Byron William Stilwell

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: KHMH-YGH
• _UID: 6F4CCDA3EE574376B8D04C1B9A761779B8BA

Notes:

FamilySearch ID:
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KHMH-YGH

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: M5PR-CH5
• _UID: EF790B25877E45DDA6CC7CDDC94C0142E200

Notes:

FamilySearch ID:
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/M5PR-CH5

Ray married Minnie Christina Roche on 20 Sep 1899. Minnie (daughter of William Roach and Rachel Code) was born on 7 Jun 1873 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, United States; died on 21 Jul 1946. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: M5PR-HJK
• _UID: BD2B156C85914922BED207E35DEC2CDBB42C

Notes:

FamilySearch ID:
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/M5PR-HJK

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: LJ1R-GXR
• _UID: E854E788B21B411C8249B9546AF90EE7059C

Notes:

FamilySearch ID:
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LJ1R-GXR

William married Rachel Code on 29 Dec 1865 in Stanley Twp, Huron County South, Ontario, Canada. Rachel (daughter of George Code and Sarah Pearl Boyd) was born on 17 May 1847 in Kitley Twp, Leeds County, Ontario, Canada; died on 20 Feb 1931 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FamilySearch ID: L4TW-HQP
• _UID: 75AD5F232DE049D48BF42554FE205A1D5B25
• Census-Household Member: 1871, Elma Twp, Perth County, Ontario, Canada; Canada

Notes:

FamilySearch ID:
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L4TW-HQP

Census-Household Member:
Role: Household Member

Other Events and Attributes:

• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 94894511
• _UID: 57310ACEE0684ECF80F929AF2B47E98DFEAC
• Residence: 11 Nov 1821, Lanark Twp, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada; Concession 12 L4W
• Land & Property: 1829, Lanark Twp, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada; Concession 12 L4W
• Census: 1871, Elma Twp, Perth County, Ontario, Canada; Canada

Notes:

(Research):1820 Emigration from Armagh

I am indebted to the many researchers who have contacted me in the process of searching for their Irish roots, who have contributed pieces of the puzzle which unfolds below. After several years it remains a partially solved puzzle, and I welcome future contributions to this page from the folks whose ancestors lived at one time in Armagh, Ireland.

Before I begin, let me lay out what this story is about, and how it impacted the people who participated in it. British North America was sparsely populated at the time of the War of 1812, when the expansionist attempted and failed to annex its northern neighbor - which was still some 50 years away from being a country in its own right. The border with the United States the St. Lawrence River, as seen in the map below, had its settlements at Prescott, Elizabethtown (Brockville), Gananoque and Kingston and a farming population which was pushing slowly northward. Roads were little more than forest trails, and transport was largely by foot. Could this rural backwash sustain another American attack? It seemed unlikely, when the idea emerged that the area not right on the border could be opened up to farming settlement, and that it could be populated by settlers experienced in defending themselves - who would form militias to do so when required. What better place to find such settlers than in the aftermath of the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Government official, Peter Robinson (Peterborough was named after him) got the job done - transporting settlers in 1823 and 1825 - which initiated a steady stream of emigration.

While the largely Protestant loyalists had emerged victorious, the aftereffects of a viciously fought war had rendered their previous hegemony precarious at best and about to crumble at worst. Here were a rag tag people, loyal to their Crown and fervent about their religion - who were unwelcome where they lived. It was time for them to move, and the attraction of support by the Crown, the hope of a promised land, pushed them to step forward. Few were prepared for what they would find - eight miserable weeks at sea - rampant infection aboard ship - and then a trek through heavily forested no man's land to more heavily forested 100 acre bush lots - which would, for the most part, have to be cleared before they could grow anything - or own the land. Two stirring accounts of their experience have survived. The first account involved my CODD relatives from Aghold Wicklow who travelled on the Mary & Bell in 1817. They would venture as far as Kitley Township, and would establish an inn where the road forked - one trail going north to Perth and the other northeast to what would eventually become Smiths Falls. Many settlers would sojourn at Kitley before moving northward, and some would return here to settle. The second account of a traveller on the 1821 voyage of the David of London details the travails of Scottish settlers, escaping overpopulation, who would find different difficulties here - but never overpopulation.


Birth:
also listed as Cronlea, Mullancuff Parish, Shillelagh, Wicklow Co., Ireland

FindaGrave Memorial ID:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/94894511

Land & Property:
MS693-Reel 119-Scan 35- Codd -and others

George married Sarah Pearl Boyd on 20 Feb 1824 in Perth, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada. Sarah (daughter of Samuel Boyd and MAR Boyd) was born about 1803 in Keady, County Armagh, Ireland; died on 29 Mar 1865 in Ewart, Manitoba, Canada; was buried in Elma Centre Cemetery, North Perth County, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 94894443
• _UID: CA8964966F0B43F1859EF5B3F8827FA66542
• Immigration-Witness: 1819, Lanark Twp, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada; From England

Notes:

FindaGrave Memorial ID:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/94894443

Immigration-Witness:
Role: Witness
A girl under 12 is listed with Samuel Boyd who is unmarried (widowed?) upon arrival. This was likely Sarah Pearl Boyd.

Buried:
SACRED TO
the memory of
SARAH BOYDE
beloved wife of
GEORGE CODE
who Emigrated
from Co. Armagh
IRELAND
to Canada in
1819
died 29 Mar. 1865
AGED 64 YRS.
and 9 Mo.