— CELEBRATING 200 YEARS OF HISTORY —
2018 marked the 200th Anniversary of Scottish immigrants settling in Hammond. We believe this made for a truly memorable celebration!
View our NEXT 2021 Scottish Festival Schedule of Events
View our NEXT 2021 Scottish Festival Schedule of Events
In the early 1800’s times were not easy in Scotland. Farmers were treated more like indentured servants, crop failures came from early 1800’s weather problems as well as the “no summer of 1816”, population increased greatly, and the Industrial Revolution was underway that gave poor working conditions.These were some of the factors that influenced many Scottish families to leave the country....
There are some conflicting writings about the first group of settlers that came to Hammond and Rossie. More research needs to be done, but this is the information that is given in various resources. During the summer of 1818, many Scottish families came to America. The passage on the ships was not pleasant and took up to 12 weeks or more. One such ship landed in Montreal. According to Ernest G. Cook’s article in March 26, 1946 WDT, George Parish was in Montreal to meet the boat. “He knew if you wanted good, thrifty settlers-get the Scotch. He painted such a delightful picture of the prospects to settlers in the Hammond area, that most of the party went at his invitation to purchase lands in the wilderness of Hammond.” Cook wrote that there were only 4 settlers in the town when they arrived.
According to another historian, these first settlers traveled by stage coach to Lachine & then to Prescott, Ontario, by Durham boats which were drawn by horses. Some of these folks were quite discouraged coming off the boat at Prescott. They thought they could go right onto a farm that was all set for them. A land agent of Mr. Parish met some of these Scottish immigrants in Canada and persuaded them to come to the Hammond Rossie area. Some came down the river to Chippewa on the Durham boats and had to cut through forest land on the Chippewa Bay Road and then had to clear their own land. The first homes were small log shanties. The Scottish settlers on that road were the families of Peter Allen, John Baird, John Gregor, & David Gregor, along with 2 brothers, James & John Hill.
David Parish, via his land agent, offered a very good deal to the first Scottish who came to Rossie in 1818. A group of these families came to Quebec via a very stormy 12 week voyage. In about 6 weeks they reached Prescott by traveling in Durham boats on the St. Lawrence River. The agent met them and encouraged them to cross the river to Ogdensburg & check out the Rossie lands. The families stayed in Ogdensburg for 6 weeks while some of the men went to look at the lands.
Of course, the agent led the men through the valleys & richest portions, avoiding the many rock ledges & hills. For each farm family Mr. Parish had 10 acres of land cleared at his own expense. He had a log cabin built and supplied each family with a cow, seed wheat and provisions for the first year. He also furnished an ox team for every two families. Not only that, Mr. Parish let these families live in the big Parish barn outside the village of Rossie. (See Early History of Oxbow & the Scotch Settlement, Rossie NY 1820-1921 ). According to “Settlers in New York State- Rossie by Year Group”, there were 10 Scottish families who may have taken this offer: Ormistons, Dicksons, Faichneys, McLarens, McCurries, Elliotts, Hendersons, Douglases and Dodds. The settlers were to pay Mr. Parish when they were more settled, but it was difficult to make payments on time, so Mr. Parish forgave some of their debts.
The years 1819 and 1820 brought more Scottish settlers to the Hammond and Rossie areas. The land actually seemed more like their homeland. They worked very hard and eventually had very nice farms and several began to build stone houses with the abundance of local sandstone. Letters went back to Scotland, telling of the freedoms and success in America, so the Scottish continued to come right through the 1850’s.
These Scottish families were very hard-working. Many of them were farmers with talents such as blacksmiths or stone masons.They also had a very deep faith and organized Presbyterian Churches within a short time of settling in the Hammond and Rossie areas.
According to another historian, these first settlers traveled by stage coach to Lachine & then to Prescott, Ontario, by Durham boats which were drawn by horses. Some of these folks were quite discouraged coming off the boat at Prescott. They thought they could go right onto a farm that was all set for them. A land agent of Mr. Parish met some of these Scottish immigrants in Canada and persuaded them to come to the Hammond Rossie area. Some came down the river to Chippewa on the Durham boats and had to cut through forest land on the Chippewa Bay Road and then had to clear their own land. The first homes were small log shanties. The Scottish settlers on that road were the families of Peter Allen, John Baird, John Gregor, & David Gregor, along with 2 brothers, James & John Hill.
David Parish, via his land agent, offered a very good deal to the first Scottish who came to Rossie in 1818. A group of these families came to Quebec via a very stormy 12 week voyage. In about 6 weeks they reached Prescott by traveling in Durham boats on the St. Lawrence River. The agent met them and encouraged them to cross the river to Ogdensburg & check out the Rossie lands. The families stayed in Ogdensburg for 6 weeks while some of the men went to look at the lands.
Of course, the agent led the men through the valleys & richest portions, avoiding the many rock ledges & hills. For each farm family Mr. Parish had 10 acres of land cleared at his own expense. He had a log cabin built and supplied each family with a cow, seed wheat and provisions for the first year. He also furnished an ox team for every two families. Not only that, Mr. Parish let these families live in the big Parish barn outside the village of Rossie. (See Early History of Oxbow & the Scotch Settlement, Rossie NY 1820-1921 ). According to “Settlers in New York State- Rossie by Year Group”, there were 10 Scottish families who may have taken this offer: Ormistons, Dicksons, Faichneys, McLarens, McCurries, Elliotts, Hendersons, Douglases and Dodds. The settlers were to pay Mr. Parish when they were more settled, but it was difficult to make payments on time, so Mr. Parish forgave some of their debts.
The years 1819 and 1820 brought more Scottish settlers to the Hammond and Rossie areas. The land actually seemed more like their homeland. They worked very hard and eventually had very nice farms and several began to build stone houses with the abundance of local sandstone. Letters went back to Scotland, telling of the freedoms and success in America, so the Scottish continued to come right through the 1850’s.
These Scottish families were very hard-working. Many of them were farmers with talents such as blacksmiths or stone masons.They also had a very deep faith and organized Presbyterian Churches within a short time of settling in the Hammond and Rossie areas.
