Westward Cork Migration by Sail 1815-1860 by John Sutton

PART I CALENDAR OF CORK EMIGRANT SHIP SAILINGS 1815-60

force-marched to Oklahoma in freezing conditions with the loss of 4,000 lives, the finale of an event called the ‘Trail of Tears’ . * US Senate Ponders Claim of the Oregon Territory While United States forces assisted in suppression of insurrectionists on the Upper Canada border in 1837, the future President Buchanan in the Senate pushed claim to the Oregon Territory: ‘In the Senate today Mr. Linn of Missouri introduced a very important measure: a bill to authorize the occupation of the Columbian River. The object is to take some steps towards settling the question between the United States and British Government, in reference to the Oregon Territory. Mr. Buchanan of Pennsylvania expressed his high gratification at the introduction of this measure. He reminded the Senate that the Hudson Bay Company had been gradually proceeding to taking entire possession of this territory; and as we had already enough of territorial disputes with Great Britain, he thought this matter ought to be decided at once. He had no doubt that the result of a full and fair investigation would establish the indisputable, if not undisputed, right of the United States to the possession of the territory’ ( New York Advertiser , Feb 7, 1838). 1839 A-LIST

Ship

Captain

Cork Dep

Arrival

Voyage Emigrants

Source

MARY

Newman John Veale

27 Apr 27 Apr

St John NB St John NB New York 3 Jun 1839

emigrants emigrants

1 8

THOMAS HANFORD GOVERNOR DOUGLAS

1 8 10

W Hyde

2 May

emigrants

1 4 8

SWAN

W Errington James Bisson

11 May 13 May

Quebec Quebec

emigrants emigrants

1 8 1 8

CLIFTON

B-LIST Venus Rebecca Percival

– ( port unknown) sailed for St John NB from Cork 12 Apr with emigrants. – (port unknown) sailed for St John NB from Cork 12 May with emigrants. – (port unknown) sailed for St John NB from Cork 26 May with emigrants.

RELATED NEWS and EVENTS * Emigration Rebound

Canadian Rebellions of 1837-8 were associated with a major decline in emigration. 1839 experienced a rebound and emigration from the UK nearly doubled to 62,207 ; distribution: BNA - 12,658 , US - 33,536 , Australia - 15,786 . US emigrant numbers bounced back quicker than BNA. Recall that the percentage of Irish on manifests of UK origin was higher for the US than for BNA (discussed in Part ll). This Calendar of Ships for 1839 found very few sailed directly from Cork. * Lord Durham’s Report after the 1837-38 Canadian Rebellions