to write back to
family members in their place of origin and send remittances. Both acts would
encourage more settlers to come to the company's lands. The Canada Company
settled a considerable number of Irish immigrants and compiled a large amount
of documentation in the process.
The company's records were acquired by a Canadian archive
after it ceased operation in 1951. Among the records were four volumes that
reported on the company's efforts to assist settlers with their remittance
payments. Relevant genealogical
information from these volumes was included in Genealogical extraction and index of the Canada Company remittance
books, 1843-1847, published in 1990.[1]
About half of those immigrants were from
Ireland. The records detail the residence of the settler and, crucially, the
residence of person receiving the remittance in Ireland. These people are most
likely to have been family members or those from the settler's place of origin
in Ireland.
This publication is not universally available. Copies can be found at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, Toronto Public Library, and elsewhere . The original records are at the Archives of Ontario.
[1] Dwight
D. Radford and Kyle J. Betit. A
Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Irish Ancestors. Betterway Books: 2003,
p.67.
